Bipolar Stigma; One Step Forward Two Steps Back
"The academic and artistic culture of universities would be greatly diminished if there is a broad "sweep-out" of those perceived to be mentally ill. We should make sure this doesn't happen."
Brenda Tso writes in her article Don't Push Away Mentally Ill on Campus
I am always pushing for the reduction of the stigma surrounding mental illness. It may be my error to think that we have made progress. What I infer from this article is that universities have regressed when it comes to social acceptance of mental illness. This is something that began prior to the horrifying Virgina Tech massacre. Read the article to learn the extremes that are being taken against those that are mentally ill.
With statistics like one in four Americans diagnosed with a mental illness, the number requires more mental health support. There are too many people that are not seeking the help they need. The response to the health problem the universities are making for anyone, let alone a huge number of the population, are insufficient.
There is a quote in this article from a politician, Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston who is open about his mental illness. I can only hope those voices in important places like his, and those of the entertainment industry like Patty Duke and Carrie Fisher, will continue to speak and unveil the misconceptions.
I can only hope.
tags
[Bipolar Disorder]
[Bipolar Stigma]
Brenda Tso writes in her article Don't Push Away Mentally Ill on Campus
I am always pushing for the reduction of the stigma surrounding mental illness. It may be my error to think that we have made progress. What I infer from this article is that universities have regressed when it comes to social acceptance of mental illness. This is something that began prior to the horrifying Virgina Tech massacre. Read the article to learn the extremes that are being taken against those that are mentally ill.
With statistics like one in four Americans diagnosed with a mental illness, the number requires more mental health support. There are too many people that are not seeking the help they need. The response to the health problem the universities are making for anyone, let alone a huge number of the population, are insufficient.
There is a quote in this article from a politician, Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston who is open about his mental illness. I can only hope those voices in important places like his, and those of the entertainment industry like Patty Duke and Carrie Fisher, will continue to speak and unveil the misconceptions.
I can only hope.
tags
[Bipolar Disorder]
[Bipolar Stigma]
posted by Mom, Interrupted at 1:29 PM
10 Comments:
I have been afraid that there will be a backlash against the mentally ill, especially at universities, after Virginia Tech. I attempted suicide my sophmore year in college. I took a leave of absence after that, and was in and out of hospitals until I found an antidepressant that worked. I returned a year later, and finished my degree. What if the school had not let me back? My life would have been much harder than it has been. And I don't know if I would have made it to where I am in life now.
I think if more people came out of the closet so to speak and admitted that they have a Mental Illness- things would change...
For me, When I tell "Certain" people that I am Bipolar they are truly in shock. I am really laid back, quiet and very reserved. So when I tell people they truly don't believe me.
Also, all these Celebrities that are Bipolar DON'T do Awareness ENOUGH! I NEVER see Patty Duke anymore anywhere, Maurice Benard (AKA Sonny - General Hospital) speaks very briefly, Carrie Fisher you NEVER see anymore and the ONLY way I found out she was Bipolar was through the E channel when they did a Biography and The E speaker mentioned it NOT her.
Kristy McNichol is Bipolar and NEVER EVER has she discussed it.
If more people would come forward then society would realize that Normal people, good citizens, have bipolar and NOT JUST the ones who commit crimes!
Dream Writer-
I don't know about the others but Patty Duke does speaking engagements and Carrie Fisher not only writes novels but just finished a one woman play that ran in Los Angeles for some time (I forget the name). I guess the voices are not being heard everywhere, this is for sure.
See, I never heard of Carrie Fisher wriing about it or doing a play as you said "I forgot the name."
Patty Duke speaks but not enough...she is never on TV worldwide about it and I NEVER see commercials about it either.
I think I saw ONE commercial on Bipolar recently and almost fell off my chair and shall I repeat ONE time! They don't play the Bipolar commercial as often as they play a Mc Donald's commercial.
That's the problem. I don't think its people per se and how they perceive mental illness - its just that those who have it don't speak enough and the media never does awareness about it either.
The only time you hear about mental illness is when something tragic happens like The Virginia Tech shooting or something - other than that its never mentioned.
I'm concerned that increasing the visibility of those with a mental illness might not have the positive affect we're hoping for. It's going to take a lot of time to work past this event.
Yes I agree with you 100% that there should be no stigma whatsoever for people suffering from mental disorders in school, in the workplace, in churches (where they are sometimes being condemned as sinners and backsliders) or anywhere else for that matter. Our attitude should be like that of Jesus Christ who showed love, compassion and tenderness to all the sick people who approached Him. Man's inhumanity to his fellow human is sometimes sickening. May our eyes be opened that the only way to true deiverance from the oppressions of the enemy comes from Jesus Christ. Faith is a very rare commodity nowadays. Why not rely on our faith in Jesus Christ to heal us and deliver us from all the yokes of the enemy. "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17b-19) God bless you and more power to your noble endeavors. God loves you no matter what.
I appreciate the discussion of bipolar. I am bipolar, and just this week was present at a meeting of fellow teachers who are woefully uninformed about the disease and very prejudiced against the students we share have been diagnosed with bipolar.
I'd like to use some of your sources and commentary in my crusade to educate them. May I use your words?
I just found your blog. The thing that I wish for, even more than for it to go away, is for the stigma to go away. That has been the worst, most isolating thing for me. Maybe that's a stupid priority list, but I just wish it could be like any other medical condition. Having to hide and be afraid of losing my entire life/career is what kills me.
I am a 20 Year survivor... diagnosed manic-depressive in 1986... prozaked to the gills and finally 22 years later am on disability, scared to leave my house and have become a shut-in coming out in brief periods to do what i HAVE to do... been on EVERY medication they told me would work... ALL OF THEM. i think they did more harm than good... was supposed to level off by the time i was 35, but have gotten 300 times worse... now my final diagn. after 3 MMPI2's is this Bi-Polar Dis. w Type A Personality Dis. w Psychotic Effects. Long one huh? Research was submitted by my long time Psych because of my early diagn. and long time history, i feel i know more about this disorder and the effects of the drugs they shove down our throats and tell us they will work just give it time, every time i've taken what they told me too it ALWAYS made things worse, now i have to take ABILIFY for schizofrenics... WTF... another year or two and a study will come out stating how bad this drug is for us i promise... i think that NO-ONE knows how to deal with this and the money is the only thing ANYONE cares about... i feel everytime i go to the doctor i can almost make out the Pharm Co. name stamped across his forhead, u can tell because of all the clipbaords and pens with their name on them, i always find that amusing... someone let me talk to anyone in power and i could tell them the grousome horror stories about this disease and WHAT NOT TO DO!!! JJ TYLER TX
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