Across the country, nearly 60 million Americans live with mental illness, and 1 in 5 individuals suffers from a mental illness. In making the effort to break down the walls of stigma, we need to remember that it is everywhere. Not only is it in our workplace, but it is in our lives as well. What is stigma? The Anti-Stigma Project defines stigma as "pre-determined attitudes or beliefs, regarding an individual or a group, which disempower or devalue that individual or group and undermine relationships with them."
Who does stigma affect? Demi Lovato, teen pop star; Vincent Van Gogh, famous painter; Catherine Zeta Jones, actress; John Nash, Nobel Prize winner; and Michael Phelps, Olympian. All struggled with mental illnesses ranging from bipolar to ADHD to eating disorders and schizophrenia. Mental illness can reach anyone. You don't have to be in a particular category or have a certain "status." Stigma can be developed in any place where individuals, groups or media portray it. Yes, it affects people in Carroll County. It is important to remember that all participants within or connected to the mental health community - including consumers, family members, providers, educators and administrators - need to raise consciousness, facilitate ongoing dialogues, search for creative solutions and educate themselves and others in order to fight stigma.
The National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) chapter of Carroll County meets in Westminster every first Monday and third Tuesday of the month at the Carroll Nonprofit Building, located at 255 Clifton Blvd. in Westminster. For more information visit http://www.namiccmd.org.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month; many events are going on:
Anti-Stigma Project workshop: The Anti-Stigma Project workshop will be held at On Our Own. The workshop looks at definitions of stigma and what stigma looks like here in our community, and it gives some good resources. For more information, contact Laurie Galloway at 410-751-6600. 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.
NAMI Walk, Baltimore West Shore Park: Carroll County Health Department has a team. For more information, contact Amy Green at 410-876-4800. 3-6 p.m. Saturday, May 31.
Mental Health First Aid course: The Mental Health First Aid course is an 8-hour program that teaches people how to help individuals developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis until professional treatment is received or the crisis resolves. For more information, contact Sandy Woodburn at 410-876-4800 or sandra.woodburn@maryland.gov. 12:30-5 p.m. June 24 and 26; 1-5:30 p.m. July 16 and 17; 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. August 6 and 7.
18th Annual Risky Business Prevention Conference: The conference will focus on teens, suicide and the developing brain as well as changing your language when speaking to youth. For more information or to register, contact Linda Auerback at 410-876-4803 or Sherry Osborne at 410-876-4825. 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 24.
