RESOURCES FOR FIGHTING
DISCRIMINATION
AND STIGMA
Discrimination
and stigma are added burdens for
people
with mental illnesses. Fortunately, there are many
individuals
and organizations making efforts to reduce mental illness stigma and
discrimination.
This resource
guide will tell you about some of
those
organizations and efforts and provide you with links to their
websites.
In addition, there is information about books, videos, research and
other
materials that may be of assistance in understanding and reducing
discrimination
and stigma.
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<><> STIGMA:
IS IT THE RIGHT WORD?
One of the
prominent issues in relation to
discrimination
and stigma involves the terminology used to refer to mental health
problems
and those who experience them. Discussions of language related to
mental illnesses include the question of whether the word “stigma” may
itself be stigmatizing.>To see my
thoughts about this issue,
click the link above. <>
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For other
discussions of language referring to mental illnesses, click
here: LANGUAGE
MATTERS
- ORGANIZATIONS
THAT
FIGHT DISCRIMINATION AND STIGMA: There are many organizations
that work to educate about mental illnesses, to reduce stigma and
discrimination, and to increase social acceptance and inclusion of
people who live with mental illnesses. Many of the
organizations listed rely on the
involvement
of people across the country to become "stigmabusters" who help to
fight
stigma and discrimination through their individual actions. To see a list and brief
descriptions of these organizations, click on the link above.
MATERIALS:
VIDEOS, EXHIBITS/POSTERS,
HANDOUTS, BRIEF ARTICLES Numerous
materials have been produced by the above
organizations
and others that my be useful to those fighting stigma and
discrimination,
both for their own information and for use in educating others about
mental
illnesses and the problems of stigma. For a list of these and
links
through which to learn about or view these materials, click the link
above.
- RECOMMENDED
READINGS:
There are now
many lay-oriented books available
that may
help people to better understand mental illnesses. Some of these
provide basic information about specific mental illnesses. Others
address issues related to mental illnesses and stigma (such as media
depictions
of mental illnesses). Particularly valuable are books by and
about
individuals with mental illnesses--autobiographical and biographical
accounts
of the experience of mental illness. For lists of some of these
readings,
along with brief descriptions of each, click the link above.
- RECENT
AND ONGOING RESEARCH: My students and I have been
conducting work on stigma and on media depictions of mental illnesses
for many years. If you would like to see brief summaries of our
current and recently completed projects, please click on the link
above.