Stigma and Discrimination and Mental Illness
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This document discusses reducing stigma and discrimination against those with mental illnesses or substance use disorders. It defines stigma and discrimination, and explores protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Several common stereotypes and their negative effects are described. The document advocates challenging stereotypes through education, advocacy, and speaking openly about mental health. It also discusses protections against discrimination in housing and education.
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Stigma and Discrimination and Mental Illness
- 1. Reducing Stigma and Discrimination Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes Ph.D., LMHC, LPC-MHSP Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox and Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 1
- 2. Objectives Define stigma and discrimination Explore the protections under the ADA List several ways our consumers are stigmatized or discriminated against Identify ways to fight discrimination AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 2
- 3. Data People experiencing mental health conditions often face rejection, bullying and discrimination. This can make their journey to recovery longer and more difficult. Mental health conditions are the leading cause of disability across the United States. Even though most people can be successfully treated, less than half of the adults in the U.S. who need services and treatment get the help they need. The average delay between the onset of symptoms and intervention is 8-10 years. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 3
- 4. What is Stigma People who have identities that society values negatively are said to be stigmatized Thanks to stigma, people living with mental health conditions are: Alienated and seen as "others." Perceived as dangerous. Seen as irresponsible or unable to make their own decisions. Less likely to be hired. Less likely to get safe housing. More likely to be criminalized than offered health care services. Afraid of rejection to the point that they don’t always pursue opportunities. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 4
- 5. Common Stigma Associated with Mental Illness Dangerous The major determinants of violence continue to be Socio-demographic and economic factors Substance abuse, whether it occurs in the context of a concurrent mental illness or not historical (past violence, juvenile detention, physical abuse, parental arrest record)clinical contextual (recent divorce, unemployment, victimization) factors. It is far more likely that people with a serious mental illness will be the victim of violence Research has focused on the person with the mental illness, rather than the nature of the social interchange that led up to the violence STUART, H. (2003). Violence and mental illness: an overview. World Psychiatry, 2(2), 121–124. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 5
- 6. Common Stigma Associated with Mental Illness Lazy 60 percent of the 7.1 million people receiving public mental health services nationwide want to work NAMI Susan (not her real name) received SSDI and SSI with mental health services covered by Medicare and Medicaid. As her recovery from bipolar disorder progressed, she went back to work part-time. Despite the fact that she enjoyed her job and her employer was pleased with her performance, she resigned after seven months because she did not want to lose the medical benefits that paid for the care she needed. She is no longer seeking paid work. Dirty Diseased Weak willed AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 6
- 7. Mental Illness Myths There's no hope for people with mental illnesses. I can't do anything for a person with mental illness. People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable. Mental illnesses don't affect me. People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job. Therapy and self-help are a waste of time. Why bother when you can just take a pill? Children don't experience mental illnesses. Their actions are just products of bad parenting. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 7
- 8. Addiction Myths Addicts are bad, crazy, or stupid. Addiction is a willpower problem. Addicts should be punished, not treated, for using drugs. People addicted to one drug are addicted to all drugs. Addicts cannot be treated with medications. Addiction is treated behaviorally, so it must be a behavioral problem. Alcoholics can stop drinking simply by attending AA meetings, so they can't have a brain disease. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 8
- 9. What Perpetuates Stigma Television News/Availability Heuristic Lack of awareness/public education Lack of insurance coverage for long-term treatment Widespread belief: the stereotype is argued to be true because it is widely held to be true Prejudicial language: negative value or moral judgement is attached to the stereotype AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 9
- 10. Perpetuation cont… Intentional exclusion: evidence that would or could disprove the stereotype is hidden or concealed Misleading generalization: the evidence is unrepresentative of the population cited as a whole Emotional appeal: the audience is persuaded to agree through emotion, not through logic or facts AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 10
- 11. Effects of Stigma Refusal to seek help Worsening of symptoms Development of depression Withdrawal/Isolation 1/4 of adults believe that a person with mental illness can eventually recover. Only 42 percent of Americans believe that a person with mental illness can be as successful at work as others. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 11
- 12. Effects cont… Only a little more than one-half (54%) of young adults who know someone with a mental illness believe that treatment can help. 74% of people agree that people are not sympathetic toward individuals with mental illnesses. Current federal law has banned more than 150,000 mothers with past drug convictions from participation in the food stamp program and WIC, the women and infant's nutrition program. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 12
