The Stigma Against Mental Illness

BY MIRANDA KROEGER

Happiness is a choice.” But what happens if, no matter how hard you try, your “choice” to be happy still doesn’t make you happy? Often, people struggling with depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, or other men- tal illnesses are made to feel that their con- dition stems from personal failing: if they could only stress less, learn to be happy, or see themselves more positively, they wouldn’t be facing the issue at all. This view, which is perpetuated by society’s stigma against those with mental illnesses, is not only false, but only creates further challenges for those living with a mental illness.

Amidst recent media coverage fixated on the depression and anti-social disorders of gunmen, it is easy to understand why somebody would be unwilling to come forward about their mental illness. Many fear that in doing so they might come to be associated with the extreme minority of mentally ill individuals who do commit heinous and publicized crimes. Stereotypes that those with mental disorders are “crazy,” “psycho,” or even “attention seeking” often keep people from getting help or admitting that they have a problem.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five Americans lives with a mental disorder, but only one-third of those with a disorder will seek treatment. Many fear they could be negatively labeled, treated differently by friends and family, and discriminated against if someone were to learn that they had a mental illness. Society views counselors and therapists as necessary only for those who are “crazy” or who suffer from a severe mental condition, despite the fact that such professionals are helpful for those with or without mental illness. The negative associations of asking for help, even for something minor, can lead untreated patients to develop more advanced forms of mental illness in the long-term.

We need to address the deep, underlying stigma surrounding mental illness that permeates US society. In an article in Advancements in Psychiatric Treatments, author Peter Byrne states: “racism, fatism, ageism, religious bigotry, sexism and homophobia are all recognized descriptions for prejudiced beliefs, but there is no word for preju- dice against mental illness.” Until the United States can recognize this pervasive stigma, progress on issues of mental illness will be slow and difficult as more people continue to suffer in silence.

But there is real potential for change. The media, which helps to spread negative stereotypes about the mentally ill, can also take an active role in breaking them down. Instead of sensationalizing stories where mental illness is involved, the news media should ask whether the individuals in question would have sought out treatment had they not feared the stigma attached to mental illness. For example, the news on the Navy Yard shooting, Newtown massacre, and other tragedies focused on the shooter’s mental illnesses, but not on the failing healthcare system that allowed them to slip through the cracks in the first place. Very few mentally ill individuals are perpetrators of tragedies like the Navy Yard shooting, yet their illness becomes a symbol for these crimes when the media throws around the term “mentally ill” to explain the impetus behind abhorrent acts.

Individuals can work to make a difference. Acknowledging the generalizations made about mentally ill individuals and ac- tively working to look past them is a good first step, but it isn’t enough. Create a support system for the people around you so that they feel they can get help without judgment. Learn not to define others by their mental health condition. A person may suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, but that doesn’t mean that he or she should be labeled as “obsessive compulsive,” the same way you wouldn’t label someone with cancer as “cancerous.” Each person is more than his or her mental illness, which should not be treated as a defining characteristic.

At a university, this topic is especially important. With the growing demands from institutions of higher education and the pressure on students hoping to enter a highly competitive work force, stress and anxiety are daily parts of a college student’s life. Asking for help can often be seen as a weakness, but not asking for help can lead to even bigger problems. On a college campus such as Washington University, where there are plenty of opportunities to receive help at places such as Uncle Joe’s and the counseling center, the only thing standing in the way of students utilizing these resources is their fear of being judged. Asking for help should not be seen as a weakness. Until we work to break down the stigma against mental illness, many who need treatment will continue to go without.

Miranda Kroeger is a freshman in the Olin Business School. She can be reached at mkroeger@wustl.edu.