Many people in our communities are impacted by stigma and discrimination. People may hide their experiences of mental health and not seek support due to stigma and discrimination.
Here, we listen to people’s experiences of stigma and discrimination:
A transcript of this video is here: Transcript – Stigma and Discrimination
Mental health stigma is when people are seen in a negative way due to their experiences of mental health.
Stigma can cause people to feel things like:
Stigma can make people’s mental health worse and make them less likely to get support when they need it.
Discrimination is when people are treated in a negative way because of things like their gender-identity, sexuality, ethnicity or their mental health condition.
Discrimination can make someone’s mental health worse and make them less likely to get support when they need it.
If you are concerned about seeking support because of stigma or discrimination, consider starting by calling an anonymous 24/7 helpline for advice, such as:
Lifeline 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
You can use an interpreter to contact these services 24/7 by calling TIS on 131 450. Tell them the language you need and what service you’d like to contact.
Challenge stigma or discrimination by speaking up when people around you make negative or incorrect comments about mental health.
You can share information with people in our communities about mental health and experiences of stigma and discrimination.
Watch this video for a message about stigma:
If you want to learn more about stigma and discrimination, explore some of these resources.
More resources
- https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ServicesAndSupport/stigma-discrimination-and-mental-illness
- https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/S_T/Stigma
- https://www.beyondblue.org.au/about-us/position-statements-and-policy-submissions/stigma-discrimination
- https://www.beyondblue.org.au/docs/default-source/policy-submissions/stigma-and-discrimination-associated-with-depression-and-anxiety.pdf
As you explore the 6 steps to accessing the NDIS, you will be guided to activities in the Reimagine Your Life Workbook, where you can complete questions and activities to support your application.
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