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Imagine that you have just been diagnosed with an illness. You feel ashamed of your illness, and try to hide it from others. People do not feel sympathy for you. In fact, after finding out about your illness, they begin to avoid you like the plague. People whisper behind your back, and begin to fear you. How would this make you feel? Unfortunately, this is a reality for far too many people suffering from mental illnesses. Today I have interviewed Delp on the topic of stigma associated with mental illnesses. Delp is currently in university studying clinical psychology, which is the study of psychological distress and mental illness.
Potentate: Do you believe there is a stigma associated with mental illnesses? Have you ever seen someone discriminated against for having a mental illness?
Delp: There is most definitely a huge stigma associated with mental illnesses. You see discrimination for it all of the time, and I believe that everyone has discriminated against someone with mental illness whether it was intentional or not. The "classic loner" who sits outside at recess that you make fun of being they have no friends? Could be a case of schizoid personality disorder. Those "weirdos" you see on "My Strange Addiction"? It's a mental illness called Pica. The overweight teacher you poke fun at? Overeating is sometimes a sign of depression, or a side-effect of anti-depressants. Mental illness is everywhere, but sometimes it's hard to see.
Potentate: In a 2007 study, it was found that one third of parents who responded would prefer their child not become friends with a child with depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Twenty percent of those parents also said they would not want such a child to live next door. What is your opinion on this?
Delp: I've always found things like this to be perplexing and counter-effective. Depression and ADHD are not contagious. You can't just sneeze and infect someone with depression or ADHD. Also, if these people are so against the fact that something like depression exists, then excluding them from their child's life is extremely counter-effective. It will only increase the sadness that the sufferer is feeling. Nobody seems to realize the impact of their actions.
Potentate: Teenagers are at a point in their lives where they want to fit in and to be accepted. Do you believe that that stigma that goes along with mental illnesses prevents teenagers from seeking help?
Delp: Yes, I believe that the stigma prevents teenagers from seeking help. First of all, nobody wants to believe that there is anything abnormal about themselves. Especially for teenagers who want to fit in, they're likely to try and suppress any abnormalities, usually through coping mechanisms, which is a whole other type of destructive behavior on its own. Also, teenagers are not as educated as they should be about symptoms and warning signs of mental illness. They may just assume that the way they're feeling is their fault, or that it's just a personality flaw.
Potentate: What do you believe, if anything, should be done to combat the stigma associated with mental illnesses?
Delp: The best way to combat the stigma associated with mental illnesses is really to not only raise awareness of the subject, but understanding. There are few people who realize the physiological aspects of some, if not most, mental illnesses. It needs to be made clear that sufferers are not just "having a bad day", but rather are suffering from an actual illness causing them to feel this way.
Potentate: In a study conducted in 1999, it was found that 67% of mentally ill characters depicted were seen as unproductive failures. 55% of these characters were also depicted as anti-social and without any close relationships. Do you believe the media contributes to stigma against those with mental illnesses? Do you believe that the media should change the way they depict those with mental illnesses?
Delp: I strongly believe that the media plays a big role. It's never their intention, but it plays a big role. The media has created a schema in our minds for the mentally ill, a schema which we take with us into reality. Most movies portray mentally ill characters as "crazy" or "weird". It may be the case that some mental illnesses make some appear to be "different", but the media and people need to realize that those who suffer from illness are still human beings.
Potentate: The symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are often overlooked by individuals passing the symptoms off as a "phase". Do you believe that stigma has anything to do with this way of thinking?
Delp: I'm not necessarily certain this has to do with stigma as much as it is to do with not understanding the illnesses. Unfortunately, episodes of depression can resemble the regular mood swings that a teenager, or even anyone, goes through. As such, people may be attributing the cause to puberty, which goes away eventually. Of course, that's not the case with depression and people sometimes discover the reality of it all when it's too late.
Thank you Delp for your very thoughtful answers. I hope that this interview has opened all of your eyes on the topic of stigma associated with mental illness. If we all work together, we can help eliminate the stigma society puts on mental illnesses.
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