Name
Stigma, Shame, and Discrimination Surrounding Mental Illness among College Students
Date & Time
Thursday, March 14, 2024, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Track
Pandemic; Student Concerns
Session Type
Panel
Description

The emergences of public discourse of mental health with greater openness are a result of increased number of college students suffering from mental health challenges. However, this trend may not have been enough to altogether overcome long-term problems around mental health stigma, shame, and discrimination, especially among as college students. A student with a mental condition may experience social stigma, subjective shame and objective discrimination based on that stigma. These students often need to negotiate the complexities of self-disclosure, a process that involves sharing their mental health status with others within contexts that they find safe and acceptable. In this situation, professionals within schools may have a strong opportunity to pursue mental health destigmatization and encourage empathy and acceptance. Empathy, rooted in reflectiveness and a desire to build bridges instead of ostracizing is key to addressing this challenge. Overall, significant opportunities exist within the college setting for a continuous discourse which would encourage support, acceptance and utilization of resources for recovery and treatment.