Why is Mental Health So Stigmatizing

How Language can be Used to Reduce Mental Health Stigma

Introduction

Language plays a crucial role in shaping societal attitudes and beliefs, and for that reason it can be used to reduce mental health stigmas. Mental health stigma refers to the negative attitudes and beliefs that individuals hold towards those with mental health conditions. Stigma can lead to discrimination, social isolation, and poor mental health outcomes. There are many different ways language can be used to reduce stigmas associated with mental health. For instance, one can use person-first language, or accurate terminology, provide education, or use language to encourage in a positive and supportive manner individuals with mental health to seek help. One can even use language directly to challenge others who use stigmatizing language and project stigmatizing attitudes. This paper will discuss these ways and show why and how they are effective.

Person-First Language

Person-first language places the individual before their diagnosis, emphasizing that a person is more than their condition. For example, instead of saying, "He's bipolar," person-first language would include something more sensitive and humanizing, such as, "He has bipolar disorder." This approach reduces the stigma associated with mental health diagnoses by emphasizing that the individual is a person first and that their diagnosis is just one aspect of their life.

The use of person-first language is supported by research, which has found that it can reduce stigma and negative attitudes towards individuals with mental health conditions (Williams et al., 2022). When individuals are referred to by their diagnosis rather than their name, it can lead to a sense of dehumanization, which in turn can reinforce negative attitudes towards them.

Using Accurate Terminology

The use of accurate terminology is crucial in reducing mental health stigmas. Using terms such as "crazy," "psycho," or "insane" in casual conversation perpetuates negative stereotypes and reinforces negative attitudes towards those with mental health conditions (Nichol, 2023). Neither is it accurate nor correct terminology that truly describes a person’s mental health issue. These are perjoratives only—not accurate or medical terms.

By using accurate terminology, we can reduce the stigma associated with mental health conditions by educating individuals about the true nature of mental health conditions. When individuals are more informed, they are more likely to understand that mental health conditions are not a choice, but rather a medical condition that can be treated. Medical terms and conditions should be used whenever discussing mental health so that the actual conditions can be normalized—not the slang, slanderous, disparaging terms that we are accustomed to hearing from others.

Emphasizing in a Positive and Supportive Manner the Importance of Seeking Help

Encouraging individuals to seek help for mental health issues is crucial in reducing stigmas. Language that emphasizes that seeking help is a sign of strength and resilience can help to reduce the stigma associated with mental health conditions. It is when we shy away from discussing the issues as important and legitimate that stigmas are able to persist (Lee, 2021).

This approach reduces stigma by emphasizing that seeking help for mental health conditions is a normal and healthy thing to do. It also challenges the idea that mental health conditions are a sign of weakness, which is a common stigma associated with mental health. The more secure people feel about talking about mental health, the less likely they are to deny they have a problem.

Providing Education

Providing accurate information about mental health conditions can help to reduce stigmas, too. Language that emphasizes the commonality of mental health conditions and that they are treatable can help to reduce stigmas and encourage individuals to seek help. It can also help others to see that mental health issues are not contagious and are not to be feared (Walsh & Foster, 2020).

When individuals are more informed about mental health conditions, they are less likely to hold negative attitudes towards those with mental health conditions. Providing accurate information can also help to reduce misconceptions about mental health conditions, such as the idea that individuals with mental health conditions are violent or dangerous.

Challenging Stigmatizing Language and Attitudes

Challenging stigmatizing language and attitudes when we encounter them is an important way to reduce mental health stigmas (Heim et al., 2020). This can be done by politely correcting others when they use stigmatizing language or by advocating for policies that support individuals with mental health conditions. By challenging stigmatizing language and attitudes, we can help to reduce the negative attitudes and beliefs that perpetuate mental health stigmas. This approach also helps to create a culture that is more accepting of individuals with mental health conditions and promotes the idea that mental health is a crucial component of overall health and wellbeing.