Mental Health Stigma

I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychological Sciences from Northern Arizona University. While everyone was worried about what they were going to do after graduation, I was blessed to already have a job lined up.

I currently work at a day program primarily with individuals with a SMI (Seriously Mentally Ill) diagnosis. However, we also provide services to individuals who are GMH (General Mental Health). There are several departments to the day program including therapeutic groups and a job development program. I am a part of the Activity team and we are responsible for facilitating therapeutic groups for the clients. Some of these groups include learning different coping skills, meditation, art therapy, and cooking and baking classes. We offer the fun “electives” so individuals can learn the necessary skills to live. Plus, the cooking groups are the most attended groups.

The job development program is designed to teach these individuals the skills to work in “the real world.” We offer part time jobs throughout the building for vocational training. These individuals are taught safety skills, how to handle stress in the workplace, and working as a team in order to be successful in their job. The goal is to have the clients use the skills they learn from their part time job to get jobs in the community.

All of my clients enjoy doing something in the community, bowling, hiking, swimming, going to the library, whatever. However, I frequently hear that my clients feel like they are being judged by other community members because "they are crazy." It is heart-breaking to hear. It is my responsibility to encourage clients to enjoy the community and not care what other people think. However, that is easier said that done. There are times when everyone feels like they are being judged. However, it is especially hard for these individuals because the voices tell them they are worthless and crazy.

It is very hard to watch clients stay behind instead of going out into the community because they are afraid of being judged. We can only give so much encouragement, but it is ultimately their decision. These individuals are human beings and it baffles me that they are treated like criminals.

While some individuals I work with have been in the criminal justice system, many of them have not. They are good people and it is heart-breaking to watch other members of the community treating them like criminals just because of a diagnosis. SMI does not mean criminal.

Personally, I believe that "SMI" only exists because of insurance. The only reason people hold an SMI status is because someone deemed them "incapable of handling life." Everyone experiences episodes of anxiety or depression, or mood swings. So why are certain people "selected" to hold the SMI status? My opinion, they went in for counseling or to seek professional help and they needed to diagnosis them with something to make money.

Now, I understand that having mental challenges is real and these challenges can be difficult to overcome. However, I think society has deemed SMI individuals as "crazy." The media has not helped this matter either. A majority of the crime shows or even the news show someone who has schizophrenia as a "crazy killer." That is a majority of the episodes too. In reality, about 1 percent of the population is schizophrenic. The media presents these individuals as psychotic and someone who the public should fear. Due to this negative (and untrue) stigma, these individuals actually believe that the public is afraid of them.

Prejudice still exists. It is 2018. I thought we would have grown as a society by now.