People tend to be scared or a shame to admit that someone is mentally ill or scared to admit they are in need of mental health care. This is due to lack of knowledge. In order to reduce the stigma and shame that surround mental illness, we must educate ourselves and educate others. I feel that health care providers, community leaders, and the media need to shed more light on mental health; and options for mental health care that are available to families. Most commercial and news report just show the negative impact of mental health.
"This friendly duck bearing a bandage on his head symbolizing mental illness is real and treatable and a life preserver around his neck symbolizing every life is worth saving, carries the “Don’t Duck Mental Health®” message to the community" (Mental Health America of South America [MHA], 2010, p. 1).
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I loved how you created a fun way to relate what mental disease stigma is all about. We usually fear away from what we don't know and tend to judge others naturally especially if you were raised in that type of enviornment. The cute duck picture is a clear message that can also be related to our young children as well so they may understand that God has created us all different but equal.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Dana Anderson