Stigma

10 Infuriating Things NOT to Say to Someone Who Has Bipolar Disorder
People say the most infuriating things to those who have bipolar. Have you heard these? Or have you said them? These sayings are never helpful and are almost guaranteed to annoy. Take a look.

To Family and Friends: Don't Challenge My Bipolar Diagnosis
If you have a family member, friend or co-worker with bipolar disorder, one of the worst things you can do is refuse to admit the diagnosis, or refuse to take it seriously. Yet this happens all too often, and can do a lot of damage. Don't do this! Take a look at what people who have bipolar say about others who challenge their diagnosis - and...

To Family and Friends: Don't Tell Me How to Get Over Bipolar Disorder
Did you know that your words can do a lot of damage to a friend or loved one who has bipolar disorder? Take a look at how those who don't know enough about this illness, or speak thoughtlessly, can actually be cruel, ruin relationships, and even delay treatment for a person with bipolar.

Mental Illness Stigma - How Has Mental Illness Stigma Affected You
Mental illness stigma is something often encountered by people with bipolar disorder. Has it affected your life? Tell us your story, and read what others have said.

Hurtful Things People Say about Bipolar Disorder
People often say hurtful things to people who have bipolar disorder. They may do this because they are uninformed, because they are caught up in the stigma of mental illness - or even because they think they are giving good advice. What have people said to you about your bipolar disorder that really hurt your feelings? Give us your answers and read what others have said.

Perspective on Guns and Mental Illness
The Virginia Tech shootings in April 2007 brought the issue of guns and mental illness very much in the public eye. The U.S. Congress, responding, passed a measure to strengthen existing laws regarding the purchase of firearms by some people with mental illnesses. Speaking about the House bill, National Rifle Association president Wayne LaPierre...

Become a NAMI StigmaBuster
NAMI StigmaBusters is a group of dedicated advocates across the country and around the world who seek to fight the inaccurate, hurtful representations of mental illness. StigmaBusters' goal is to break down the barriers of ignorance, prejudice, or unfair discrimination by promoting education, understanding, and respect.

Label Maker
"Donna has a mental illness. Donna is to be feared. Is she crazy? Is it catchy? I can assure you the answers are no, but such begins the stigma of having a chronic illness." Highly recommended.

Miswired Minds
People express their prejudices carefully these days. Sexism and racism and supposedly taboo Jokes about physical handicaps are condemned as tasteless. Nobody shuns cancer patients any more. But people with mental illness are still fair game.

My Turn
Brilliant essay about how society views mental illnesses as anything but a "real" illness.

STIGMA: Building Awareness and Understanding
It is easy to forget that our brain, like all of our organs, is vulnerable to disease. Unfortunately, because people with mental illnesses often suffer from symptoms which are behavioral, they are thought of differently than people with physical ailments. Instead of receiving compassion and support, people with mental illnesses may be greeted by unsympathetic, unfair or hostile responses.

Stigma Stomper
Frivolous use of words can perpetuate the stigma surrounding mental illnesses.