Nathalie Prudencio

Psychology 1010
MID TERM: Discussion: AOC Support Groups, Psychological Disorders, Treatment, Stigma.

Write a summary of the articles by Greenstein and the NAMI blog

The article talks about how stigmatizing is perceived as social problem. Stigma causes people to
feel ashamed for something that is out of their control. For example, mental illness condition,
or a “phase” as it is implied. The article “9 Ways to Fight Mental Health Stigma” discusses what
solutions we have to confront and stop stigma.
Talk Openly About Mental Health: It is better to show about a disorder we experience like being
bipolar and PTSD, even though just one person can be benefitted from.
Educate Yourself and Others: It is good to stop a rude conversation that points out mental
illness as something bad rather than try to take away a learning opportunity to express how it
makes such person feel, and to stop it because otherwise it might create more stigma.
Be Conscious of Language: Be able to have people being aware of their language, decrease
people’s use of adjectives as mental health conditions.
Encourage Equality Between Physical and Mental Illness: When people realize of what is the
meaning of mental illness or a particular disease, then they think twice before making a
comment.
Show Compassion for Those with Mental Illness: Give more affection to people and show it as a
good model of compassion for others. The homeless population struggle with mental illness, it
is then helpful to provide an empathetic ear for them to show that they have not been
forgotten.
Choose Empowerment Over Shame: Choosing to lift others up. Own your life story by refusing
to have others dictate your life or how to feel about yourself.
Be Honest About Treatment: If there is no shame for saying I have an appointment with my
primary care doctor without fearing to be judged, why then the same principle does not apply
when a person says they have an appointment to see their mental health condition?
Let the Media Know When They’re Being Stigmatizing: Make your voice be heard if you see a
negative comment on TV or other media platform by writing to the company or author.
Don’t Harbor Self-Stigma: Do not hide from people because of shame but choose to be a
productive person that can volunteer or become a mentor. Show that you can live a meaningful
life.
The article “It’s Not Stigma, It’s Discrimination,” contends on how stigma has crossed a different
part where it is just no longer discrimination but also a dehumanization of people.
Furthermore, this been a reason why people has not sought out for treatment. A good
comparison presented is the amount of deaths in a year our country had caused by public
health issue. No one is raising a red flag to these lost lives, so the question that arises is, how
come this is not considered a crisis? This is the condition nowadays which is not covered by
private health insurance. It’s discrimination what has been experienced by some people when it
came to get a house, better education, employment, and health care. Its about time we relearn
the use of the words stigma and discrimination. We need to act to change the laws and policies
that does not allow people with mental illness and their families to not have access to
treatments and services.

Discuss stigma and psychological disorders and treatment.

Developing a SMART goal can be a key component to get the ideas out and come out with a
define plan on how to solve and attack any feeling of relapse. Be creative and have a mentor to
guide you through the process. For example; the speaker of the support center I went to was
vulnerable and show her own experience as a vivid example to be able to stimulate colleagues to
speak out of their journey. What things were they struggling it and have others in the room
answer or provide some suggestions how they were able to overcome challenges.

How does stigma affect the treatment of psychological disorders?

Creating discrimination when a person is thinking about asking for help. It can make a person
feel judged or embarrassed to accept their current situation therefore as a result it can make
them be stock in their addiction. When a person calls someone “down” (colloquial) without
being cautious of their language and someone else hears this. By the way though, the receptor
of the word is someone who has down syndrome and it affects their emotions. We have to be
more mindful of our words.

Discuss ways to fight mental health stigma and discrimination that occurs
to individuals diagnosed with a mental health illness.
One big way to fight mental health stigma and discrimination must be to be able to show more
affection to those in need. At times, people cannot understand and just judge others without
even knowing their story. I heard about this person who is leaving drugs and wanting to
become a better person at a youth center, and I wouldn’t be able to know this if it was not for
my experience of helping and wanting to volunteer. It was quite emotional to hear from
someone that he wants to change, and their baby mother is wanting to drag him into bad
things that he no longer wants to be involved in. Choose empowerment over shame, have the
attitude to help rather than point out right away. Own your decisions and do not let others
dictate how you feel about yourself. Last one, let the media know when they are stigmatizing;
you can write to the company or the journalist about stopping this action.
Summarize your experience at the support group.
My experience at the support group I was able to tend was quite informational, there are things
I didn’t even know It existed. For example: A baby can be infected of HIV/AIDS if they are being
breast feeding. Why? Because of the bleeding nipples. I enjoyed hearing from Patrick how a
person needs to be able to be vulnerable and overcome sour experiences. He used to hate
church for having a bad experience in the past with his family and a lady that gave him a hard
time (must have been a dirty look or something like that) anyway, he mentioned how after so
many years later, he was in that moment and that same spot and the same person who plant
the negative seed, ask him if he was going to come in? Now, in this moment Patrick was able to
go back in time to that sour moment and walk away, all pissed off, but he decided to show
vulnerability and came back and told her that because of that sour experience in the past he
never ever wanted to be back in church not even look at it. (hope I’m not exaggerating it) and
he and her were able to make peace with their past. I feel like at times we are the ones who
create this experience and never want to talk about. How is someone supposed to be able to be
in your shoes if you never express your feelings. We need to communicate more! I was able to
learn that we need a good support system, and this can be applied to also outside from people
who are struggling with substance abuse. The people who surround us have that power to
influence in our lives. A great idea that I took away was to write a list of 10 things you cannot
control, then narrow it down. Have a better mentality, change your mindset or reset it like the
book “the 7 effective habits of highly successful people” states, reach out to people who love
you and support you (your real friends). Last, but not least we need to find the root, the
disorder of the problem. Like ask yourself, why did you even start drinking alcohol? Were you
feeling sad or lonely? Were you wanting to forget about a sour experience? I highly agree with
the fact that in order to find a solution and develop a program to growth from within is to find
the real root of the problem.

How did you choose the group you attended?

I wanted to go to this one because I wanted to learn more and because I know some people
that are wanting to quit drinking excessively that I know, and I really appreciate them. In order
to help we need to learn more. I do agree a lot with the idea of having more knowledge to
educate us and to help others.

Did you have any expectations or beliefs going into the group?
I stayed neutral and just be able to hear as much as possible when the time for me came to be
there. I really threw away any second thoughts or prejudices. My expectations were met when
the speakers came with techniques to

Did you have any stereotypes?

Not really, I thought it would be a new experience which will help me acquire more
information.