Breaking the Stigma and Shame of Mental Illness | Kitty Westin | TEDxFargo
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2017
- Suicide leads to over 44,000 deaths each year in the U.S. Stigma against people with mental illness is a major contributor to this unacceptably high mortality rate. Kitty uses heartbreaking true stories and scientific facts to help the audience understand ways to challenge their thinking and join the fight to reduce stigma and shame. Kitty Westin, a licensed psychologist, founded the Anna Westin Foundation (now known as The Emily Program Foundation) following the death from anorexia of her daughter, Anna, in 2000. Soon after Anna’s death the foundation opened Minnesota’s first residential treatment program for eating disorders; The Anna Westin House. Kitty is an advocate for people affected by eating disorders and has become a nationally and internationally recognized authority on the impact mental illness has on individuals, their families and the community. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
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Thank you for this video, truly
from someone who had depression for 15 years
The shame and guilt from having mental illness (and chronic illness! Yes I have the "pleasure" of having both!) is just so, so, SO great... It is more wearing on me as a person than anything else. We HAVE to erase the shame and guilt for us sufferers or the suicide rate will NEVER go down!
thank you for compassion for illness, my son suffers & is being exploited by a mental health system broken, thank you again we are all broken, we need support. The mentally ill need to support compassion the most, because of stigma!!!
I am bulimic borderline Bipolar PTSD and fibromyalgia and I fight because that is all you can do to be what people won’t and fighting for what I believe fight or flight in all I do and it’s not will it is what it is and be the best you can to lift others and not self because we can’t fix self but we can help others in a dark cover see the light
Stigma kept me from accepting a diagnosis and getting treatment for over a year. Until the consequences of my symptoms became too much. Reducing stigma is so so important- thank you to you and everyone else speaking up and sharing
Kitty, you have worked so hard and for so long to help end this stigma. I commend you on your tireless efforts and continued support to the mental health community. Thank you for speaking out. Thank you for your TED talk. Thank you for standing up for me.
Thank you. Your strong will touched me. I am in a process of recovery. And I wish I could be in a place where I can be useful to people suffer from mental illnesses. Much love and so much effort to help both of the divided worlds.
A true power of mother and a social worker
Both of those deaths mentioned are heartbreaking. If nothing else I hope this video helped someone who watched it not give up.
LOVE this video!! WE all have to work together to end the stigma. All the points covered are right on! We all have the chance to make a positive difference. I just did a video on my channel about mental health & its honestly one that so close to my heart & probably one of my favorite I have made.. become educated on mental health & reach out to someone.. thank you for this video it takes a lot of courage to put your story out there. I appreciate this
Indifference of others? Judging? Labeling? Stupidity? That is no excuse and no reason to ever stop informing people. Speaking out for what you know is right. Compassionate advocacy, one person at a time. One encounter at a time. Like many depression suffered, I too have had some appalling encounters with medical people. I won't even repeat the things they have said, their 'opinions' in response to my state - at the time. But that does not discourage me, now long recovered, from helping others who are often up against the same thing. Sharing stories, and knowing we are not.. alone....
Cynthia Hawkins you don’t sound compassionate, you sound offended. You have no idea how exhausting it is educating a bunch of self-entitled, patronizing, judgmental, airheads who think they know everything.
@@ishyreddi13 And you sound exactly like the people she is talking about who berated her for her illness. She is calling for compassion. Maybe it's something you don't have much of to begin with. I guess you are also rather judgmental and self-entitled.
I am well now but have had my struggles in the past The stigma and ignorance is so real among the general population and medical professionals as well. I've also recently had cancer and although there was one person in particular who treated me pretty badly through it... you are correct in saying that you are viewed as strong and courageous when trying to help yourself and going through medical treatments for that. I am absolutely horrified at the story you told about the Doctor who told that poor girl that she had done this to herself. I do hope he was held accountable. Even I know more than that and my career is not in the medical field!
The stigma depressed people, I hope we can be more kind, the sickness is bad enough but a broken heart and confidence can be worst,
Thank you so much, I have an eating disorder and it is just always pushed under the carpet and how I get so many of those silly comments. Xx
Great talk. But my wife *has* called me crazy affectionately even though I have depression, addiction, suicidal ideation and anxiety. It's not always meant to stigmatise. I'm saying this to share a contrary life experience.
Outstanding video, keep fighting for those who need us the most, during the darkest hour.
i had my social work tell me that its time to grow up life isn't all rainbows and unicorns, I almost committed then my daughter knocked on the door , I went to her for help , she almost wrote me off
Be Strong.
What an amazing speaker! I hope more people listen to this talk.
They won't. But I hope so too. 💖
Thank you, this is so important ❤
Thank you your words have helped me
Wow is this powerful! Thank you for fighting for us Kitty!!
Thank you for this TEDx Talk! Great Job! I am very sorry for the loss of your daughter.
