#fighting stigma

[aaronpullinteeth]

Fighting stereotypes.

Hi, I'm Aaron. I'm 27. I'm British. I'm actually straight (I know, right?) I love pro wrestling, punk rock and video games.

Introduce yourself to me.

I wanna make friends.

[scrapyardley-blog]

Neurotypical bullshit

I'm trying to find new blogs to follow to make for an interesting feed on my dash. Naturally I search mental health tags as well as my interests, because I can find that sort of content relatable (having a diagnosis of BPD myself) and can offer some help/support. What I'm seeing more and more is; "No neurotypicals allowed" "Don't follow if you are neurotypical" "Anti self-diagnosis" "Only reblog if you have been professionally diagnosed" The 'actually'(mentallyill, bpd, borderline) tags Etcetera, etcetera... It pisses me off! 1. What is wrong with someone who does not have mental health conditions reading your blog and getting an insight into what it is like to live with such issues? Surely the more people learn about what it is like to experience life with mental illnesses/disorders the more we will be tackling the stigma surrounding mental health. Knowledge and awareness is key! In a way by forbidding "neurotypicals" from reading/re-blogging/following your blog you are in fact contributing to stigma, it is like you have your own reverse-stigma against mentally healthy people. Stop it! I believe it is these people who (although they would probably never admit to it) think that having a mental health diagnosis makes them unique or special, which of course it does not. This thought is fed by tv shows and trends (emo for example) that glorify mental illness. It is a problem. Young people who are still looking to secure their identity are easily influenced and explore with imitating these endearing, attractive and unusual characters. 2. If someone identifies with enough symptoms of a mental illness to think they actually have it, should we not be supporting them and encouraging them to reach out and seek help? They are not a professional, so shouldn't be going around labelling themselves and wearing that label with pride like a badge, but at the same time just because you ARE diagnosed, doesn't make you a psychiatrist either. Mental ill health is not an exclusive 'cool' club or a competition.

[desperate-thursday-blog]

Are you struggling?

It seems to me that lately a lot of people I know have been struggling with their mental health, I am naturally concerned about them all. The topic of mental health came up in a conversation I had with a friend a few days ago and I made this observation. My friend had also noticed that a lot of people she knew were having trouble managing their mental health, but she went on to make a very good point; maybe it is not that people are struggling more, but that people are hiding it less. The campaign to speak out and be more open about our feelings, emotional well-being and overall mental health might just be working! So it may seem like everyone is all of a sudden experiencing difficulties, but in actual fact it is no more than usual, we are just aware of it now. This theory made me feel a lot less worried about everyone I know who is struggling, because sharing their problems means they have a better chance at resolving them. 

Opening up to someone for the first time is scary and can make you feel vulnerable, so it’s a good idea to choose someone you feel you can trust. I would consider confiding in someone a ‘positive risk’. In key working I refer to two types of risk taking;  ‘positive risks’ - which are still anxiety provoking but could possibly result in something good/beneficial, and  ‘negative risks’ - that compromise your health and well-being or put you in danger.

I’ve found that people (myself included) tend to take more negative risks than positive risks. Positive risks seem to take more thought and effort and we are more aware of the anxiety that comes with it; for example, starting a conversation with someone new, or applying for a job/ going to an interview. Whereas negative risks can often not feel like risks at all; for example, getting drunk, smoking, having unprotected sex, taking drugs. These negative risks can even feel good (in the short term) and in place of anxiety they can come with excitement, tempting us to ignore warnings and chance it.  When working with someone to develop a support plan I always like to include the challenge of consciously taking more ‘positive risks’.  I’m taking this post as a reminder to myself to assess my actions and choices and ask myself what category they fall into. Doing things like this improves self awareness which helps you regain control over your life.

[marieabanga]

Watch "The Stain of Stigma in our Community Part 1" on YouTube

Watch “The Stain of Stigma in our Community Part 1” on YouTube

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[marieabanga]

The Stain of Stigma in our Community

#NotoStigmaJoin us tomorrow on FB live 3pm GMT+1 @ https://web.facebook.com/Hope4theabusedandbattered/

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[marieabanga]

Menstruation matters, I will keep talking about it ooo

#menstruationmatters #mymentalhealthmatters #womensrightsarehumanrights I read a comment from a male on Facebook that menstruation was contaminated blood ..I realized he didn’t know better, and that the way the subject of something as pure and life indicative as menstruation has been treated must have aided his ‘boisterous ignorance’ in this area. We have to speak up about what happens to our…

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[marieabanga]

Join the GMHPN raise awareness on ADHD

Hi world, You are invited to the GMHPN ADHD Webinar.When: Sep 15, 2021 14:00 Johannesburg Register in advance for this meeting:https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvdeuhrz8vE9I1n2xoD9sEw72kDPJLKJN_ After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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[marieabanga]

Mental Health and Youth: let's detach the Stigma

Mental Health and Youth: let’s detach the Stigma

Detach the STIGMA of mental health and youth. I will be a speaker and share my experience working with youths who have been through trauma or simply can’t find their bearings around adolescence. Kindly send an email to the organizer for a link to attend/participate: [email protected]

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