REMOVE STIGMA FROM MENTAL ILLNESS NOW!

1. WHAT IS STIGMA?
Presentation by
I M CONFIDENT
Niagara Canada

2. STIGMA IS DESTROYING US AND
NEEDS TO BE REMOVED!!
The dictionary describes STIGMA as the
shame or disgrace attached to something
regarded as socially unacceptable.
Why is it socially unacceptable to have an
illness? There is no stigma attached to most
physical illnesses and many mental illnesses
are treatable under the right circumstances.

3. PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND
MENTAL ILLNESS
There is not enough teaching done about mental
illnesses and people naturally fear the unknown.
There are also a lot of false myths that people
pass on to each other which cause fear.
This fear causes discrimination against people
with mental illnesses and as long as this
misunderstanding exists, the stigma will remain.

4. HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW
ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS?
Try to answer the following 8 questions and see how many you
get right.
1)What percentage of the world population suffers from
depression? 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 40%
2)What time of year is depression at its worst?
Summertime, Beginning of school year, Christmas,
February, End of school year
3)What time of year are suicide rates higher?
Christmas, February, Summertime, Beginning of school year,
End of school year

5. HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW
ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS?
4) Can depression be effectively treated? Yes, No, Don’t know.
5) There is a suicide in the world every –
40 seconds, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 3 days, 5 days
6) Who suffers from depression more? Men or Women
7) Who commits suicide more? Men or Women
8) Are people with mental illnesses able to hold a regular job.
Yes No Don’t know

6. HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT?
1. About 15%-20% of the world’s populations suffers from
depression. So take a look at 5-7 of your family and friends
and 1 will likely have this illness.
2. People are more depressed at Christmas due to loneliness
and a sense that they don’t belong anywhere.
3. Suicide rates higher are higher in the summertime when
people are worrying about going back to school.
4. Yes, depression be effectively treated. 8 out of 10 patients
can improve with medication and psychotherapy.

7. HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT?
5. There is a suicide in the world every – 40 seconds. In the
year 2000 – 815,000 people lost their lives to suicide.
6. Women suffer from depression twice as much as men.
7. Men commit suicide at a 4% rate higher than women. Men
just go ahead and do it, but women tend to reach out for help.
8.People with mental illnesses are able to hold a regular job
with the proper treatment.
**NOTE - Of course, these answers are gathered from known
cases and there are many that are unknown because they are
not reported, so the numbers might be higher.

8. MINI-TRAINING IN MENTAL ILLNESS
Symptoms of mental illness vary in each person
depending on the type of illness involved. Some
general behavioral characteristics are:
 Extreme highs and lows in mood
 Continuous sadness, irritability, fear, anxiety
 Social withdrawal
 Inability to cope with daily activities
 Anger, substance abuse
 Change in eating or sleeping habits
 Thoughts of suicide

9. ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS OF
CHILDREN AND TEENS
OLDER CHILDREN AND
TEENS
 Skipping school
 Stealing
 Damaging property
 Fear of gaining weight
 Long lasting negative
mood
 Obsession with death
YOUNGER CHILDREN
 Problems in school and
poor grades
 Hyperactivity
 Nightmares
 Aggressive behaviour
 Temper tantrums
 disobedience

10. MORE FACTS
 Depression is the second largest cause of incapacity
in industrialized countries and will become first
 It is largely undertreated and inadequately treated
 If untreated, can lead to suicide
 Suicide it the fourth leading cause of death and the
sixth leading cause of disability worldwide
 In Canada, the suicide rate is 15% per 100,000, with
600 attempts and another 4000 think about it
 90% of suicide victims have a diagnosable
psychological illness

11. RECENT STUDIES DONE BY RESEARCHERS AT
ST MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL AND THE INSTITUTE
FOR CLINICAL EVALUATIVE SCIENCES (Toronto)
show that:
 50% of men and women with depression
visited a doctor for their condition
 33% of men and women discharged from
hospital for SEVERE depression did not see a
doctor for a follow-up visit within 30 days
 17% visited a hospital emergency room within
30 days of discharge
 8% were re-admitted to hospital
Read more reports at www.stmichaelshospital.com

12. Why are we allowing this to happen to
our families and communities?
Why are we allowing this STIGMA to
continue?
We need to take action! NOW! Before
more lives are lost!

13. Let’s all get out there and do our part!
 Learn
 Educate others
 Speak up
 Contact government officials, mental
health organizations
 Do whatever you can to help destroy
STIGMA and help EVERYONE who
struggles with mental illnesses
THANK-YOU www.imconfident.com
MENTAL ILLNESS CAN BE
TREATED MORE EFFECTIVELY.