Stigma of mental illness remains a serious problem

Approximately 20% of Canadians will experience a mental illness during their lifetime. Nearly one in five will personally experience a mental illness during any 1-year period. No one is immune to mental health problems. It can affect anyone, including you.

Sadly, people who suffer from a mental illness are likely to suffer in silence. That compounds the pain and the suffering.

People in all occupations, at all levels of education, all income levels, or cultures can be affected by a mental illness. If you don’t have a mental health problem, you most likely know a friend, colleague or a family member who has a mental health problem.

Is this surprising? It should not be. After all, similar to mental illnesses, medical illnesses also affect anyone and we all know of someone with a medical problem.

Yet, we are facing a serious problem. It is the stigma attached to mental illness. When people have cancer, heart disease, diabetes or have chronic pain for instance, they are often likely to talk about their problems and their sufferings, to seek social support and to receive treatment. This is not the case for people who suffer from a mental illness. More often than not, the opposite is true. How often do you hear someone telling you that he or she felt so depressed in the past month such that getting out of bed was a major struggle? How often do you hear someone telling you that out of fear of being judged or humiliated, he or she rarely participates in social activities or work meetings? How often do you hear of someone telling you that due to fear of being trapped or of not being able to breathe, he or she avoids taking the subway? Yet, these are just some examples of common fears that people experience but suffer in silence.

The stigma attached to mental illness often delays or prevents a person from seeking health care or mental health services and getting an appropriate diagnosis. It also delays or prevents receiving treatment or following up with the treatment recommendations. Canadians with the greatest mental health needs are especially found to underutilize psychological services.

The stigma also represents a serious barrier to acceptance in the community. People isolate themselves from the community and their social support groups, including family, friends, or colleagues.

The low rate of utilization of mental health services in Canada and other countries has been noticed in many studies, including in a recent study in the Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research. The study found women were more likely than men to seek professional care for mental health problems and that the probability of consulting a psychologist was small in men. This study also talked about the serious problem we are facing – the need for care that is not being met because of the overall low rate of use of mental health services, as well as the higher reluctance of men to seek professional help when faced with a mental health problem.

The fact that men are less likely to seek mental health services is not due to their better health. In fact, the rates of mental disorders in men are just as high as those in women. A Canadian study had also found that the suicide rate for men was nearly four times the rate among women.

The stigma associated with mental illness is likely stronger for men than for women. Various cultural values, beliefs and expectations contribute to men’s tendency not to seek professional care when suffering from mental health problems.

The Canadian Alliance for Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) says combating the stigma of mental illnesses is one of the top priorities for improving the mental health of Canadians.

In addition to home, the workplace plays a significant role in our health and well-being. Mental illness is associated with decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, short term and long term disability. Thus, creating a safe and healthy workplace environment is essential.

Education and increasing knowledge of mental health issues are important to reduce the stigma of mental illness. Encouraging people to seek professional care and providing support and acceptance are essential.

Mental illnesses can be treated effectively. Don’t suffer in silence. Seek professional care if you need it.