People need to eliminate stigma against people suffering from mental health problems and substance abuse, as it is a major impediment to recovery efforts.
Lilith Williams, a substance abuse counselor with the National Council on Drug Abuse, said people from all walks of life are affected by the disorder, and some people’s symptoms have worsened due to treatment they receive from community members. That’s what it means.
“People who suffer from mental illness are scared, so look at them as individuals, because seeing them as individuals changes the way their mind processes in the scenario.
“If you don’t see individuals, you only see their own fears,” she said at a mental health forum April 6 at Kitsontown Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Catherine. He said this during a lecture.
He said 13- to 14-year-olds in high school have been diagnosed with serious mental health problems, and some are unable to cope because of the “constant stigma” that comes from naming and blaming them. He added that there is.
“Stigma is one of the biggest barriers to treatment for people seeking mental health and addiction treatment,” she said, adding that while the public health system provides free counseling and care, public He pointed out that many people do not seek help because of the bashing.
“Speak respectfully and focus on clear, understandable language without labeling people as ‘cokeheads,'” Williams urged.
He stressed that it is important that individuals working with affected people know the facts through education and information on the issue and know what their actions and behavior should be.
“To reduce fear, we need to change the narrative. We are all here to care and support. When people have a mental health condition, they need your support. You don’t need to be reminded of what they worry about every day. Help people find new activities,” Williams told the audience.
The NCDA has a vision of relentlessly striving for a ‘drug-free Jamaica’ that eliminates the abuse of illegal drugs. Its mission is to provide policy makers, international partners and the general public with quality, reliable information about drug use and abuse in Jamaica, its nature, scope, prevention, treatment and control, and the fundamental issues that negatively impact nation-building. It’s about providing information.
The agency’s staff is dedicated to strengthening protective factors against drug abuse through the implementation of treatment and prevention programs and in collaboration with various local and international organizations.
