INSTITUTIONAL STIGMA
Institutional stigma is placed on us by (usually) well meaning mental health professionals and adult home centers.
First, the adult home. I have been in an adult home for approximately two years and a half at the time of the publishing of this essay. Let me tell you that these facilities foster custodial care to the max! All of your needs are handled by the facility for you and there is no encouragement for change. Example: based on income, I have determined that 87% of ny money goes toward my care while the rest is returned to me for my monthly allowance. This 13% is just enough to get by let alone save for the future.
To further emphasize the situation, in January of last year Social Security increased benefits by 2.9%, while my rent was increased by 5.8% and my monthly allowance was decreased by 20%. This, to me, is one of the strongest forms of stigma that we can place on an individual--affecting the financial ability of an individual to survive. It is a subtle, but powerful form of control and disempowerment for residents of these homes.
Professional stigma (you knew we'd get to that!) is centered on the beliefs that professionals have about our recovery. Based on personal experience through years of private and public therapy, I have determined that many professionals have been trained in an old model of treatment (which goes something like this) - "you have an illness, take your medication, let's talk about your problems, and we'll see you next month." They may not have been exposed directly to the new methods of treatment, such as self-help, until they have been in practice for many years.
The level and degree of our illness provides professionals with a base toward which expectations and goals can be attached. The unfortunate thing is that these expectations and goals are generally theirs and not our own. The two expectations and set of goals may be quite different. Each small step may be a reached goal for us, yet seem unimportant to a provider more attuned to their wishes for us. Again, we are brought back to self-stigma; as we fail to reach another's goal for us, we feel as if we have failed ourselves.
SOCIAL STIGMA
How many times have you read stories in our local papers with headlines like "Psychiatric Patient On Rampage!" or the like. How many times have you heard, "Oh, this is Uncle Mike, he has an emotional problem." Society, family, and friends tend to shun those with mental illness, mocking us, criticizing us, or laughing at us.
From childhood, we are teased and abused in some manner until finally we cannot take it any more. Then we seek help (if we are aware enough)--but from whom?--the same folks who at one time may have been among the laughters and mockers! It's hard to get passed this "Us, them" thing.
Society has made all of us believe that in order to be in the late Howie the Harp's time phrase, "chronically normal," we are not to express feelings or emotions openly and in public. What happened to friendliness such as "good morning!," or "hello, how are you?" Are these statements of a past society where we were allowed to show respect to one another?
Today, as in years past, divulgence of being treated for a mental illness is tantamount to self-destruction. Although things are changing (slowly), the direction of a national campaign should be toward anti-stigma of the mentally ill, with parity for all illnesses in society.
FINAL REMARKS
With new models of recovery, utilizing self-help, leaders should be identified through the media, educational systems and in other social arena's throughout our social and institutional systems. It is up to the "higher functioning" mentally ill to open the doors for future recovering patients of mental illness. Shatter the myths and show that mental illness is just that, an illness that can be diagnosed and treated.
Educational systems should utilize speakers to train students of mental hygiene that there are new methods of recovery. Teach the older tried and true methods combined with new techniques, because you never know which combinations will work best for individual clients, as we are, of course, all individuals!
Courtenay Harding, the researcher on mental illness stigma I noted in part one of this essay, discussed her research on National Public Radio's program, "Morning Edition." The program received calls from people who identified themselves as physicians, nurses, lawyers, engineers, and high school teachers. They uniformly had said, "I once had schizophrenia, but I don't tell anyone about this event because of the stigma."
The following labels were given to me by family, professionals, educational institutions and businesses. My labels are: Michael G. Spennato, teacher, administrator, paranoid schizophrenic, sufferer of anxiety disorder and major depression, child of God--pick one. I chose child of God!
In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, "No one can insult you without your permission." Stigma is, in the final analysis (so to speak) most often self-imposed. Our beliefs in ourselves or lack of will produce the results of society's and the institution's expectations that we allow to happen. We need to give ourselves a chance to grow and develop into the meaningful person we were meant to be. Take medication if necessary, similar to the diabetic. Think of ourselves. Believe in a God. Speak and cry out, "I am Human."
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Debi Davis, Sally Zinman, the late Howie the Harp, and Ed Knight for their self-help theories. Also, Joanne Forbes, Marion Schaal, Fred Mednick, Dorene Dinkle and Roberta Zarr, for their support of my ideas and South Beach Psychiatric Center for the opportunities they have provided me.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Through the Eyes of a Stranger - Part 2
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Friday, November 18, 2011
Through the Eyes of a Stranger - Part 2
INSTITUTIONAL STIGMA
Institutional stigma is placed on us by (usually) well meaning mental health professionals and adult home centers.
