Topic Tuesday // Stigma// Tues 14 May, 7pm AEST

[Jonty8]

I've actually found a lot of mental health organisations and professionals to be quite stigmatising in their practices and views. I've challenged a particular policy that a mental health organisation that provides me with support has in place. I was pretty much told that it just has to be that way. If a mental health organisation has stigmatising policies,  why shouldn't the rest of society stigmatise me too?

[Owlunar]

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@Former-Member wrote:

@Owlunar - yes it can be very frustrating to feel like what is shown on TV isn't covering safety and wellbeing aspects or that a program might have gaps. Have you ever contact the program to highlight this? Sounds like it was quitet riggering too. 

@Zoe7 - that is not nice to not feel supported, and worse feel like your work is being considered through the lense of your MI. Did you coninute to communicate with your workplace on this to get to a resolution at all?

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It always triggers me @Former-Member - I have tried to accesss the programme through this person's website but this is hard to do from Australia - it has recently occurred to me to write to him and send it to him over and over until he responds - soon I will feel ready for that

I would go to America and appear on his show if I had the chance 

Dec

[Former-Member]

@Fracturedlightwe're sorry that you had that experience. Stigma can be a real hinderence to the recovery journey, which is why we aim to educate not only the media, but the community about why respectful, accurate and safe conversations about mental health are so important

[Adge]

Hi @Former-Member Glad to have you here.

Thanks for your Reminder Notification @Former-Member

Hi everyone.

I've just read all the discussion posts, to follow along.

I haven't got up to answering any of your questions yet.

Adge

[Teej]

Hi all 👋🏻

Personally the worst stigma and discrimination I’ve experienced has been in the ED dept of public hospitals. I think it is ignorance and lack of understanding that breeds stigma. 

Like @Zoe7 said I think that the reports of the media are the basis for many people’s understanding of mi. It wasn’t until I’d had a couple of admissions to hospital that I understood more about mi and felt empathy because I understood it better. To me it feels vital that the media isn’t just reporting mi when it comes to crime. 

I do think the media has come a long way with reporting suicide though. 

[Former-Member]

That is such a challenge @Jonty8

It's incredibly difficult to enforce safe and responsible discussions around mental health when there are policies that don't necessarily reflect this. Without knowing the specifics of your situation, it might be worth looking at alternative services that make you feel more supported if this is at all possible?

[Fracturedlight]

@Former-Member thank you for having me join!!

yes it was a huge contributer to a massive mental health break down still in the midst of it all. I just find being mentally ill isnt accepted or it should only be a short term problem that you just get over. I think every workplace should have to do compulsory training on mental health as part of OHS. Majority of society don't understand the in-depth issues associated with MH so either choose to stigmatise or ignore. It's heartbreaking when you feel judgement for something you didn't ask for and can't explain it. It's going to be a massive concern for the future which is why we need to educate people and the media now. 

[Former-Member]

Welcome @Adge - lovely you have read through everything so far 😊

[Adge]

I don't watch any TV news anymore, so I'm somewhat shielded from stigmatising depictions.

I do get the Sunday paper, which I find is filled with shocking pictures, & worst-case scenarios (disturbing).

I have CPTSD, yet generally keep that to myself - because of very unhelpful responses (if I do disclose).

I have found that if GP's know of your (my) MI diagnosis - they immediate pronounce that my physical health issue is due to MI (or anxiety).

Several Drs were very wrong on that account - the physical health issues required surgery, they were in no way due to MI (or anxiety).

Adge

[Fracturedlight]

@Former-Member thank you!!