[shakespeare47]

What do you all think of the stigma associated with mental illnesses and disorders? I'm still a little suspicious of the mental health profession as a whole. My mother and grandmother both had mental health issues, and they just didn't get the quality of care I'd expect. And, I've read of the problems associated with the fact that psychology isn't a hard science... In what other science would you see something like homosexuality removed from the DSM by vote? I also read Oliver Sack's book, Hallucinations, and he details how even those in the mental health profession sometimes just don't get it.

But, I know I have some issues, and I fit the criteria for BPD. Perhaps I'll try dialectical behavioral therapy for a while. I certainly don't want to let something like BPD define me. I've got too many good things going on in my life. and perhaps there is a chance I just suffer from some PTSD related to my traumatic childhood and childhood sexual abuse.

[glok]

Hello, shakespear47.

Combatting Mental Illness Stigma in Society | World of Psychology

I wish you well.

[JadeAmethyst]

Learning what works for you for self-care and health are best IMO.
MI and life is something that takes energy and compassion. Honest.

take good care
Jade

[Kimaya]

I think psychology has the potential to become a hard science but it is still really in its early stage. We can't prove anything, we disagree about everything, we are still going to be changing a lot - looking at DSM-5 with PDs under revision/scrutiny.

Until we have better research/validity methods we'll have to make do. And yea... it makes the mental health profession look/behave inconsistent, which makes the normies question it. Just as long as I don't have a desk near someone who believes depression is just something you deal with and get on with it.

My psychology class (barely made it through the terminology kills me) last semester there was this guy going on about a PTSD sufferer who made something of their life and dealt with it instead of letting it overwhelm them like some do and how admirable that was. It took much of my social skills to refrain from dressing him down. It would have been an effort in futility. I hope it was a requirement for his other major and he's not going with psychology....

[shakespeare47]

Thanks all for your replies! I read the article about stigma.. very interesting, and encouraging.

[ifst5]

I think there will always be suspicion towards 'invisible' conditions. What goes around comes around though.....1 in 4 will experience a mental health issue at some point in their life.