Originally Posted by donnamb
This is information I found at the
Canadian Mental Health Association.
How much do you know about mental illness? Here are some of the common myths
- People with mental illness are violent and dangerous.
- People with mental illness are poor and/or less intelligent.
- Mental illness is caused by a personal weakness.
- Mental illness is a single, rare disorder.
Recognizing the problem [of stigmatizing those with mental illness]
Use the STOP criteria to recognize attitudes and actions that support the stigma of mental illness. It's easy. Just ask yourself if what you hear:
- Stereotypes people with mental illness (that is, assumes they are all alike rather than individuals)?
- Trivializes or belittles people with mental illness and / or the illness itself?
- Offends people with mental illness by insulting them?
- Patronizes people with mental illness by treating them as if they were not as good as other people?
The way John Forester bandies about a trivializing essay purporting to diagnose the general public with a mental illness, then uses that diagnosis to belittle and bash his opponents meets the STOP criteria above.
He not only trivializes mental illness with his phony diagnosis, he tries to blur mental illness with religious superstition. This is highly insulting, offensive, belittling and hurtful to people who aren't even the target of his wrath.
It's patronizing and offensive to people with a true illness as well as to everyone else. It serves no purpose other than to be used as a means of belittling those who do not agree with him. (Since he applies this diagnosis to the general population, it's apparent hardly anyone agrees with him.)
STOP, John Forester. You are stigmatizing people with legitimate illness and adding to the difficulty they have seeking help.