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Stigma Still Getting In The Way Of Treatment
by: News Canada
(NC)-Mental illness is something that many people still talk about in hushed voices. Those afflicted are frequently embarrassed about their condition, worrying that they will be seen as 'weak' or that others will somehow think less of them. Unfortunately this stigma often stands in the way of open dialogue and understanding. As a result, many sufferers go untreated and/or are subjected to ridicule and discrimination.
Given that so many suffer from mental illness, it's ironic that so few are willing to openly discuss it, and that many still considered the affliction to be 'abnormal'. Here are some more mental health eye-openers:
- Major depression is now the world's leading cause of disability
- The treatment success rate for schizophrenia is 60 percent, 65 percent for major depression, and 80 percent for bipolar disorder. This compares favorably to rates for heart disease of only 40 - 50 per cent
- Stigma and fear still prevent many from seeking out appropriate care.
- The media and popular culture continues to discriminate against people with mental illness by painting them as crazed and dangerous, or focusing on isolated violent incidents. The facts, however, prove otherwise. For example, those who suffer from schizophrenia are no more prone to violent behavior than any other member of the general population.
- Early intervention and identification of mental illness can help prevent decades of suffering for both patients and families.
For more facts about mental illness and how a book called "Catch a Falling Star: A Tale from the Iris the Dragon Series" is helping parents identify and understand early onset mental illness visit www.iristhedragon.com.
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About The Author
News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.
News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.
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This article was posted on August 1, 2002
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