In Their Own Words
““Stigmas speak to the idea of difference and
how difference shames us and those we know.”
– Michael Lewis, author
The best way to understand the kind of impact stigma has on people is to hear it from them firsthand. Mental health issues and substance-use disorders affect people from all walks of life: men and women, young and old, homeless and the wealthy, a veteran returning home from war, a mother suffering the loss of a child, a middle-aged person who has lost their job…substance-use disorders and mental health issues do not discriminate, but stigma does. Hear stories of the stigmatized to gain a better understanding.
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Stigma can stem from this idea that this little piece of information tells you so much more about a person than it really does.
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He wrote me off, like I was beyond help is how I internalized that. It definitely stuck with me when I was thinking about or even considering seeking help in the future.
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One of the things I try to do to help myself and the people that come to my workshops is how to empower themselves so we’re not as affected by what you think about me
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You have more power in this. Even with a mental health issue, you have more power than you realize… you can recover.
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It was like my heart sank into my stomach and I thought, ‘This is what people think of me now, this is what I’ve become. If a doctor’s going to say that, then how am I going to get help?
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I guess in a way I’m still serving my country by helping people who’ve been stigmatized, who have been challenged by this disease, to help break free.