Mental Health Stigma Needs to End

For one second let’s think about a world where no one had to suffer from loneliness. Let’s think about a world where there was always a safe place to be with others and not be alone regardless of your mental health, physical health, income, color, sexual orientation, gender identity… Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma around characteristics that make people different from each other, and this is severe for people with mental health issues. It can be very hard for someone who has lost connections with their family, friends, and community because of mental illness to find safe places to be around other people due to the stigma they face.

Thankfully, there is a safe place like this in Viroqua called The Other Door.

We generally know what stigma is but do we know the extent it comes to with mental health issues? When we think about inequality in America, we usually think about Black Lives Matter or LGBT rights, and they are both very pressing issues in inequality. However, in talking to my step mother Katie Fassbinder, who works in mental health, I learned of another issue hidden behind more closed doors: stigma for people with mental heath issues, addictions, and loneliness. I wanted to figure out what’s happening to change this and what kind of people are making these changes in our community.

I met up with Ken Weinberg who started this great space for people called “The Other Door.” I chose Ken because the work he is doing to bring opportunities for healthy socialization to adults who may be in recovery from addictions, issues and/or mental health issues. Adults with mental health issues and addictions often face stigma — in the community, in healthcare settings, in employment, and in social circles. Katie told me of how important the work he is doing is and how “The Other Door,” Ken’s organization, has made such a positive impact for individuals in combating loneliness, providing support and resources, opportunities for self-expression through art and music, and allowing people to feel safe in being who they are.

Katie and I met up with Ken at “The Other Door”, and when we walked in it automatically felt like a safe warm place unlike outside which was raining and windy. It was pretty busy in there because on Fridays they make dinner for everyone who wants to come, luckily there where enough volunteers so we could go into the meeting room and have a bit more of a quiet meeting. Ken started off by talking about how there are people in the world who go along in their lives and hide there illnesses and issues away. They live as if they are conforming to the social norms, and they don’t feel safe to share it with the people who they have in their lives, so when you hear that they harmed themselves or they never talk to you and others, you don’t know what happened to them. We got to meet a few people who were so very welcoming and lovely that outside would not necessary be treated with the benefit of the doubt for being a good person. I asked Ken how this started how this project got launched. He said he was attending an AA meeting and afterword he and some others wanted a place to just talk and hangout after meetings and it’s not like they were comfortable at a McDonalds talking about their issues out in public so they went to the Family Children Center and asked if there was a way they could set a place up. They had space so it kind of just started off from there.

They use a completely anonymous check in system meaning they don’t use names they just count bodies, so people don’t have to worry about other people knowing they go to a place like this if they are not comfortable. They use art in a very impressive way to help people with their issues. They can become more independent by creating there own artwork and making their own decisions. And making their own hot chocolate or tea or coffee. There was a story of a woman who they where told she could not do anything by herself, she wanted hot chocolate and Ken told her how to make it, and he talked her through it a few times and more and more she was excited on being independent. She’s at the point now where she cleans the kitchen and she can handle being more independent. We ended the sit down question part with the question of how is the Other Door funded. Ken said United Fund, which is pretty much goodwill of the community is most likely the largest funder. He also said ,“there are a couple of angels in the community.” They have had soup nights with raffles and music and donated soup that brings in a little bit of money for The Other Door.

Ken says stigma in our community is seen as a innocent thing. He talks of one of his friends in the community who’s always alone and people take his external and that is all they see him as. “You could say it’s prejudice and all of that, which sure it is, but I think it’s innocent, I think stigma is a innocent thing and it comes from unfamiliarity.” It comes from an unknown and that scares them. People have a stigma that other people with mental health issues are more violent and aggressive and they don’t actually pan out. Ken’s friend told him there is just as much a chance something bad happening from going to Walmart than walking into this space. Ken ended our interview with a tour of all the rooms they have there which consists of a meeting room, art room, meditation room, workout computer room, kitchen, lounge, library, and game and pool table room.

How are we and other people outside of this community affected? Why and how does this matter? Many families are affected by having a loved one with a mental health issue that they don’t know how to help. If you have a family member or friend or if you yourself was faced with these issues, it would be horrible to not be treated with respect and the chance to have a community to be part of. Having a resource like The Other Door has helped families know that their loved one has a safe place to go to be with other people. Also, if people with mental heath issues, or addiction are left alone without a family or anyone to help them with their issues it’s not nearly as likely that they will get the professional help they need. Besides the effects on families, having a community that stigmatizes against people with mental illness and/or addictions are missing out on a whole other side of these people which they don’t know is there — such as their knowledge, artistic skills, compassion, strength, kindness. Let’s not miss out because of stigma.

Here is a quick informative video that y’all should check out!

This story is part of a new Storytelling for Changemakers program for Changemaker Schools activated in partnership with Ashoka’s Youth Venture and Start Empathy.

Individual views expressed in this blog are from individual students at YIHS and not representative of Ashoka, Start Empathy, or Youth Venture.