Month: April 2015

5 Simple Steps to Reduce Stigma About Mental Illness

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If you tune into any conversation about mental illness and addiction, it won’t be very long until the term “stigma” comes up. Stigma has various definitions, but they all refer to negative attitudes, beliefs, descriptions, language or behavior. In other words, stigma can translate into disrespectful, unfair, or discriminatory patterns in how we think, feel, talk and behave towards individuals experiencing a mental illness. If you begin to wonder where stigma comes from, that’s a complicated question. It’s almost like …

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9 Benefits of Support Groups

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It seems like there are support groups for just about any topic, concern, or health condition. Common types of mental health issues addressed in groups include substance misuse, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, grief, borderline personality and eating disorders. While some groups may have professionals as leaders, many will be led by peers, who are individuals also in recovery. Certain groups are designed to offer support and guidance for the friends and family of persons with mental health concerns. I routinely …

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“What Do You Know About NAMI?”

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There are many wonderful mental health organizations doing great work all around the world. So, when you single one out for praise, you run the risk of displeasing all the others. I’ll take that risk, because I want to recognize the many fine efforts of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org). NAMI is near and dear to my heart as I’ve had the privilege to work with my local and state chapters very closely for many years. Origins …

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Why ‘Engagement’ is Better Than ‘Compliance’

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People who are living with mental illness or substance misuse often have difficulty following through with the recommendations suggested by their health care professionals. A frequent example is not taking medications as prescribed, which can mean missing doses or discontinuing the medicine altogether. Other typical scenarios include not keeping follow-up appointments, not completing homework assigned in therapy sessions, and not being mindful of self-care practices such as exercising, eating a healthy diet or getting enough sleep or rest. There are …

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