Support

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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Help Wanted: Good Citizens to Support People with Mental Illness

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In school, we all learned several ways to be a “good citizen”: vote, participate in community service, be a good neighbor, follow the rules, and treat others with respect. All of these are important responsibilities which contribute to a better society. But did you ever stop to think about how you can be a good citizen by supporting people with mental illness? This is not something most of us were ever taught when we were growing up. Consequently, many intelligent, well-intentioned people don’t know …

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