“Asking for help isn’t giving up”, said the horse, “It’s refusing to give up”.

—Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse.

Mental health is essential to our overall well-being and plays a critical role in determining how we experience life, handle stress, and interact with others. Despite the immense importance of mental health, it is still widely stigmatized in many cultures worldwide. The negative attitudes and beliefs surrounding mental health issues have a profound impact on those who are struggling, making it difficult for them to seek help, support, and understanding.
It can also lead to the exclusion of those experiencing mental health problems, that is, being ostracized from society by being labelled as abnormal. The stigma against mental health problems can lead to rejection, embarrassment, loss of self-respect, access to quality education, jobs, housing, health care, social isolation, and in some cases, violence.
In this blog, we will explore the mental health stigma, what it is, why it persists, and what we can do to overcome it. By understanding and addressing the stigma associated with mental health, we can create a more supportive and inclusive society for all.

Mental health is essential to our overall well-being and plays a critical role in determining how we experience life, handle stress, and interact with others. Despite the immense importance of mental health, it is still widely stigmatized in many cultures worldwide. The negative attitudes and beliefs surrounding mental health issues have a profound impact on those who are struggling, making it difficult for them to seek help, support, and understanding.
It can also lead to the exclusion of those experiencing mental health problems, that is, being ostracized from society by being labelled as abnormal. The stigma against mental health problems can lead to rejection, embarrassment, loss of self-respect, access to quality education, jobs, housing, health care, social isolation, and in some cases, violence.
In this blog, we will explore the mental health stigma, what it is, why it persists, and what we can do to overcome it. By understanding and addressing the stigma associated with mental health, we can create a more supportive and inclusive society for all.

What is Mental Health Stigma?

Mental health stigma refers to the negative attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes surrounding mental health issues. It is a pervasive social issue that affects millions of people globally. Mental health stigma can take many forms, including:

• Prejudice: Mental health stigma often involves prejudice and discrimination against individuals with mental health issues.
• Ignorance: Many people are ill-informed about mental health and may hold negative beliefs based on misinformation or lack of understanding.
• Social exclusion: People with mental health issues may face social exclusion, making it difficult for them to form meaningful relationships and participate in social activities.
• Self-stigma: Self-stigma refers to the internalized negative beliefs and attitudes a person may hold about themselves due to mental health issues. We all have things that we struggle with throughout our lives, and sometimes it can get challenging to talk about those problems. But if we understand that mental health stigma can be detrimental and harmful, we can begin to take steps to help reduce it.

Why Does Mental Health Stigma Persist?

There are several reasons why mental health stigma persists despite increased awareness and education about mental health issues. Some of these reasons include the following:

• Lack of Understanding: Mental health can be a complex and poorly understood issue, contributing to negative attitudes and beliefs.
• Media Representation: The media often portrays individuals with mental health issues as dangerous, unpredictable, or weak, perpetuating negative stereotypes and stigma.
• Fear: Mental health issues can be frightening and unknown, leading to fear and a desire to distance oneself from individuals who struggle with these issues.
• Lack of Services: A shortage of mental health services, especially in under-resourced communities, can contribute to the stigma by making it more challenging for individuals to access the support they need.

The mental health stigma has far-reaching and devastating consequences for those struggling with mental health issues. People often feel like they are being judged or are being seen in a negative light by others because they are living in a highly competitive world where one is constantly asked to prove their skills and their inability to do so, or they do not fall under the “norm” set means that they are failing. And finally, there’s also something about how we see people dealing with mental health issues. They become society’s scapegoats, and other people sometimes are the pariah. And when you add that to the fact that they’re often seen as a little bit of a burden, then people tend to automatically and without question throw them at any targets, for any reason, as if that’s where they should be, on the margins of society, on the fringes of the world. The mental health stigma deters people struggling with mental health issues from seeking professional help or treatment due to the fear of being stigmatized; thus, a large number of people remain undiagnosed due to the fear of prejudices and struggle each day without working through particular emotional or behavioural problems that are treatable. People who experience mental health stigma may internalize negative beliefs and attitudes about themselves, leading to decreased self-esteem and self-worth, which might cause them to make severe life-threatening choices. Then there are also the social implications of stigmatization, such as difficulty for people to form and maintain relationships, leading to social isolation and loneliness. The label of having a mental health problem decreases the person’s employment prospects or subjects them to workplace discrimination.

Nonetheless, there are several steps we can take to help change the situation. Overcoming mental health stigma requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses the root causes and challenges the negative attitudes and beliefs that perpetuate the stigma. Some ways to overcome mental health stigma include:

• Increasing education and understanding: Education and awareness-raising can help to dispel the myths and misconceptions about mental health issues and promote greater understanding.
• Challenging negative media representation: It is essential to challenge the negative picture of mental health in the media and promote positive and accurate portrayals of individuals with mental health issues. This can help to shift societal attitudes and reduce the stigma.
• Encouraging open and honest conversations: Encouraging open and honest conversations about mental health can help to destigmatize the issue and promote greater understanding and acceptance.
• Providing access to mental health services: Access to quality mental health services is critical for individuals struggling with mental health issues. Providing accessible and affordable services can help to reduce the stigma and promote more significant support for those who need it.
• Supporting anti-stigma initiatives: Supporting anti-stigma initiatives, such as the “End the Stigma” campaign, can help to raise awareness and promote change in attitudes and beliefs about mental health.
• Speaking out: People who have experienced mental health issues can play a significant role in breaking down the stigma by speaking out and sharing their experiences. This can help to reduce the shame and guilt associated with mental health issues and promote greater understanding and acceptance.

We must re-frame what it means to be someone dealing with a mental health issue. The widespread “stoic” attitude to mental health means that people cannot speak up about their health, and the prevalence of that mindset fuels the stigma and discrimination. We need to create a culture where it is expected that people who are dealing with mental health issues are as open and honest about their health as anyone else and don’t need to pretend that they don’t feel the way they do. It’s essential to be supportive, understanding, and compassionate to everyone’s needs, regardless of whether they are considered ‘different’ due to a mental health problem. We must clearly communicate what ‘normal’ looks like and move away from the stigma of labelling certain behaviours or feelings as ‘abnormal.’ The notion that we should all “get over it” is hurtful and does not consider the reality of the situation; we need to open our eyes to the facts of the problems we face in our everyday lives, and neither should we invalidate other’s feelings nor our own.

Having a mental illness is not an indication of weakness or a lack of character, any more than a physical illness is; in fact, they are two sides of the same coin, which shouldn’t create any divisions between us. We are all vulnerable to some degree and need support at times. By breaking down the barriers between those who deal with mental health difficulties and those who don’t, we can all help each other achieve our full potential. By working together, we can create a more inclusive environment where everyone feels accepted and respected for who they are and what they bring to society. Suppose everyone worked together to support one another. In that case, we could truly achieve a world where mental health stigma is eradicated. Everyone can be open and honest about the challenges they are facing in their lives and seek help without feeling guilty.