as small as a world and as large as alone

9:00am November 18, 2013

madeofpatterns:

slashmarks:

madeofpatterns:

slashmarks:

madeofpatterns:

raposadanoite:

“Although clinicians and some advocates have argued that biomedical conceptualizations of psychiatric disorders that are based on an underlying genetic or neurological cause would decrease stigma (for example the message that “mental illness is any illness like any other”), evidence to date suggests that viewing psychiatric issues as more genetic or biological than psychosocial increases the public’s fear and desire for social distance. This is due, in part, to beliefs that individuals with psychiatric labels are fundamentally or essentially different, disabled, or flawed—and that this is unchangeable. Anti-stigma research has consistently shown that positive contact with “real” (non-celebrity) individuals with mental health problems is the best way to dispel stereotypes and promote acceptance and integration—not promoting medicalization.”

— Stigma & Discrimination, Lived Experience Research Network (via madvocate)

I think, push come to shove, it matters what’s true.

Some things that get called mental illness are medical conditions and some aren’t, and some are a really complicated mix.

And sorting out what’s what is really important.

Pretending things aren’t what they are doesn’t eliminate stigma.

the problem is that most of the campaigns I’ve seen directed to the public really aren’t speaking accurately though? like, a lot of them suggest things like medication being always necessary, or… you know

Yes, those campaigns are almost uniformly awful.

Yeah. Comparing mental illnesses to having a broken leg or pneumonia or any other physical ailment with a clear treatment procedure and clear consequences to not being treated is always going to lead to misconceptions when you’re talking to people who don’t know anything about it

There’s an element of “or else” to those campaigns that’s directed *at people with mental illnesses* and other attributes that present similarly.

Like, see this as an illness like any other, and do what you’re told, or else.

Which can get really bad really quickly for people who don’t respond well to medical treatment.

(That said, lack of a clear treatment procedure and predictable consequences isn’t unique to mental illness. It’s really common for a large range of medical conditions.)

Yes completely on the “or else”.

I constantly got told, when dealing with stuff that didn’t even respond to medications and was for that matter grossly misdiagnosed, that “If you go off your medications it’s just like a diabetic going off their insulin and just as dangerous.”  Which is completely ridiculous as a generic statement to everyone diagnosed with a mental illness.  (And honestly isn’t even a fair comparison in people where the medications work.  Because mental illness is never a simple ‘chemical imbalance’ even when there’s a neurological component, hell even when it’s almost entirely neurological.  That’s a myth in itself, designed to explain why the medications (sometimes) work and to spread the idea that the medications ALWAYS work and are always necessary.  Which is never true for any condition, let alone anything as fuzzily-defined as most mental illnesses.)

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