European Mental Health Week 2023
Mental health is an essential part of our overall well-being, yet it’s often overlooked or stigmatized. This is why the European Mental Health Week, now in its fourth edition, is so important. It provides an opportunity for people across Europe to come together and raise awareness about mental health, share their experiences, and promote the need for greater understanding and education.
This year, EHHW takes place between 22-28 May and focuses on the theme of “Mentally Healthy Communities”, emphasizing the importance of creating inclusive and supportive environments in our communities, schools, workplaces, and homes.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the ways we can all contribute to improving mental health for ourselves and others, starting with one of the most important subject – destigmatising mental health issues.
How do we define mental health related stigma?
In short, mental health related stigma represents the negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that are directed towards people with mental health conditions. This can take the form of belittling comments, stereotypes, blame or avoidance of those with mental illness. It is a form of discrimination and social exclusion that can be deeply damaging to an individual’s self-esteem and sense of belonging.
Furthermore, it can prevent them from seeking out the help and support they need to manage their condition. This can lead to feelings of shame and isolation, as well as creating barriers to accessing necessary treatment and care.
Where does mental health related stigma stem from?
At any given time, 1 in 5 adults suffers from a mental disorder. Whether they recognize it or not, it directly affects the quality of their life, their emotional health and their productivity. Also, some figures from 2019 from WHO show that, globally: 301 million people experience anxiety, 380 million people experience depression and 64 million live with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
Given this, why is stigma still an ongoing problem?
There is no simple answer to this question. In fact, there are numerous elements that play a part in initiating and perpetuating stigmatising behaviours. They can stem from a mix of fear, ignorance, and prejudice and then perpetuated and aggravated by other factors such as media portrayals of mental illness, negative attitudes from family and friends, and lack of understanding from employers and healthcare providers. Stigma can also be perpetuated by a lack of access to services, inadequate funding for mental health services, and a lack of public education about mental health.
Fortunately, there are many organizations and initiatives that are working to combat stigma associated with mental illness. These initiatives focus on educating the public, advocating for improved mental health policies and services, and supporting those affected by mental illness. Additionally, many companies are developing “mental health first aid” programs (for example: EAP ) and making an effort to create a more inclusive workplace environment.
What can we do to destigmatise mental health issues? Some concrete actions.
To try and tackle this issue we have gathered a list of actions that we can do. This is not a fully exhaustive list, so feel free to add your own ideas or personalize it to suit your circumstances.
1. Be conscious of your language. Words have a greater impact on perpetuating negative stereotypes/prejudices than we think they have. You could be normalizing stigmatizing behaviors without knowing, just by using the wrong words, jokes or commentaries that seem innocent, but are, in fact, offensive. To help us be more aware of how we can use vocabulary for the better, Mental Health Europe has compiled a glossary of terms and words that we can use when we are referring to mental health issues.
2. Be aware of your attitudes and behavior and take steps to ensure you are not contributing to any discrimination or stigma. As often as possible, try to set an example for others by being open-minded and supportive towards those with mental health issues and try to create an inclusive environment for everyone. Show your support for people struggling with their mental health, listen without judgement, offer help when you can, and encourage them to seek the help they need.
3. Talk more openly about mental health issues and the treatment related to it. If you suffer or have suffered from a mental health condition through your life, you could use your own voice to speak and spread awareness whenever possible, as long as it is comfortable for you. This could include participating in community events, sharing personal stories in a constructive way, or publicly advocating for better access to mental health services and resources.
4. Educate yourself and others on the reality of living with a mental illness, including the various treatments available and the different ways in which people can manage their condition. As an ongoing process and a lifelong “endeavor”, this could involve attending seminars or workshops on the subject matter, reading books or articles on the subject matter, or even talking to someone who has experienced a mental illness first-hand in order to gain firsthand insight into what they have gone through and what they have done to cope with it.
Here you can learn more about how to get involved and make your voice known https://www.mhe-sme.org/emhw/
Together we care!