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Stigma is defined as negative attitudes, beliefs, or behaviours about or toward an individual or group of people because of a characteristic they share. Stigma can include stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.
Stigma about mental illness, for example, can affect our attitude and behaviour towards people experiencing mental health issues, the workplace policies we make, and the quality of support we provide. Stigma and the fear of discrimination can also create barriers to appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Stigma is harmful to the individual and the workplace. For the individual, stigma can lead to negative experiences at work, low self-esteem, discrimination, and fear of disclosing mental health issues and seeking treatment. For the workplace, stigma can lead to staff presenteeism and absenteeism, reduced productivity and engagement, difficulty attracting and retaining talent, difficulty implementing psychological health and safety initiatives, and increased costs related to mental health injuries and illnesses.
Our words and actions reflect the attitudes we have. The words we use can make a person who is living with a mental health issue feel like they have been labelled in a negative way, such as someone who is “unstable”, “weak”, or “inferior”. At the same time, our words can be positive, break down negative stereotypes associated with mental health issues, and reduce barriers to accessing support.
Use person-first language
Person-first language means always putting the person first, not the mental health issue. This way of speaking focuses on the individual, not the disability or illness. The opposite is true in identity-first language, where the focus is on the disability or illness, not the individual.
Examples of person-first language and identity-first language:
Person-first language | Identity-first language |
People with a mental health issue | The mentally ill |
Person with a mental health issue | Crazy, insane |
People/individuals without disabilities | Normal people |
They’re experiencing anxiety; they are living with depression | They're anxious; they're depressed |
They’re living with bi-polar disorder | They’re bi-polar |
They’re living with schizophrenia | They’re schizophrenic |
They’re affected by problematic substance use, alcohol use | They’re an addict, a drunk |
Workplace leaders can create a space where employees feel safe to ask for help. For example, leaders can share their own mental health experiences, showing disclosure and vulnerability as strengths instead of weaknesses. It is also important to support leaders through providing related training or asking for support from the human resources team.
When someone discloses to you that they are experiencing mental health issues, this opportunity can be used to help connect, provide support if you feel capable and comfortable, and suggest any additional resources you are aware of. Remember, you do not need to know the exact diagnosis or the details of the mental injury to provide support, only the functional abilities of the individual.
Workplaces should review aspects of the work and workplace to make sure it is not contributing to mental health issues or stigma.
Employers should:
Follow these steps to help reduce stigma:
Remember, we are all learning, so be kind with yourself too. If you use incorrect language, apologize sincerely, and try again. Being aware of our own attitudes and behaviours is key. Together, we can create a workplace culture that reduces stigma and empowers everyone to use the supports available.