StoppingStigma_Oct_2026

Stopping Stigma | October 2026 7 Continued from page 6 Schools Baker has observed resistance to teaching students about mental health from education professionals, as well as parents. She would be honored to educate more students to save more lives. “Some school staff, as well as parents, hesitate to speak with children about mental health issues. Some still believe in suicide contagion, but a healthy brain will not have thoughts of suicide. Overall, it’s much more acceptable now to discuss mental health, but many schools are still afraid to say the word ‘suicide’. For our middle school presentations, I always ask if they are comfortable with me saying ‘suicide’ and if they’re not, I adapt the program to focus only on mental health coping skills,” Baker explained. She noted, though, that 6th, 7th and 8th graders know about suicide. “Not talking about it increases stigma and shame, and young people will be less likely to seek and receive the support they deserve.” Health Care and Insurance In the general community and in the healthcare field, erratic behavior is often associated with drug use. However, as Dr. Kakauridze explained, “It could be a mental health crisis. Healthcare providers need to de-escalate the situation and connect them to services.” Similar assumptions are often made by healthcare providers who are aware of individuals’ diagnoses. “Many assume certain behavior is because of a diagnosis. They add the “ Fear and misinformation are big drivers of stigma. We need to help people work through the fears and get access to reliable information. ” Peggy Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA Continued on page 8 diagnosis as a characteristic when talking about a client who is able to do laundry, cook, etc.,” observed Peggy Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, Professor, Rutgers-New Brunswick and Collaborative Wellness Institute Director. “But, not doing something may be a choice. For example, not taking a bath one day may not be due to a diagnosis. It could be because the water temperature is too hot or cold or something else. We just don’t ask.” Dr. Swarbrick added that she has noticed stigma in academic settings, as well as behavioral health care. “Even people in the field use stigmatizing language. They label people with their diagnoses,” she commented. One example is identifying someone as “a schizophrenic” rather than “a person living with a schizophrenia diagnosis”. “This has to do with training. Unfortunately, a lot of programs teach people to label others and not look beyond the label to learn about the strengths and resilience the person possesses,” she said.