Opinion Web Exclusive

The stigma of mental illness

Callie Parrish//The Daily Cougar

Callie Parrish//The Daily Cougar

In our society, mental illness has been so ill portrayed that it’s difficult to know how it really works. Those who are not sufferers of mental illness or don’t know anyone who has a mental illness have no idea about what having one entails and tend to adhere to the stereotypes and stigma surrounding them.

One of the most commonly misunderstood mental illnesses is bipolar disorder. Model and television personality Kylie Jenner posted on her Twitter account on Nov. 6, 2013, “I miss my black hair. I’m so bipolar.” It’s things like this that fuel this ignorance.

A stigma about mental illness is already a major part of the problem, but it gets worse when those who have not been diagnosed use the term the way Jenner does. It minimizes the actual symptoms and basically belittles those who suffer from bipolar disorder. Even if it’s unintentional, it is still bad and degenerative to those who actually have bipolar disorder.

As a sufferer of bipolar disorder, I do my best to break this bad rap about it, but of course I can’t do it alone. The first step is to fight self-stigma, which is the belief that one is weak due to their illness. According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance website, “Self-stigma may cause people to stop their treatment, isolate themselves from loved ones or give up on things they want to do.”

In order to get better, one must seek out and stick with treatment. Instead of focusing on your weaknesses, focus on your strengths. Also, try to connect with others who are going through similar problems. These are essential steps to defeating self-stigma.

The next step is to educate others and to stand up for yourself. “Even in casual conversation, people can be gently and quickly reminded that words like ‘psycho’ are hurtful stereotypes and that people with depression and bipolar disorder deserve understanding, not shame,” according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance website.

It is ultimately your decision whether you want to tell other people of your illness, but giving your story may help others empathize with you. If one does not wish to divulge such personal information then one can always “state the facts about depression and bipolar disorder and disagree with any myths about the illnesses that others believe,” according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.

Even if you are not a sufferer of bipolar disorder or any other mental illness, you can still stand up for those who do suffer from these illnesses. People don’t have to have a mental illness to educate others about it. Yes, they may not understand, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get others to empathize with those who have these disorders.

Living with bipolar disorder is not easy. Sometimes it is just pure hell. Most people who view bipolar disorder so negatively are those who do not have it and those who have never had to deal directly with anyone with bipolar disorder. “On one hand, they struggle with the symptoms and disabilities that result from the disease. On the other, they are challenged by the stereotypes and prejudice that result from misconceptions about mental illness,” according to the ncbi.nlm.gov site.

In a nutshell, bipolar people have troubles due to the symptoms of the illness and others who do not understand associate the stigma and prejudice. That can only hurt those with bipolar disorder. It doesn’t help anyone. It only alienates those who have the disorder, and then, it just picks at them to their core.

Of course, not just those who suffer with bipolar disorder, but any “normal” person would lash out if they had to put up with this nonsense day in and day out. I have done it quite a bit myself out of frustration. I’m not saying that it’s all right to do that. But it does make sense. Basically, we can only take in so much. But with the help of medications and therapy, those who suffer from bipolar disorder can live a “normal” life. There is and should be no shame in being bipolar.

 Opinion columnist Callie Parrish is a mathematics and art senior and may be reached at [email protected]

17 Comments

  • The stigma of mental illness

    No one who calls prejudice and discrimination “stigma”
    should be trusted. See rape/stigma if you have forgotten.

    Harold A.
    Maio, retired Mental Health Editor

    • There is discrimination and there is disgrace (stigma). Sure, someone could mistakenly call discrimination stigma, I suppose, but certainly they are two different things which do exist separately or together in any particular situation. One can stigmatize someone without discriminating against them.

      • The purpose of the term “stigma” is to discriminate. See rape/stigma for how successful it was. Women stopped directing that one only late in the 20th century.

    • “Harold” likes to comment inappropriately in response to many articles
      about mental health. He is offensive. He harassed me via the internet
      and I let it go, but now that I see him popping up here I will not
      remain silent. I hope Harold will use his retirement to better effect
      than he is doing at the moment. Volunteering for the homeless would be
      a much more valuable use of his time than making cowardly, negative
      remarks.

  • Agreed! I’m also bothered by the casual use of the words anal (as in “he’s so anal”), OCD (I’m very OCD”) and retarded (“OMG that’s so retarded!”). These are medical terms people clearly do not understand or else they wouldn’t call themselves or others these things. I hope.

    • Actually, “anal” isn’t a medical term. It’s a biological term defined as “involving, relating to, or situated near the anus”. Yes, I realize that, in your example, you used as an abbreviation of some sort of psychological term such as anal personality or anal-retentive personality disorder…but one most certainly can have an anal personality without it rising to the level of a mental illness. As a result, saying “he’s so anal” can actually be an accurate descriptor.

      “OCD”? Certainly it stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder which is a mental health diagnosis. However, one can be obsessive-compulsive without it rising to the level of a mental disorder. Personally, when I hear people say things like “I’m so OCD”, I believe they are simply using it as a convenient acronym for being obsessive/compulsive about something. As a result, I personally don’t find it offensive.

      As far as “retarded” goes”? Well, it’s a long outdated medical term. (Heck, even “retardation” as in “mental retardation” has finally been removed from the DSM.) The fact is that “retarded” has long been a pejorative, so I honestly don’t think anyone can legitimately argue anymore that it’s a medical term that people don’t understand. Rather, it’s an insult. It’s deliberately used as an insult.

      Sorry if I’m coming across as being picky. But I really do think we need to see things in context…and that even the best-intentioned of people can sometimes be a wee bit too touchy about things.

      • I disagree. I don’t think we should stand back and let people keep using the term “retarded” pejoratively just because it has been used that way in the past. The fact that some people consider it a regular use these days doesn’t make it any less hurtful.

  • I don’t particularly like the term “stigma” either. Not that I think Harold is right and I do trust people who use the word, just that I don’t think people do understand the meaning as well as they do bigotry, prejudice, negative stereotypes, discrmination

    • I find the word “stigma” inappropriate for use in the sense of “the stigma of mental illness”. Yes. People with mental illness certainly can self-stigmatize, and that can be a real problem. “Self-stigma” is a valid concept.

      But, using “stigma” when talking about other people’s views towards mental illness and people with mental illness? Nah. I like your “negative stereotypes” far better…because that’s what I see. “The negative stereotypes of mental illness”.

  • The worst thing for me, having a severe case of Bipolar, Anxiety, Panic & Agoraphobia is when my family calls me crazy. It’s always wrapped nicely in a joke but it hurts. Second place is when you have confided in someone you thought was a friend only to have it thrown back at you during the first disagreement. If it a “friend”…it’s the last time I speak to them. And I’m considering moving out of my house since I stay in my room to avoid judgement, analysis & emotional harm. That’s Bipolar life.

    • I’m right there with you! A family member of mine has stated that he thinks I’m faking it and although he always manages to make it sound like it’s offhand, it still just pushes me farther and farther away.

  • This is a TOTALLY awesome article!! Thank you so much, Ms. Parrish, for writing such a thoughtful and compassionate piece. Good luck with your studies and take care, Warm regards, Dyane Harwood, Consumer Advisory Board Member, International Bipolar Foundation, and the author of the upcoming book “Birth of a New Brain – Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder”

  • I am a mental health professional that openly shares with my clients that I suffer from depression. My theory is I can not tell my clients to be accepting of their mental health diagnosis if I am not comfortable with my own. My clients appreciate the fact that I can relate to them on a level that they weren’t expecting.

  • The best way to handle some things is to remember to not let your diagnosis be how you identify yourself. Always know we are so much more than our mental illness.

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