The talk and presentation on Stigma on Mental Illness took place on Wednesday, Sept. 8 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. over Zoom. Eric Henderson and Tony Bryan led the talk. A stigma is defined as negative attitudes and inaccurate beliefs about people who have a mental illness.
This presentation talked a lot about breaking the stigma of mental illness, to get rid of labels, and empower people with mental conditions so that they can have the courage to talk about it. There are many things that can cause people to have a mental illness or trauma. Environmental things can be a factor.
Mental illnesses are common. They happen in about one in five people. Stigmas can impact people to the point where it prevents them from seeking help. People with mental illness may be discriminated against at their job and at their school. Around 90% of people with a mental illness face discrimination.
Social media has a big impact on people with mental illness. There is a lot of misinformation in the media when it comes to mental illness. To find good information about mental illness, go to this website.
This talk took place so that Sinclair could become a stigma-free campus. To help reach this goal there are three things to follow:
- Learn more about mental health.
- See the person and not the condition.
- Take action.
People can also help those with mental conditions by just listening to them and giving them resources. Doing these things can help in a big way to create a stigma-free campus. Even if it is just one person, that is one step closer to the goal.
Nick Thomas
Intern