Debunking myths about mental health — Myth or Fact?
Transitions Clinic Network (TCN) is a network of community health clinics that serve returning community members. TCN clinics are led by Community Health Workers (CHWs) with lived experience of incarceration who support people with their healthcare and reentry. TCN hosts a monthly Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) column. This column is a space where we answer questions about health care and empower individuals to prepare for healthy reentry. This month we are writing about reducing stigma around mental health.
Myth or Fact #1: Mental illness is common.
FACT – Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. More than 1 in 5 US adults are living with a mental illness. Some examples of common conditions are anxiety, depression, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia, PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, and more. Mental health challenges may affect anyone at any time.
Myth or Fact #2: There is nothing that I can do for a person experiencing a mental health challenge.
MYTH – Friends and loved ones can help by: Learning and sharing the facts about mental health, reaching out and helping them access mental health resources, being non-judgmental and treating them with respect, and refusing to define them by their diagnosis.
Myth or Fact #3: People who experience mental health challenges are more likely to be unpredictable and violent.
MYTH – People living with mental illnesses are no more likely to be violent than anyone else. Many people who face mental challenges are highly active and productive members of their community.
What is mental health stigma?
Mental health stigma is the negative attitude towards people who are living with a mental illness. Stigma happens when there is a lack of understanding about mental health conditions and what it is like to live with such conditions. Some common examples of mental health stigma: assuming someone living with a mental health condition is violent, avoiding people with mental health conditions, assuming someone is weak for getting care, using harmful language or labels like describing someone as “crazy”, and companies refusing to hire someone because of their mental health condition.
Why is reducing stigma around metal health important?
Stigma is harmful to everyone, so recognizing and reducing mental health stigma is important. Stigma can lead to harmful assumptions and discrimination directed at people living with mental illnesses. Stigma can cause people with mental health conditions to think negatively about themselves, affecting their relationships and how they interact with others. Stigma can cause fear and isolate those experiencing mental health challenges, causing them to not seek help or access care. In fact, more than 60% of people who face mental health challenges and illnesses will not reach out for help and care.
Negative attitudes towards those experiencing mental illness are even more harmful in jails and prisons. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 63% of people in state and federal prisons do not receive medical treatment while incarcerated. Mental health stigma makes navigating life in jail or prison more challenging for people incarcerated living with mental health conditions. Incarceration is already isolating and facing stigma can lead to more self-isolation. People may not seek treatment for their conditions for fear of being discriminated against, which can continue out in the community after release. Stigma also harms the whole community, prolonging negative assumptions and making it less safe and welcoming for everyone. What are ways to reduce stigma around mental health?
Here are some steps you can take to reduce mental health stigma:
- Remember that mental illness is common and all of us need to pay attention to our mental health.
- Educate yourself: Knowledge and empathy help combat negative assumptions. Learn more about common mental health conditions and try to understand what it is like to live with a mental illness. Listen to the experiences of your peers living with mental illness and who may have been impacted by stigma. Listen to others without judgement.
- Talk more openly about mental health: Sharing what we know and what we have experienced within our community helps everyone grow in knowledge and empathy. Remember, mental health is just as important as your physical health. Stress and anxiety should be discussed as openly as physical health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. Being open and non-judgmental can encourage others to share about their experiences.
- Change how you talk about mental illness: Avoid using language and labels that can be harmful, such as calling someone ‘crazy’ or ‘psycho.’ These hurtful labels can cause those experiencing mental illness to feel negatively about themselves and can lead them to not seek help. If you hear someone else using stigmatizing language you can share why that might be harmful.
What mental health services are available inside prison?
Taking care of your mental health is so important. It is important to not let stigma get in the way of seeking help. Untreated mental illness can impact your physical health, your relationships, and other aspects of your daily life.
CDCR has a Statewide Mental Health Program (SMHP), which ensures that patients inside have ready access to mental health services. The SMHP can assist you in receiving mental health care based on your needs to live a healthier life inside and upon reentry into the community. All people are asked about mental health when coming into prison and you can always request to speak with someone about your mental health.
What mental health services are available in the community?
Whether you are participating in mental health treatments while in prison or not, know that you can always access mental health care in the community. Medi-Cal insurance pays for mental health care. Health care clinics in the community often offer medical care and mental health services under one roof. Many people coming out of prison experience stress, so seeking mental health support may be more important than ever! Transitions Clinic Network can help you connect with a clinic in your community! Whether in prison or out in the community, all of us can continue to recognize and reduce mental health stigma around us. We can change our own thoughts, actions, and language and help others do the same to create spaces that are safer for everyone. If you are living with a mental health challenge, know that you are important and not alone! Mental health challenges can affect anyone at any time, which makes taking care of your mental health and reducing stiall the more important.
If you have healthcare-related questions about reentry, feel free to write us at: Transitions Clinic Network, 2403 Keith Street, San Francisco, CA 94124. Or call our Reentry Health Hotline today at (510) 606-6400 to speak with a CHW and to see if there’s a TCN program in your community of return. We accept collect calls from CDCR. We are open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.
