In my paper, I will argue that people in the workforce should be more educated about mental illness, in order to reduce the stigma, because it is important to realize that people with schizophrenia are capable of being in the workforce. Stigma is the negative and prejudicial ways in which people living with mental illness are labeled. Although, in most cases, it’s not just about using the wrong or action, it’s more about the disrespect. With that being said, one study found that “30 percent of people with mental illness have experienced stigma in the workplace.”
In the workplace, these prejudice attitudes toward mental illness make a huge difference for all employees, but especially for those who are experiencing mental health issues. Therefore, it is critical that an organization addresses stigma and discrimination to all of their employees, before its members would be willing to talk about mental health. Implementing such programs is the first step in the right direction regarding positive change. Organizations that are both aware and committed to the mental health of their employees are “pro-active in implementing policies and programs” that promote the positive mental health of employees and often support early identification, treatment and recovery of employees who experience mental illness. These programs like these are very important, because most people who suffer from mental illness are scared to seek treatment do to the embarrassment and self-stigma that surrounds it. Helping to educate employees about speaking with dignity and respect by giving examples of the “do’s and dont’s” is a great way to show sensitivity through words. As far as “do’s go, it’s important to emphasize their abilities and not limitations, refer to the actual name of someone and not their disability, and let your other co-workers know if you see them expressing a stigmatizing attitude. For “dont’s,” it’s critical to not portray them as the exception because of their illness. Employees should also refrain from using labels such as, retard, the mentally ill, crazy, maniac, insane, etc.
In most cases, the workplace is often a “breeding ground for mental illness stigma,” which in turn causes “increasing pressure and exacerbates stress” that ultimately encourages a “culture of silence”. Each year, a large percentage of people affected by mental illness are left unemployed or living in poverty, due to un-welcoming workplace environments. For many people, their workplace is considered a second home. It is a place that most people spend a majority of their days and weeks at, surrounded by friends and coworkers who are meant to uplift and support you. Therefore, it’s necessary to create places where all people feel welcome and supported, by promoting mental health and stability. Mental health should not be a barrier to work, because it ultimately plays an important role in managing mental health issues by “providing a sense of purpose and belonging, socialization, structure and distraction” to the employees who are suffering. Experiencing stress and pressure in a workplace is expected already and mental illness continues to “lurk quietly and relatively freely”. Therefore, by breaking this silence in this space, we can work towards breaking down the stigma.
Today, about 26 million people worldwide are living with a mental illness known as schizophrenia and many people have negative perceptions of them, that are often incorrect. People with schizophrenia often experience hallucinations, delusions, and hear things that aren’t actually there. Additionally, this disease can inhibit a person’s emotions, memory and social skills. Based on these facts, people often create a perception that people with schizophrenia are commonly unpredictable, which ultimately causes society to fear them. Although, there is no significant evidence supporting the link between schizophrenia and violence. Therefore, it’s incomprehensible why this perception still exists today. The study clearly shows that people who suffer from severe mental illness commit a “very small proportion of violent crimes,” which proves that these “widely held prejudices” surrounding the disease are inaccurate and quite unfair.
In the workplace and in general, there are is a belief that schizophrenics are “not able to do things very well” and that “they will fail,” which was quoted by a professional psychologist in the report. This same report also reveals that “up to 70% of people with schizophrenia have experienced some form of discrimination,” that has impacted their ability and motivity to work. If employees were more educated on mental health, then there wouldn’t be as much stigma surrounding it in the workplace. Many employees think that if you have a mental health issue, then you won’t be able to hold down a job, but it’s actually the opposite. People who are suffering from schizophrenia can actually benefit from this, because it can be a really good way of maintaining their health and “managing their illness” better. Although we still have a lot of ground to cover, organizations around the world are working harder than to “educate the public about schizophrenia” and there is evidence to suggest that this new, stronger focus is already “changing people’s attitudes toward the disease”.
People with schizophrenia are also thought of as unable to make decisions for themselves; therefore, this causes people with mental health conditions to be perceived as “unsuitable” for the workforce. Gary Becker, Nobel prize-winning economist stated that “discrimination lowers the probability that members of a stigmatized group will be hired” and that their likely to have significantly lower wages, even if they are. This conclusion is is especially true for people with schizophrenia. In fact, individuals living with this mental illness are “6-7 times more likely to be unemployed than the general population” as well as having a “70-90% unemployment rate,” which is a significantly higher rate than any other group that has disabilities in the United States. The National Institute of Mental Health stated that “the largest component of the total cost of schizophrenia” is due to the “loss of income from unemployment”. In order for this cost to decline, more policies need to be put into place to help them acquire jobs. Such as, company leaders can, help reintegrate an employee after a having to take a leave of absence for treatment and provide management treatment to “help promote well-being within their teams” in order to accelerate it. It is essential to create a healthy environment to help them manage both their work and symptoms.
In conclusion, in order to reduce the stigma in the workplace there must be awareness and programs implemented within organizations. Employees must be more conscious of their words and actions around other employees who are suffering from mental illness. They need to be treated with the same respect and dignity of every other employee, in order to not make them feel discriminated. Being stigmatized causes their health to actually become worse and refuse treatment. We must spread the word and heal employees of their stigmatizing attitudes, in order to create a better workplace environment for everyone.