They Just Can’t Let it Go

Posted on March 20, 2006 in Reading Stigma

From the Daily Mail:

The national director for mental health, Professor Louis Appleby, will tell an international conference that the stigma of mental illness needs to be wiped out.
“It’s long been recognised that racism is unacceptable, but unthinking discrimination against people with mental health problems still seems to be socially acceptable,” he said.
“More than six out of 10 employers, for example, freely admit they would not recruit someone with a mental health problem.”
He added that black people who have experienced mental illness could suffer a “double whammy” of racism and mental health stigma.
“This is simply wrong. It is high time that society caught up and realised that it is not OK to be prejudiced against people with mental health problems.”

It’s starting to sound like a broken record whose grooves have been carved so deep by the repetition that the needle plays air. “Hey, employers! People with mental health problems are competent!” More than a few employers I have known seem to suffer from illnesses of their own, proven by their sociopathic and sadistic behavior. Do they fear being found out? Are they drunk on their disease?

The DSMs don’t appear to have a diagnosis for capitalism and greed. Employers and employees alike prefer to cling to their prejudices and their dark dreams of the mentally ill in unproductive panics.

Interesting side note: The Mail invites us to “Join the debate” but there is no page for mental health issues other than depression, anxiety and stress. The immediate link takes you to a page where readers are discussing food allergies.