First, the adult home. I have been in an adult home for approximately two years and a half at the time of the publishing of this essay. Let me tell you that these facilities foster custodial care to the max! All of your needs are handled by the facility for you and there is no encouragement for change. Example: based on income, I have determined that 87% of ny money goes toward my care while the rest is returned to me for my monthly allowance. This 13% is just enough to get by let alone save for the future.
To further emphasize the situation, in January of last year Social Security increased benefits by 2.9%, while my rent was increased by 5.8% and my monthly allowance was decreased by 20%. This, to me, is one of the strongest forms of stigma that we can place on an individual--affecting the financial ability of an individual to survive. It is a subtle, but powerful form of control and disempowerment for residents of these homes.
Professional stigma (you knew we'd get to that!) is centered on the beliefs that professionals have about our recovery. Based on personal experience through years of private and public therapy, I have determined that many professionals have been trained in an old model of treatment (which goes something like this) - "you have an illness, take your medication, let's talk about your problems, and we'll see you next month." They may not have been exposed directly to the new methods of treatment, such as self-help, until they have been in practice for many years.
The level and degree of our illness provides professionals with a base toward which expectations and goals can be attached. The unfortunate thing is that these expectations and goals are generally theirs and not our own. The two expectations and set of goals may be quite different. Each small step may be a reached goal for us, yet seem unimportant to a provider more attuned to their wishes for us. Again, we are brought back to self-stigma; as we fail to reach another's goal for us, we feel as if we have failed ourselves.
SOCIAL STIGMA
How many times have you read stories in our local papers with headlines like "Psychiatric Patient On Rampage!" or the like. How many times have you heard, "Oh, this is Uncle Mike, he has an emotional problem." Society, family, and friends tend to shun those with mental illness, mocking us, criticizing us, or laughing at us.
From childhood, we are teased and abused in some manner until finally we cannot take it any more. Then we seek help (if we are aware enough)--but from whom?--the same folks who at one time may have been among the laughters and mockers! It's hard to get passed this "Us, them" thing.
Society has made all of us believe that in order to be in the late Howie the Harp's time phrase, "chronically normal," we are not to express feelings or emotions openly and in public. What happened to friendliness such as "good morning!," or "hello, how are you?" Are these statements of a past society where we were allowed to show respect to one another?
Today, as in years past, divulgence of being treated for a mental illness is tantamount to self-destruction. Although things are changing (slowly), the direction of a national campaign should be toward anti-stigma of the mentally ill, with parity for all illnesses in society.
FINAL REMARKS
With new models of recovery, utilizing self-help, leaders should be identified through the media, educational systems and in other social arena's throughout our social and institutional systems. It is up to the "higher functioning" mentally ill to open the doors for future recovering patients of mental illness. Shatter the myths and show that mental illness is just that, an illness that can be diagnosed and treated.
Educational systems should utilize speakers to train students of mental hygiene that there are new methods of recovery. Teach the older tried and true methods combined with new techniques, because you never know which combinations will work best for individual clients, as we are, of course, all individuals!
Courtenay Harding, the researcher on mental illness stigma I noted in part one of this essay, discussed her research on National Public Radio's program, "Morning Edition." The program received calls from people who identified themselves as physicians, nurses, lawyers, engineers, and high school teachers. They uniformly had said, "I once had schizophrenia, but I don't tell anyone about this event because of the stigma."
The following labels were given to me by family, professionals, educational institutions and businesses. My labels are: Michael G. Spennato, teacher, administrator, paranoid schizophrenic, sufferer of anxiety disorder and major depression, child of God--pick one. I chose child of God!
In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, "No one can insult you without your permission." Stigma is, in the final analysis (so to speak) most often self-imposed. Our beliefs in ourselves or lack of will produce the results of society's and the institution's expectations that we allow to happen. We need to give ourselves a chance to grow and develop into the meaningful person we were meant to be. Take medication if necessary, similar to the diabetic. Think of ourselves. Believe in a God. Speak and cry out, "I am Human."
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Debi Davis, Sally Zinman, the late Howie the Harp, and Ed Knight for their self-help theories. Also, Joanne Forbes, Marion Schaal, Fred Mednick, Dorene Dinkle and Roberta Zarr, for their support of my ideas and South Beach Psychiatric Center for the opportunities they have provided me.
