5 myths about mental illness

by Menninger Clinic January 22, 2010

Fewer than half of the 54 million Americans who suffer from mental illness get treated and those who do wait on average more than a decade before seeking treatment. They fear becoming victimized by stigma or have doubts about the validity of mental disorders or treatment effectiveness. Unfortunately, mental illness is real. Fortunately, people can […]

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Labels are not explanations

by Menninger Clinic January 18, 2010

Not only do words hurt, they often twist meaning. Offensive terms like “nuts,”  “psycho” and “crazy” are frequently used to describe individuals who are suffering from mental illness. They also happen to be the three most frequently voiced terms used by 14-year-old students who participated in a research project in England. The project was designed […]

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The elephant in the room

by Menninger Clinic January 14, 2010

It’s a fairly standard obituary, published in the newsletter of a respected association of mental health professionals. An accomplished clinician-researcher, widely known for his brilliant theoretical insights and research, together with a heart of kindness and compassion, struck down before his time. The accolades flow, as the writer sings praises of this individual as a […]

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Overcoming stigma

by Menninger Clinic January 11, 2010

“Stigma” is a strong word: its social connotation is defined in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary as “A mark or sign of disgrace or discredit, regarded as impressed on or carried by a person or thing.” Since its origins, the word, stigma, has been associated with harsh language that mirrors its harsh realities. Erving Goffman […]

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The war against stigma

by Menninger Clinic January 8, 2010

I was reminded the other day of an article my father, Dr. Will Menninger, wrote for The New York Times in 1946, which was based on his experiences as head of psychiatry over the U.S. military during World War II. What struck me was how prescient his observations were about stigma and how relevant his […]

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That was then. This is now.

by Menninger Clinic January 5, 2010

As a young, idealistic psychiatrist graduating from Baylor College of Medicine in 1967, I knew we’d come a long way in our understanding of mental illness and how best to treat individuals who suffer from these disorders. At the turn of the 20th century, patients had been routinely institutionalized, often in staggeringly inhumane conditions, forgotten by […]

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