Mental Health: Confronting Stigma Date: October 18, 2018 Location: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Date: October 18, 2018 Location: Family Service Toronto Presenters:

• Craig Currah – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
• Nadine Nasir - Toronto South Local Immigration Partnership

Mental Health: Confronting Stigma

Why Focus on Stigma?

“Stigma is not just about hurting someone’s feelings. Stigma is about prejudice, discrimination and the violation of a person’s human rights.”

(CAMH)

Agenda

• 1. Exploring the Consequences of Stigma
• 2. Understanding Mental Health & Mental Illness
• Expressions of Mental Health
• Focusing on Recovery
• 3. Language & Communication
• 4. Tips

Exercise

Please listen to the question. Respond to the question by standing beside the number that is closest to your response. 1 = YES 2 = Probably 3 = Probably not 4 = NO

What is Stigma?

Stigma groups people together through unfair assumptions and beliefs, leading to negative attitudes and discrimination.

• Labelling
• Devaluing
• Discrimination
• Stereotyping

“The single most important barrier to overcome in the community is the stigma and associated discrimination towards people suffering from mental and behavioural disorders.” -World Health Organization

When Stigma is Internalized

S T I G M A

Help

Health care Medicine Support from family & friends Counselling

When Stigma is Internalized

(CAMH)

The Consequences of Stigma

Don’t seek help Don’t receive treatment Impaired functioning Unable to complete activities

• f daily living

Job loss? Unable to fulfill role as caregiver/careprovider? Loss of confidence Lack of self-actualization Social isolation

SUFFERING

Social Determinants

• f Health

Our Health – and it’s potential to develop - is impacted by these factors

What is “Mental Health”?

HEALTH

Mental Health & Mental Illness

What is “Mental Illness”?

“A biological condition of the brain that causes alterations in thinking, mood, behaviours (or some combination thereof) associated with significant distress and impaired functioning”

(WHO, 2014)

Expressions of Mental Illness

• Understandings and

expressions of mental illness (including symptoms) depend

• n many factors,

including culture.

• Try not to assume &

generalize (i.e. there

are differences within cultures)

Be mindful of:

• Different comfort levels

with our health care system

• Not favouring western

concepts of health Value many forms of healing (i.e. sweat lodge)

4

Expressions of Mental Illness

• Have knowledge/skills to work within

client’s culture by asking them about it

• Understand the meaning the client

gives to the trauma from their cultural perspective

• Understand what healing means

within the cultural context

• Understand how your own cultural

background can influence interactions with client

• Be open to being educated
• Remember that western concepts
• f health are not necessarily the

“right” way. There’s no “one size fits all” approach to mental health.

• See the person as a unique

individual, and have a conversation to better understand what their norm is. For example: “You mentioned that you’re sleeping a lot more than usual. How does that feel for you?” Instead of: “You’re sleeping too much.”

What Does Recovery Look Like?

Language & Communication

A person is a person, not an illness

• Example: Schizophrenic vs. a

person that has schizophrenia Language to avoid

• Overuse of mental health language
• “Commit” Suicide

Inclusive language Acknowledge, Thank, Validate

How to Talk About Seeking Support

Client decides what they want and when. Remember to follow their lead.

• Offering something is not forcing
• Provide choice
• Partner with the person
• Let them decide what to do
• Don’t judge!

Self- determination

How to Talk About Seeking Support

• Be concrete – what have you noticed?
• Talk about changes you’ve seen
• Focus on experiences/feelings rather than phrasing things

as symptoms or labels

• Help to determine how it’s disrupting the life they want to

lead, how it’s getting in the way

• Examine choices and consequences together
• Ask, find out more

How can I help? What do you need in this moment? What will help you cope or be more calm?

Tips

• Take the person seriously
• Trauma informed Care –

Universal Precautions

• Family Centered Care
• Patient/Client led decision-

making

• Peer-to-Peer Programs
• Be Authentic
• Be Person-Focused
• Speak up, Speak out
• Make space for
• wning and telling our
• wn stories in our own

words

• Be mindful of power

imbalance

7 Ways to Reduce Stigma

• 1. Know the facts. Educate yourself about mental illness including substance use disorders.
• 2. Be aware of your attitudes and behaviour. Examine your own judgmental thinking.
• 3. Choose your words carefully. The way we speak can affect the attitudes of others.
• 4. Educate others. Pass on facts and positive attitudes; challenge myths and stereotypes.
• 5. Focus on the positive. Mental illness, including addictions, are only part of anyone's larger picture.
• 6. Support people. Treat everyone with dignity and respect; offer support and encouragement.
• 7. Include everyone. It's against the law to deny jobs or services to anyone with these health issues.

CAMH

Resources

• 1. Addressing Stigma (CAMH)

https://www.camh.ca/en/driving-change/addressing-stigma

• 2. Tutorial (CAMH)

http://www.camhx.ca/education/online_courses_webinars/mha101/stigma/Stigma_.ht m

• 4. Jack Project

https://jack.org/Resources/Mental-Health-101

Support

• 1. Across Boundaries – 51 Clarkson Ave, Toronto, 416 787 3007

http://www.acrossboundaries.ca/

• 2. Hong Fook, Various Locations in GTAhttp://hongfook.ca/