Thursday, April 4, 2013

Mental health - removing stigma

Think, for a second, about just how far we've come in terms of how mental health is regarded.

Once upon a time, in the not too distant past, it was more or less something that just wasn't openly discussed. And common mental health problems such as anxiety, stress and depression - while they were just as widespread then as they are now - were something that few people would have spoken to their doctor about.

These days it's all changed dramatically. And well-known people from all sorts of glamorous occupations have talked candidly about their experiences. From the high-level government director of communications to the world-famous chat show host, nobody is immune from mental health problems, and the fact that people in jobs as high profile as these have shared so openly has really made a difference.

In the Guardian's health professionals network pages there is an article highlighting how much this is the case. It says:

According to independent evaluation of the campaign's first four years, people with mental health problems are experiencing less stigma and discrimination, are feeling more empowered and are enjoying more social contact

 However, according to the article, it seems that attitudes among mental health professionals may not be changing in line with the prevailing trend. The article does point out though that the recent Time To Change mental health campaign was aimed at the public rather than health professionals. There may, though, be other more complex factors which are discussed in some detail within the article itself. So click the link above and check it out.




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