Stigma workshop feedback

Co-production event: Stigma - 29th May 2018 - Blackpool

Attendees: 40

Words to define/describe stigma

• Feel dismissed
• Weakness
• Give up
• Patronising
• Lack of caring or empathy
• Confirms negative self talk
• Feel belittled
• Seen as doing it for attention
• Isolating
• Feeling odd
• 'You're not ill enough'
• Being treated as awkward
• Different or difficult (in school)
• Media

What would a good service look and feel like?

• Found somehwere to fit in and feel worthy of being alive
• It's ok to not feel ok/to be who you are
• We will grow as a society - less unemployment and an accepting culture
• Feel less claustrophobic; walls will be removed; won't feel trapped in a corner or feel like I have no space to move in
• Support being available/offered where children and young people are comfortable
• Longer term support with the same person
• Waiting times are too long
• Knowing where to go for help
• Be myself; no barriers
• Common understanding
• Honesty
• More robust referral pathways
• Not having to apologise for who we are and what we are dealing with
• Educating everyone - schools, parents/carers, work
• Social movements
• Language needs to change - negative to positive
• Accept problems rather than reject
• Be able to find people that have the time and the interest
• Established support networks
• Happy that anything is now possible
• Less stressful; no need to explain self over and over again
• Community wrap around
• Education - schools feeling empowered
• Roles of others in recognising and support CYP with a mental health need eg. police and A&E
• It is not just about the new model - it's about society and individuals

What people wanted to fix

• Greater understanding of mental health needed in emergency services and by GPs
• Every child has a right to an eduication regardless of how they are presenting (it was reported that one CYP was 'not allowed' to return to their school after an inpatient admission)
• Appreciate and celebrate diversity
• Incorporate mental health into the school curriculum
• Integrate mental health services into community/existing structures
• Normalise mental health difficulties
• Language change needed - professionals using terms such as 'no mental health' in referral meetings
• Positive media stories/images
• Compulsory education/training for schools and workplaces; parents/carers; teachers and CYP
• Self help techniques should be taught in school (terrorism is taught but not mental health)
• Provision of self help guides for those on waiting lists
• Need more groups in CAMHS with more people participating - knowing that you are not alone
• Changing the name of CAMHS - so no longer seen as a disability
• Everything happens for a reason and people need to realise that and not judge
• Make it cooler to be kind (rather than being the cool bad guy)

If you have feedback you would like to contribute or require any further information, please contact Healthy Young Minds by emailing healthyyoung.minds@nhs.net