- 13. Fighting Stigma Become A StigmaBuster! Speak out and challenge stereotypes Educate society about the reality of mental illness Demystify the counseling process Identify the multiplicity of causes of anxiety and depression Learn more about mental illness Listen to people who have experienced mental illness. Stigma is diminished just by talking with someone who has a mental illness. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 13
- 14. Fighting Stigma Talk openly about it. The more mental illness remains hidden the more people continue to believe that it is a shameful thing to be concealed. Watch your language. Don’t use terms and expressions related to mental illness that perpetuate stigma, such as “crazy,” “loony,” or “nuts”. Put the person before the mental illness: instead of saying “the borderline,” say, “the person who has borderline personality disorder”. Support mental health treatment. If you need help, seek it. If someone you know needs help, encourage them to do so. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 14
- 15. Fighting Stigma Speak up about stigma. When someone you know misuses a psychiatric term, tell them what it really means. When someone tells a joke that ridicules mental illness, tell them that you find such comments offensive and unacceptable. Respond to stigmatizing material. If a commercial, a show, or a movie is portraying someone with mental illness in a stigmatizing fashion. There are organizations that want to know such as StigmaBusters at NAMI. Demand change from your elected representatives. Provide support for organizations that fight stigma by volunteering. Contribute to research related to mental illness and stigma. Share your experience with mental illness. Help people with mental illness reenter society. Support their efforts to obtain housing and jobs. Respond to false statements about mental illness or people with mental illnesses with accurate facts and information. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 15
- 16. Discrimination Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities Defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Who may not currently have a disabling impairment but have a record of such an impairment ADA statutory definition of disability The extent of the limitation resulting from the person’s physical or mental impairment must be assessed in light of any mitigating measures, including medication. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 16
- 17. Addiction and the ADA Drug addiction is considered a disability under the ADA, if it poses a substantial limitation on one or more major life activities Individuals who currently use illegal drugs, even users who are addicted, may be denied employment because of their current use. A person who currently abuses alcohol or prescribed drugs is not automatically denied protection AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 17
- 18. Fair Housing Act The Federal Fair Housing Act, passed in 1968 to prevent housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, and national origin, does nothing to stop landlords from discriminating against people with criminal records, such as past drug convictions or domestic violence AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 18
- 19. Education and Student Loans Students convicted of drug crimes may be prohibited from receiving federal student loans AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 19
- 20. Summary Don't label people with words like "crazy," "wacko," or "loony" or define them by their diagnosis. Learn the facts about mental health and share them with others, especially if you hear something that isn't true. Treat people with mental illnesses with respect and dignity, just as you would anybody else. Respect the rights of people with mental illnesses and don't discriminate against them when it comes to housing, employment, or education. AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certification Training $149 | Webinars $5 20
Editor's Notes
- Myths About Addiction* * Adapted from Myths of Addiction. Carlton K. Erickson, Ph.D., University of Texas Addiction Science 1. Addicts are bad, crazy, or stupid. Evolving research is demonstrating that addicts are not bad people who need to get good, crazy people who need to get sane, or stupid people who need education. Addicts have a brain disease that goes beyond their use of drugs. 2. Addiction is a willpower problem. This is an old belief, probably based upon wanting to blame addicts for using drugs to excess. This myth is reinforced by the observation that most treatments for alcoholism and addiction are behavioral (talk) therapies, which are perceived to build self-control. But addiction occurs in an area of the brain called the mesolimbic dopamine system that is not under conscious control. 3. Addicts should be punished, not treated, for using drugs. Science is demonstrating that addicts have a brain disease that causes them to have impaired control over their use of drugs. Addicts need treatment for their neurochemically driven brain pathology. 4. People addicted to one drug are addicted to all drugs. While this sometimes occurs, most people who are dependent on a drug may be dependent on one or two drugs, but not all. This is probably due to how each drug "matches up" with the person's brain chemistry. 5. Addicts cannot be treated with medications. Actually, addicts are medically detoxified in hospitals, when appropriate, all the time. But can they be treated with medications after detox? New pharmacotherapies (medicines) are being developed to help patients who have already become abstinent to further curb their craving for addicting drugs. These medications reduce the chances of relapse and enhance the effectiveness of existing behavioral (talk) therapies. 6. Addiction is treated behaviorally, so it must be a behavioral problem. New brain scan studies are showing that behavioral treatments (i.e., psychotherapy) and medications work similarly in changing brain function. So addiction is a brain disease that can be treated by changing brain function, through several types of treatments. 7. Alcoholics can stop drinking simply by attending AA meetings, so they can't have a brain disease. The key word here is "simply." For most people, AA is a tough, lifelong working of the Twelve Steps. On the basis of research, we know that this support system of people with a common experience is one of the active ingredients of recovery in AA. AA doesn't work for everyone, even for many people who truly want to stop drinking.