5 Powerful Ways You Can Reduce Mental Health Stigma

In order to change the stigma surrounding mental health, we first have to be open to discussing it. Having open and honest conversations regarding mental illness and treatment options can help normalize and destigmatize mental health. In the same way that we discuss cancer or high blood pressure, we can be comfortable discussing mental health disorders and treatments. “We have a disease model with how we view mental health. So, in the same way that someone might have cancer or diabetes, someone has anxiety or depression.”

Words have power. Using compassionate, empathetic language can help to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness. By taking a person-first approach to how you speak about mental health and mental health disorders, you can help to emphasize the humanity of the person and see them (or yourself) as more than the diagnosis or challenge they are facing. Using empathetic language can help reduce negative associations and beliefs about mental illness. Elijah filled me in on some of the more commonly used stigmatizing words and phrases that he actively works to try and change. Two of the words he is most bothered by are “crazy” and “manipulative”, and he explains why:

“The ‘C’ word. ‘Crazy’. I despise that word. No one is crazy. That is such a damaging word. People are not crazy. So many people experience mental illness, even if it’s not long-term, like acute mental illness affects everyone at some point.”

He feels that a key reason behind the behavior often seen as “manipulative” stems from trauma and survival coping mechanisms. “To the outside perspective, the behavior may seem like it’s manipulative, but what it is, is survival behavior. They are doing what they know to survive, to maintain their own security to protect themselves. Because that’s how trauma works: you have this crazy situation, you have to do these things to survive, and now your brain mixes up situations that are not super dangerous, but because of trauma, we go back into those habits.”

Here are some other common stigmatizing words that can be replaced by more empowering words:

 “Crazy”

• Empathetic replacement: “person with mental illness” or “person experiencing mental health disorders”

 “Manipulative”

• Empathetic replacement: “survival behavior”

 “Struggling” or “Suffering”

• Empathetic replacement: “mental health challenges” or “living with mental health disorder”

“Addict” or “Alcoholic”

• Empathetic replacement: “person with substance abuse disorder” or “person with alcohol disorder”

 “She is bipolar”

• Empathetic replacement: “she has bipolar disorder” or “she lives with bipolar disorder”

I asked Elijah what he thinks is the one thing that people living with mental health disorders want others to know about them. Elijah believes that above all else, people just want you to know that they are trying and that they aren’t choosing to live with mental illness or substance abuse disorders. “I think what most people living with mental illness want others to know about them is that most of the time, they are trying, even if it doesn’t feel like it. No one wants to be sad, addicted to a substance, or super anxious all the time.”

Providing support and reassurance when you know someone is experiencing difficulties managing their illness can be especially helpful.  Elijah remarks that “substance use in particular, we see a lot of, ‘well, you’re choosing this’, and sure there is a certain amount of accountability people can take in taking care of their mental health. But it’s an uphill battle. There are so many things stacked against them, like cravings- both physical and psychological. Depression physically changes the cells in your body so it produces less happiness hormones, so most of the time, these people are trying their hardest. A little patience goes a long way.”

Ending mental health stigma begins with you. Understanding your own beliefs and feelings towards mental health and mental health disorders can help you to empower those living with mental illness, but can also help you to feel empowered to seek treatment for your own mental health needs. Elijah explains that “sometimes people with mental illness are the same people who have these stigmas…if you have negative thoughts and stigmas surrounding mental health, it can affect your own outcomes. If you have self-compassion, then you are going to be much more patient with yourself, and much more open to mental health services.”