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Despite mental health problems being common in children and young people, there is still a huge amount of stigma surrounding poor mental health and mental ill health. Often, people who experience mental health problems can face stigma and discrimination in all aspects of their lives.
Stigma and discrimination can come from anywhere, school, friends, communities and sometimes even within families. You might even experience internalised stigma, this is where you start to believe negative stereotypes or messages about yourself. Many people with mental health difficulties who experience stigma or discrimination report that it makes them feel worse.
(adapted from https://www.seemescotland.org/young-people, 2023)
Stigma and discrimination should be challenged when observed and collective action to create a safer non stigmatising culture is part of everyone job, we all have a role to play in ending mental health stigma and discrimination.
Lanarkshire have a specialised programme of work to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination funded by NHS Lanarkshire and SeeMe called Stigma Free Lanarkshire.
