"Mental Health"

[Artychik]

ok... I was at this thing for work... a sort of planning for future services thing (I'm a support worker) and there were some folk there from a Mental Health service (I don't work specifically in mental health)

anywaaaay - one of the things they brought up was re-naming mental health something else to get rid of the stigma. I personally don't see the point in this, although I didn't say, because I don't work in the field and didn't really want to bring up my own experiences of all that.

They want something that emphasises well being and that.

I think it's so daft - I think changing a name doesn't change peoples attitudes... that comes through education and a wee bit of understanding. And is someone really more likely to admit they're depressed if it's an "emotional well-being" issue than a mental health issue? It just seems like people being overly politically correct on other folks behalf.... just pointless. I mean it used to be psychiatric illness then mental illness then mental health... does it make any difference?

Mental health seems to be perfectly appropriate to my mind (not as a worker - as a psychiatric/mental health patient)

Any thoughts? What do you think of this term - do you even care?

Sarah x

[Stellata]

I agree that education and understanding, confronting people's preconceived ideas and sterotypes is what is needed.

I personally like 'emotional well being', or 'emotional health'. I think the word 'emotional' relates much more specifically to depression, anxiety, the personality disorders, and so forth, than 'mental'. True, its to do with the mind, but its all about emotions, really. Its emotions many of us find so much of a challenge. Plus, 'mental' is a word with a lot of... stigma and abuse attached.
At the end of the day, its really a whole person thing. The illnesses affect the mind, emotions and body.

[Scumbelina]

Whats the point in working towards challenging the stigma of Mental Health if they're just going to change the name of it?! Then the 'new name' will get the stigma!

I work with a charity to 'stop the Stigma'. & their view is EVERYONE has a mental health (hense the health part)