Primary Accounts
Below are responses to the optional question on my survey, "If someone you are related to has a mental illness and you are comfortable sharing your experiences, please do so below. Did you have trouble accepting it? Were you unsure about how to treat the relative/family member? How does the rest of the family deal with it?
Some of these responses are examples of reasons why mental illness stigma continues to thrive. The fact families themselves are ashamed of mental illness in a member and attempt to hide of deny it is one of the main sources of fuel for stigma. Shame and secrecy prevent enlightenment and predictably, encourage ignorance. The first step for a family to dispel stigma and help their mentally ill family members is to accept the illness themselves.
At the same time, many of these responses show a certain kind of respect for the mentally ill. Coping with any kind of illness is not easy, and individuals who accept it themselves and try to live as normal as they can deserve and receive the same kind of respect paid to cancer survivors. Many people who responded also express their urge to help but not knowing how. Helping mentally ill family can be done in simple ways. First, initial acceptance, which many of the survey participants have realized. An illness does not fundamentally alter a person or who he or she is, even if it does effect their lives in unchangeable ways. After acceptance is the dissemination of knowledge; a collective effort of this will dispel ignorance and consequently eliminate stigma. One family can make a notable difference, as demonstrated by Laura Wilcox's family; families united can very well make huge progress in bringing mentally ill individuals the treatment they have been too long denied.
At the same time, many of these responses show a certain kind of respect for the mentally ill. Coping with any kind of illness is not easy, and individuals who accept it themselves and try to live as normal as they can deserve and receive the same kind of respect paid to cancer survivors. Many people who responded also express their urge to help but not knowing how. Helping mentally ill family can be done in simple ways. First, initial acceptance, which many of the survey participants have realized. An illness does not fundamentally alter a person or who he or she is, even if it does effect their lives in unchangeable ways. After acceptance is the dissemination of knowledge; a collective effort of this will dispel ignorance and consequently eliminate stigma. One family can make a notable difference, as demonstrated by Laura Wilcox's family; families united can very well make huge progress in bringing mentally ill individuals the treatment they have been too long denied.