Eliminate Stigma, by eliminating stigma
Have you ever wondered about the power of a single word? How does that word shape our collective journey towards recovery and wellness? This reflection takes us deep into the world of stigma within the realm of mental health and substance use, uncovering how it acts as both a barrier and a catalyst for change. […]
Mentally Fit Men: It’s Time We Talk About Men’s Mental Health
Dispelling the myths of masculinity and mental health. Embrace your emotions, prioritize mental well-being, and break the stigma. Your mental fitness matters.
Dispelling the Stigma Surrounding Psychotherapy
Much is written and done to battle stigma in mental health these days. Groups such as WISE put out wonderful content to educate the public and eradicate stigma. One primary goal of stigma reduction is to get people past their shame to a point of being willing to seek help for their mental health. Yet there […]
Substance Use Stigma: The Impact on Adolescent Substance Use
“Hello, my name is Gabrielle, and I am an addict”. This is the way people in recovery are generally introduced in recovery meetings. They say their name and declare their addiction to substances. This process over decades has created an identity. The statement, “I am an addict”, has become a point of pride for some, […]
A Story of Self-Stigma, Shame, and a New Direction with Self-Compassion
What is stigma? Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary defines stigma as “a mark of shame or discredit: STAIN.” WISE addresses 3 types of stigma: social stigma, structural stigma, and self-stigma. Do you ever have this feeling? If you only knew this “bad thing” about me (whatever that might be), you wouldn’t This is shame in action. And […]
Reducing stigma and mental health challenges
Thank you for pausing to read this blog. As to paraphrase the announcements on airplanes, you have choices when it comes to reading material and I appreciate that you are reading what I have written. Please do not be disappointed with any recommendations or solutions, as I can only share what has worked in my experience. […]
Substance Abuse and Generational Trauma
As we begin to recover from the pandemic, we are not ready to exhale and breathe a sigh of relief that this pain and suffering from this worldwide event is over. When we examine the far-reaching implications to our collective mental health, one can’t help but to think about our personal traumas and how we […]
Our Mental Health Matters Too!
Mental health issues are prevalent in Black and Brown Americans, however, the historical dehumanization, oppression, trauma, and violence against Black and Brown people continue to fuel the ongoing mental health crisis. Black and Brown communities are more inclined to say that mental illness is associated with shame, embarrassment, and a sign of “weakness.”
Challenging Our Negative Self-Talk
In this post, we want to share an empowering strategy taught in WISE’s Honest, Open, Proud program. For more information about HOP, click here. It is called the 5 step strategy for challenging our hurtful self-talk. Hurtful self-talk is a form of internalized stigma or shame, which occurs when we come to believe the negative, […]
Suicide: The Ripple Effect as a Prime Example of Stigma Resistance
In previous posts, we discussed stigma change processes and the use of TLC4 as a planning model for framing stigma change efforts. In both of those posts, we explored the effectiveness of contact-based strategies for decreasing stigma and offering realistic hope to those facing similar challenges. The success of contact-based strategies exemplifies that stories are […]
