The Mostyn Street Clinic has signed the STOP STIGMA pledge to stop Mental Health discrimination and stigma.
What is stigma?
Stigma happens when a group in society are not regarded with the same respect as others. There are numerous definitions but, put simply, stigma is primarily a problem of behaviours resulting in the unfair and inequitable treatment of people. Stigma involves a variety of myths, prejudices, and negative stereotyping of people with mental health issues.
Nearly half (45%) of Australians will experience a mental illness at some stage of their life. Despite this, people living with mental illness will often experience stigma and discrimination from friends, family, employers and the community as a whole.
The Pledge:
• We will be informed
• We will listen
• We will be mindful of our language
• We will be inclusive
• We will challenge the stereotypes
• We will be supportive
• We will promote recovery
The Charter is about working towards reducing mental illness stigma through a series of commitments which are seen as the major components to address in reducing stigma. The Charter was developed through a joint project with the Hume and Loddon Mallee Murray Partners in Recovery (PIR) programs, led by Murray PHN.
For more information:
“Mental Illness Facts and Figures” Factsheet
Or visit The Murry PHN website for further details on how your workplace can get involved.