‘Reducing stigma saves lives’ - this woman is a legend
Thank you for your hard work.
We do not choose to have a mental issue! 👏
WOW YOUR A WARRIOR KITTY
Thanks for this video. It’s hard to deal with the shame of fighting to overcome mental illness or psychosis.
With fear comes ignorance.cycle. ignorance is bliss. Till it hits you in the bum.Hate is a cancer.Will society realize it costs all of us a hefty price tag?
One of the worst things about having mental health challenge ADHD ,Autism spectrum disorder , is love one’s saying I’m making it up.
Thank you for this Ted talk
Thank you so much!
Thank you for your courage to stear society the right direction.
One of the stigmas associated with people who suffer mental illnesses is that they are weak. Could not be more wrong. I suffer from Bipolar-I and under the influence of full blown mania I taught in a classroom with 20 people in it. Nobody noticed. I then stopped the full blown mania by looking at the mirror and saying to myself "calm down, calm down". Whilst ill I put on weight, about an extra 40Kg. However, once over the episode, I lost the 40Kg in a year swimming and walking daily. The illness struck me because of a worry I had and I did not handle it at the time. So the worry became too much and it triggered the illness. Since then I handle all my worries promptly and I have no episode of Bipolar-I again. It's over 14 years since my last episode. I am incredibly powerful man and the illness has nothing to do with me being weak.
My addiction issues started to get really bad with Benzos. I learned from the experence. In my experence. If It's invisable, and you can't prove it using maths. It's religion, philosophy. Not real to me. I have addiction. I drink, do drugs. My empathy goes away. I get the stigma. Mental illness has the same evidence of God. Shrödingers cat science and I have addiction. If you haven't planned to off yourself. You shouldn't express your about it because your opinion is your worthless. It's insulting to us who tried.
@@Skoopyghost Did you try to off yourself? Well if that is the case then you are not unique because I don't know of anyone who has not. The drama of life is a nightmare.
@@jesusbermudez6775 It is. You got a point there.
I am definitely not ashamed.. And the stigma is illusory...
you are amazing person
You can't break it, there's too many people and too many of them have prejudice, mission impossible, first hand experience of walking outside of the "hospital" with a group guided by two nurses taught me that people especially the young people I come across of my age don't want to know us and don't want to accept, you'd be surprised how strong internal shame is and how destructive outward stigma is, maybe stop calling it disease and treatment and diagnosis and hospital and we're a step closer to solving this ridiculous relationship between society and youngsters etc like me who somehow are not good enough for society and social life
But what can we call it ?
MarkTheAngelofDeath-666 what should we call you? You definitely aren’t a “human” cause people with mental illness and humans as well. But here you are thinking what to call them?
@@ishyreddi13 You can call me a human being.
@@ishyreddi13 If I'm not human, what am I then ?
An Animal, a criminal of Morality, a sadist or a psychopath like Josef Mengele' ? A person who has the mindset of a dictator ?
Well functional members of society are aseholes who don't deserve their jobs
Its so bad that the people who suffer from mental health themselvesshame another person with mental health problems, which is the biggest mental health stigma paradox
Another paradox, people talking about mental health awareness and stoppin hte stigma mental health shaming people with mental health struggles themselves
I became a social pariah for my mental health struggles too on top of that.
Listen to Kitty's speech, and then consider that Kim Kardashian is the BEST KNOWN WOMAN ON THE PLANET. Our society has lost it's way when Kitty is NOT a media "darling". I came out of a media background and am now ashamed to mention ANY past connection. Praise to Kitty and shame on the MSM.
My friend has schizophrenia. Sometimes people won't even serve him in a shop.
So do I and how is it that people know all about it mentally ill people should have anonymity without help we are doomed I think if I get my interitance I will pay to euthenise myself it is what society wants
And u know what is sad their is no real help for people with diagnosed disability abuse them and then drug them to death God job society
What schizophrenia I heard a lot.
💛 Legend. 💛
A diagnosis IS a new identity whether you agree with it or not. The freedom to "self-identify" is removed.
This is real life. Theres probably lots of people out there who are suffering~
O_O_O_O_O_O_~
thats when u know doctors... ; just trust in God, ah?
stigma equals being scared of crazy ppl.... cuz they scared or cant tam/understand them?
