Mental health stigma and discrimination “Physical health is talked about very casually and mental health could benefit from the same. My experience was mostly being dismissed when bringing up my mental health about why I’m not acting as usual. The lack of awareness pushes people to hide or downplay their worries.” Anonymous The definition of stigma and discrimination Stigma involves prejudice – the irrational or unjustifiable negative emotions towards or evaluations of people from other social groups. Prejudice is a determinant of discriminatory behaviour (76). Discrimination is the inappropriate and inequitable action or treatment of people based on groups they belong to, or are perceived to belong to. In particular this refers to matters of race, gender, sexuality, ability, or age. This includes how people within those groups are treated by both individuals and wider systemic inequalities, such as low levels of support, understanding, and acceptance from society (77). Society’s attitudes and levels of support towards people with poor mental health should be fundamentally the same as for physical illnesses. Young people experiencing poor mental health need the respect and assistance of friends, family members, and the broader community. A 2021 report by Mind identified that, despite increasing societal awareness around appropriate mental health discourse, stigma and discrimination are still being experienced by young people when they share details about their mental health (78). The core principles for healthcare professionals are that advice and support should be provided for people of all ages. In addition, this support must meet the patient’s needs, help identify those at risk of developing poor mental health, prevent poor mental
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