What is mental health stigma?

What is mental health stigma? The video in this step is presented by June Jones.

June is the Interim Programme Manager at Time to Change Wales. Time to Change Wales is an all-Wales campaign, funded by Welsh Government, to challenge mental health stigma and discrimination.

June begins by giving an overview of the Time to Change Wales campaign and its key messages. She explains that differences in how people understand mental health may contribute to stigma around it. She carefully defines mental health stigma, self-stigma, and discrimination and gives us some examples of how and when they can impact on experiences of mental health problems. June describes how fear of judgment and negative responses from practitioners can stop people from seeking mental health support and makes some recommendations for practitioners to address this. You will find links to the free resources available from the Time to Change Wales website, mentioned by June in the presentation, below.

As you work through this activity, the focus will narrow to Muslim experiences of mental health stigma, looking more closely at the distinctive, and perhaps heightened, effects of stigma for Muslims individuals and communities through a lived experience example.

Signposting

To find out more about the work of Time to Change Wales, look at their website, where you can access free resources around tackling mental health stigma.

Over to you

How would you describe the difference between mental health stigma and self-stigma to a colleague or friend? Share your summary below. Can you add to, or ask questions about, another learners’ summary?