WHAT IS STIGMA?

Presentation by I M CONFIDENT Niagara Canada

STIGMA IS DESTROYING US AND NEEDS TO BE REMOVED!!

The dictionary describes STIGMA as the shame or disgrace attached to something regarded as socially unacceptable.

Why is it socially unacceptable to have an illness? There is no stigma attached to most physical illnesses and many mental illnesses are treatable under the right circumstances.

PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND MENTAL ILLNESS

There is not enough teaching done about mental illnesses and people naturally fear the unknown.

There are also a lot of false myths that people pass on to each other which cause fear.

This fear causes discrimination against people with mental illnesses and as long as this misunderstanding exists, the stigma will remain.

HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS?

Try to answer the following 8 questions and see how many you get right.

1)What percentage of the world population suffers from depression? 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 40%

2)What time of year is depression at its worst?

Summertime, Beginning of school year, Christmas, February, End of school year

3)What time of year are suicide rates higher?

Christmas, February, Summertime, Beginning of school year, End of school year

HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS?

4) Can depression be effectively treated? Yes, No, Don’t know.

5) There is a suicide in the world every –

40 seconds, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 3 days, 5 days

6) Who suffers from depression more? Men or Women

7) Who commits suicide more? Men or Women

8) Are people with mental illnesses able to hold a regular job.

Yes No Don’t know

HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT?

1. About 15%-20% of the world’s populations suffers from depression. So take a look at 5-7 of your family and friends and 1 will likely have this illness.

2. People are more depressed at Christmas due to loneliness and a sense that they don’t belong anywhere.

3. Suicide rates higher are higher in the summertime when people are worrying about going back to school.

4. Yes, depression be effectively treated. 8 out of 10 patients can improve with medication and psychotherapy.

HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT?

5. There is a suicide in the world every – 40 seconds. In the year 2000 – 815,000 people lost their lives to suicide.

6. Women suffer from depression twice as much as men.

7. Men commit suicide at a 4% rate higher than women. Men

just go ahead and do it, but women tend to reach out for help.

8.People with mental illnesses are able to hold a regular job

with the proper treatment.

**NOTE - Of course, these answers are gathered from known cases and there are many that are unknown because they are not reported, so the numbers might be higher.

MINI-TRAINING IN MENTAL ILLNESS

Symptoms of mental illness vary in each person depending on the type of illness involved. Some general behavioral characteristics are:

Extreme highs and lows in mood Continuous sadness, irritability, fear, anxiety Social withdrawal Inability to cope with daily activities Anger, substance abuse Change in eating or sleeping habits Thoughts of suicide

ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS OF CHILDREN AND TEENS

OLDER CHILDREN AND TEENS

Skipping school Stealing Damaging property Fear of gaining weight Long lasting negative

mood Obsession with death

YOUNGER CHILDREN

Problems in school and poor grades

Hyperactivity Nightmares Aggressive behaviour Temper tantrums disobedience

MORE FACTS

Depression is the second largest cause of incapacity in industrialized countries and will become first

It is largely undertreated and inadequately treated If untreated, can lead to suicide Suicide it the fourth leading cause of death and the

sixth leading cause of disability worldwide In Canada, the suicide rate is 15% per 100,000, with

600 attempts and another 4000 think about it 90% of suicide victims have a diagnosable

psychological illness

RECENT STUDIES DONE BY RESEARCHERS AT ST MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL AND THE INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL EVALUATIVE SCIENCES (Toronto) show that:

50% of men and women with depression visited a doctor for their condition

33% of men and women discharged from hospital for SEVERE depression did not see a doctor for a follow-up visit within 30 days

17% visited a hospital emergency room within 30 days of discharge

8% were re-admitted to hospital

Read more reports at www.stmichaelshospital.com

Why are we allowing this to happen to our families and communities?

Why are we allowing this STIGMA to continue?

We need to take action! NOW! Before more lives are lost!

Let’s all get out there and do our part! Learn Educate others Speak up Contact government officials, mental health

organizations Do whatever you can to help destroy STIGMA

and help EVERYONE who struggles with mental illnesses

THANK-YOU www.imconfident.com

MENTAL ILLNESS CAN BE TREATED MORE EFFECTIVELY.