Although African Americans constitute a relatively small portion of the U.S. population, they tend to experience mental health diagnosis and treatment in a significantly different way.
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Community Issues
While 99.99% of people suffering from mental health conditions never become violent, I hope someday people become less afraid to take an action when they see extremely bizarre behavior or hear someone speaking violently. In these situations I always suggest engaging professionals right away. Don't play the role of the police or mental health professional.
The answer can be BOTH. Managers have often asked me how to deal with an employee who is disruptive (that does not necessarily mean all disrupters have a bipolar condition). Anxiety disorder has become one of the most common mental health conditions.
Humans are social creatures. Many of us prefer to laugh, sing, and dance in the presence of others (although a solo jam session is never a bad idea). Here at NoStigmas, we value the importance of community and mental health to improve our understanding of ourselves and others in efforts to make actions more meaningful and effective.
Alicia talks about how personal experiences and studying psychology has changed her mind about people living with mental illness. Do you have any preconceived notions about people who live with mental health issues? Have you been personally affected by those stigmas? What can we do to adjust that thinking?
![[Real Talk] Mental Health Affects Everyone](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54a5b172e4b0b6dc3e0d2122/1535389503487-CO4G7G1U3FNBYMAQIEVG/R1-07046-0015.jpg)
Paul gets real about people's quirks and how we all just wanna feel normal. Sometimes if may feel like you're strange and all alone with your mental health, but that's what brings us together in this world. Let's celebrate our differences and have compassion for people who are struggling.
Jasmine: I'm a really faith driven person so I spend a lot of time in the bible, prayer, meditation, I do my yoga. I do things that help center me. Whether that's through the vertical or the horizontal, whatever I need. If I need some uplifting energy throughout the day, meditation.
![[Real Talk] What do you wish people knew about mental health?](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54a5b172e4b0b6dc3e0d2122/1535391053457-B688JAU4SCJRNJX7IPIG/IMG_0661.jpg)
Tiffany tells us what she wishes people knew about mental health. There can be many important lessons learned by individuals who have “been there” that can have healthy impacts on your life. They may even save time and resources. It’s important to recognize that understanding the hardships of people around you may be exactly what you need to be a healthier individual.
![[Real Talk] How did you grow up thinking about mental illness?](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54a5b172e4b0b6dc3e0d2122/1535391178650-IS1ZFEL3924Y9U9K2VYR/IMG_0698.jpg)
Ella describes her experiences growing up as the daughter of a therapist. Question: How did you grow up thinking about mental illness? Answer: I grew up thinking that everyone knew about mental illness. Ella describes the her experiences with meeting new friends as a young adult who had a perspective on mental health that ended up surprising her.
In addition to being part of a healthy support system, peer support programs provide a multitude of benefits.
Are you looking for ways to support the cause? Unsure of where you might fit in? Fortunately, you don’t have to have a certain skill set to do your part to end stigmas, just a desire to help! Read on for some ideas.
How often do we just casually diagnose one another?
"He's so OCD."
"OMG, she's so bipolar!
"I feel so schizophrenic."
Ya know, it's not okay to call someone a name and it's definitely not okay to cal someone a mental illness.
You have a friend experiencing a mental health crisis and you have no idea what to say or do. That can be scary, huh? Anna shares two simple steps to help support them:
Did they really just say that? Tish drops some truth about suicide and coffee shop talk!
"The barista forgetting the whip on your pumpkin spice latte is not a reason to talk about killing yourself. When suicide gets trivialized it makes it harder for people to take it seriously.. and nobody really needs the whip anyway."
Who decided that a cry for help is a bad thing? When someone talks about self harm or suicide, that is them trying to get attention. And we need to give them our undivided attention so that they can be heard and get the support they need.
Here's a simple thing you can do for anyone struggling with stress, anxiety or a mental health issues. It takes no money, some effort and only a little time. That's right, just listen. Take a moment to be there for them. Listen non-judgmentally and without an agenda. Do that, and you've just helped so much!
Mental illness can affect anyone. It's the stigmas about it that segregate and divide us.
Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) communities often deal with a range of mental health issues. These issues often stem from cultural stigmas, prejudice, and discrimination. These harmful stigmas can lead to homophobia, and victimization of LGBTQ individuals. Sadly, these stigmas can come from society, peers, and family members and even in the workplace and schools.
Start being grateful for the little things in life, like your morning cup of coffee or the easy commute home. By doing so, you might find yourself noticing more and more things to be grateful for every day instead of the difficult parts.
Around 1 in 5 women and 1 in 59 men have reported experiencing rape at some point in their lives, while about 1 in 20 men and women experienced other types of sexual violence. Among female rape victims, 51.1% of perpetrators were reported to be intimate partners, 12.5% were family members, 40.8% were reported to be acquaintances, and 13.8% were strangers. Among male victims, 52.4% of perpetrators were reported to be acquaintances and 15.1% were strangers.