....stresses...
mhh reducing stigmas would help the process :))
that ending song was nice~ :)
Velma is all grown up!
ok sorry bad joke but this is a really great video
It's okay lol. I was about to start crying and you stopped me right on point lol. I don't even know who that is LOL ohhhh...... Scooby-Doo doo... LOLLLL I feel alot better thank you 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I'm so exhausted 🥵
💚
❤
A person living in California is committed to a hospital for an attempted suicide. The state documents this as a 5250. The state (by law) recognizes you now as a grave danger to others or yourself. The state then adjudicates you as "mentally defective" . There is no judge, no courtroom, no lawyers. The state then transmits this data to the FBI National Criminal Database NICS. Why is this important? If your name appears on the NICS database, you are not allowed to purchase or own firearms, you will fail background checks when seeking employment and you will be considered a criminal by law enforcement. It is next to impossible to have your name removed from the NICS database. Thanks to an ever growing intrusive state, this person and his family will live with the negative impact of this systemic stigma. I ask the question, why should anyone trust the state or so called health care providers? Did not the medical community sign off on this law? The government is not your friend, in fact it is quite the opposite. The state (government) at all levels from cops on the street to judges in the courtrooms to law makers at the capitol, devote 100% of their efforts in circumventing the Constitution to nullify your rights, and we pay them to do it. Question everything.
Who are the 10 that have disliked
First of all bosses in companies, Management/CEO/Principals/Managers in academic/non academic fields should be tested (normally like blood tests) and if they are mentally fit for the positions, then they should be selected to become leaders. This can be done like making identity card by Govt. This way society welfare will be taken care of and economy will improve along with protecting such professions in medical fields. Nice speech ma'am. Thank you👏👏👌
Radhae Krishna giving people cards would only lead to discrimination. by saying those with mental illnesses can't do certain things that limits people who have a mental illness and does nothing to change the stigma.
@@shieldwatch-ur1qb can you please explain further. I didn't understand. So called SOME leaders who behave badly with their employees are actually sick (mentally) and do not understand the effect of their actions/behaviors. Today many employees are unhappy due to their boss/in-charge and system of their company but unable to convince their seniors due to their stuborn, rigid nature. If company hires few health checkers (mental health is also part of overall health), this will bring some improvement in employees/people (leaders). Well we just say, who knows when will this will be implemented or whether it will be brought into practise.
Radhae Krishna i think it's just that some companies might try to abuse a system like this so they can keep people with mental illnesses out of their company because of the taboo. like if someone has a mental illness but they have it under control they could be in a position of power but if a company just sees them for their mental illness and not the fact that they have it under control they might not offer them a job they could be successful in. if that makes any sense
@@humanbeing8531 People that do have mental disturbance doesn’t mean not all of em can’t equate for success. It is terrible to give a society a sort of a credit system towards people as it’s almost a dystopia and unfair or unjust utilitarianism. Never try to stop a person with a disability to achieve something high, regulation is just what people need. You had entirely missed the point of speaker’s message so please do not ever generalize it. There’s more depth that you need to understand and other ways we can solve it. Your solution is dehumanizing and breaks the ethical standards.
Sounds a bit like eugenics to me. That definitely was not the point of her talk.
💙💛
Kitty, you are beautiful
If I tell someone that I am mentally ill, they tell me that I must have done something wrong to someone else. They never seem to believe the gentle good person who I am. They talk about violence. I don’t have anorexia, but I am pained out by the stigma of mental illness that has to do with what people fear.
Break the stigma?
Please refocus: It is those taught or teaching that prejudice who merit attention. They have done enough harm.
Today people have mental health problems. In the future people will have discipline. But to do that we need to bring back the stigma only this time it needs to be violently unforgiving.
You're just performing for the status quo. You won't understand without having pity.
I concluded that eating disorders come from parents pressing their kids too much, so that kids find the way to control their lives in at least some way. I would talk about that and what can be done in order not to make your own child feel suicidal.
It can come from a lot of stuff including the advertizing and media and social media.
If you can read character... you can see whom you can trust... anorexia is not a real illness... most people lack character... you can't trust a bad person...
It is hon. You've clearly never suffered from it, and yet you think you know all.
@@penny4thought168 It's called insight, hon...
@@buddhaneosiddhananda8499 No it ain't. You are not a professional. You have not had any experience. You've probably never even had a formal education in the subject. Facebook ain't an institution hon, don't pretend like you know everything because you saw one Facebook post.
@@penny4thought168 You have to understand that most education isn't real education... it's indoctrination/brain washing... I wish you well...
How about taking away your Second Amendment right? Isn't that stigma and discrimination?
I admit I suffer from Depression,Bipolar,Anxiety,Ptsd plus some physical issues. I’ve endured so I much trauma through my life. Fact Is I no longer have that. I do find most basic things incredibly exhausting and stressful. Its like I can longer handle stress such as bills. I am currently in my bed unable to get out, meaning 4 days now not showering randomly eating napping here and there. Sleep pattern is off. This is a day in the life of a mental disorder. One would ever know if you seen me. I am a model, non union actresses a grandmother and parent. I love my family and have a handful of true friends. Its not ever enough. Its all in my mind. I fight the horrid thoughts daily. It matters none how one looks. This is a definite blind disability. I am trying to be helpful by sharing but I reckon reaching out too. I don’t know you but if you are the one whom suffers such as I do, perhaps you understand this is real and very draining. To those whom know anyone that has bipolar, let it not be a stigma. This is real. There is no cure yet. Unfortunately there is no cure yet.