Institutional stigma is placed on us by (usually) well meaning mental health professionals and adult home centers.
First, the adult home. I have been in an adult home for approximately two years and a half at the time of the publishing of this essay. Let me tell you that these facilities foster custodial care to the max! All of your needs are handled by the facility for you and there is no encouragement for change. Example: based on income, I have determined that 87% of ny money goes toward my care while the rest is returned to me for my monthly allowance. This 13% is just enough to get by let alone save for the future.
To further emphasize the situation, in January of last year Social Security increased benefits by 2.9%, while my rent was increased by 5.8% and my monthly allowance was decreased by 20%. This, to me, is one of the strongest forms of stigma that we can place on an individual--affecting the financial ability of an individual to survive. It is a subtle, but powerful form of control and disempowerment for residents of these homes.
Professional stigma (you knew we'd get to that!) is centered on the beliefs that professionals have about our recovery. Based on personal experience through years of private and public therapy, I have determined that many professionals have been trained in an old model of treatment (which goes something like this) - "you have an illness, take your medication, let's talk about your problems, and we'll see you next month." They may not have been exposed directly to the new methods of treatment, such as self-help, until they have been in practice for many years.
The level and degree of our illness provides professionals with a base toward which expectations and goals can be attached. The unfortunate thing is that these expectations and goals are generally theirs and not our own. The two expectations and set of goals may be quite different. Each small step may be a reached goal for us, yet seem unimportant to a provider more attuned to their wishes for us. Again, we are brought back to self-stigma; as we fail to reach another's goal for us, we feel as if we have failed ourselves.
SOCIAL STIGMA
How many times have you read stories in our local papers with headlines like "Psychiatric Patient On Rampage!" or the like. How many times have you heard, "Oh, this is Uncle Mike, he has an emotional problem." Society, family, and friends tend to shun those with mental illness, mocking us, criticizing us, or laughing at us.
From childhood, we are teased and abused in some manner until finally we cannot take it any more. Then we seek help (if we are aware enough)--but from whom?--the same folks who at one time may have been among the laughters and mockers! It's hard to get passed this "Us, them" thing.
Society has made all of us believe that in order to be in the late Howie the Harp's time phrase, "chronically normal," we are not to express feelings or emotions openly and in public. What happened to friendliness such as "good morning!," or "hello, how are you?" Are these statements of a past society where we were allowed to show respect to one another?
Today, as in years past, divulgence of being treated for a mental illness is tantamount to self-destruction. Although things are changing (slowly), the direction of a national campaign should be toward anti-stigma of the mentally ill, with parity for all illnesses in society.
FINAL REMARKS
With new models of recovery, utilizing self-help, leaders should be identified through the media, educational systems and in other social arena's throughout our social and institutional systems. It is up to the "higher functioning" mentally ill to open the doors for future recovering patients of mental illness. Shatter the myths and show that mental illness is just that, an illness that can be diagnosed and treated.
Educational systems should utilize speakers to train students of mental hygiene that there are new methods of recovery. Teach the older tried and true methods combined with new techniques, because you never know which combinations will work best for individual clients, as we are, of course, all individuals!
Courtenay Harding, the researcher on mental illness stigma I noted in part one of this essay, discussed her research on National Public Radio's program, "Morning Edition." The program received calls from people who identified themselves as physicians, nurses, lawyers, engineers, and high school teachers. They uniformly had said, "I once had schizophrenia, but I don't tell anyone about this event because of the stigma."
The following labels were given to me by family, professionals, educational institutions and businesses. My labels are: Michael G. Spennato, teacher, administrator, paranoid schizophrenic, sufferer of anxiety disorder and major depression, child of God--pick one. I chose child of God!
In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, "No one can insult you without your permission." Stigma is, in the final analysis (so to speak) most often self-imposed. Our beliefs in ourselves or lack of will produce the results of society's and the institution's expectations that we allow to happen. We need to give ourselves a chance to grow and develop into the meaningful person we were meant to be. Take medication if necessary, similar to the diabetic. Think of ourselves. Believe in a God. Speak and cry out, "I am Human."
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Debi Davis, Sally Zinman, the late Howie the Harp, and Ed Knight for their self-help theories. Also, Joanne Forbes, Marion Schaal, Fred Mednick, Dorene Dinkle and Roberta Zarr, for their support of my ideas and South Beach Psychiatric Center for the opportunities they have provided me.
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