It may be the single biggest barrier to seeking help for many suffering from a mental health condition – the stigma society associates with mental illness. In our podcast series, host Bob Martin talks with author Michael Schlossberg and Dr. Matthew Koval as they take on the issue of stigma from personal, medical and societal perspectives – including:
- How a depression emerged for one of the guests during college, and how he got past “self-stigma” to seek help.
- The role Robin Williams’ suicide played in prompting Schlossberg to become a public advocate for viewing mental illness as a chronic condition, and how his latest writing venture carries that message into the realm of young adult science fiction.
- The need to humanize depression in order to combat the stigma against treatment, especially among men and minority communities:
- Why primary care physicians need to be ready for what’s called “the doorknob comment,” as the opening to learning what may truly be troubling their patient.
- And why turning around the old saying, “Don’t just sit there, DO something!” can reveal a path to help individuals suffering in silence because of stigma.
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