Email | Print

I have been a consumer of mental health services for over 15 years and the one thing that hasn't changed is the attitude of the undiagnosed, "chronically normal" individuals who we live and work with daily. Not to mention some of the so-called recovered mentally ill, some of whom now hold positions of power.

This is not to say that all "chronically normal" individuals and the recovered mentally ill do not sympathize with our cause. There are, however, many who for whatever reason continue to stigmatize the mentally ill simply due to lack of accurate information and education or perhaps they do not know any better.

The medication treatment for the mentally ill is no different than that for the medically ill. The side effects of the medication can be similar. Neither the mentally ill nor the medically ill should be stigmatized due to the side effects of medication. An ironic example: my younger brother asked me to hide my right hand, which shakes occasionally due to medication or nerve damage -- I know not which -- because he believes the shaking may make people think that I have Parkinson's disease.
This statement from my younger brother makes me feel very awkward. I have found that if you have a mental health issue and exhibit a side effect to your medication, you are stigmatized beyond what people would be willing to admit.

We must keep up the fight against stigma in all its forms and continue to take steps for legislative parity for those coping with mental illness. We have come a long way in the last 15 years but the fight is not over. We must not settle for tokinistic approaches to the recovery model or towards mental and medical health parity.