Overcoming Stigma

".... and with all thy getting, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7b King James Version

The primary reason why we often refuse to talk about mental illness in our society is the stigma associated with the topic. The American Heritage College Dictionary defines "stigma" as "a mark or token of infamy, disgrace, or reproach". Stigma is synonymous with shame and embarrassment. Who wants to be associated with disorders that society uses to label people as "crazy", "loony" or "cuckoo", amongst other non-flattering terms?

The problem is there is too much misinformation and ignorance when it comes to mental illnesses and other brain disorders. Ignorance is not bliss, and it feeds into these negative myths and stereotypes. One of the more common myths about mental illness includes the erroneous belief that it is simply a sign of character weakness or spiritual immaturity. With this faulty assumption, more focus is often given to the bad behavior stemming from poor mental health, instead of the the underlying disorder requiring treatment.

Fortunately though, more people are getting educated about the truths pertaining to mental illnesses. Some of the more common disorders include: clinical depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is very common amongst returning soldiers). According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 4 Americans will be affected by a mental illness in any given year. Untreated mental disorders are amongst the leading cause for job unproductiveness and disability in the United States. Untreated mental illnesses often also leads to co-occurring disorders like drug and alcohol addiction and other negative behaviors. Most suicides are related to untreated mental illness. With facts like these, we cannot afford to stay in the dark when it comes to these disorders and their treatment.

A friend of mine recently wrote a book that could easily serve as a cautionary tale when it comes to the importance of taking care of one's mental health; Yolanda King Stephen writes an excellent memoir, "The Upside of the Down Low - A pastor's wife's memoir" based on her experiences with her late husband, who was a prominent African-American pastor and leader (for more information on the book and getting an advance copy, you can go to her website http://www.upsidebook.com/ . It will be available on Amazon and at Barnes & Nobles on October 25th, 2011).

In the book, she chronicles her life with her husband and the spiritual resilience that it took for her to deal with his struggles and secrets that challenged the marriage and eventually led to his death, an incident that rocked her local community. I highly recommend the book because it humanizes issues that we are often scared to talk about, especially in the black and Latino community. The stigma surrounding mental illness is already great, but it is even greater in many minority communities with the popular assumption that mental illness is rooted in a character flaw. I won't use this essay to talk about my own personal struggles, I have done that before in the past. I would just like to bring some more awareness to a taboo subject.

It is for many of the aforementioned reasons that I am an active member of NAMI - the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI is the largest education, support and advocacy organization that serves the needs of all whose lives are touched by these illnesses. This includes persons with mental illness, their families, friends, employers, the law enforcement community and policy makers. The NAMI organization is composed of approximately 1100 local affiliates, 50 state offices and a national office.

For the second year in a row, I will be participating in the annual NAMI Walk this Saturday (10/1/11) at Candler Park in Atlanta, Georgia. 
 
I would like to ask you to come and walk with me or to donate to support my participation in this great event. Visit my personal walker page to sign up:  http://www.nami.org/namiwalks11/GEO/akinduro
 
It features a link to my team's page where you can see who else is walking with me. There is also a link so you can donate directly to me online. Donating online is fast and secure, and I'll get immediate notification via e-mail of your donation.

For those who have already donated to my team or who are walking with me, I am so grateful. Thank you so much! For those who can't walk with us or give, I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

I thank God for each one of you and pray that you continue to feel the abundance of His love and peace for your soul. In Jesus name, Amen!

Stephen O. Akinduro