Among health care professionals, fear of judgment associated with speaking out and seeking behavioral health care increases suicide risk.1 Staff may avoid taking time for self-care, discussing emotional difficulties, or seeking professional support for a mental health or substance use disorder for fear of harming their career or reputation.
Craft your communication in a way that helps reduce perceptions of stigma related to suffering or seeking help for mental health or other problems. Here are some tips for approaching these topics in a non-stigmatizing way, and may even help eliminate stigma altogether:
Talk about mental health in a simple way
Recognize mental health issues as another aspect of life that affects most people at some point, like many physical health issues. Discussing the topic directly rather than tiptoeing around it creates a level of comfort and makes it easier to find support.
Lead by example
As a hospital leader, demonstrate non-stigmatizing behavior and language in your own interactions and communications about mental health. Normalize conversations about mental health by sharing your own burnout challenges. Nine out of ten employees appreciate it when their leaders share stories of support.2 Take a look at these tips for sharing your story of the Health Action Alliance.
Use respectful, person-centered language
Choose words and expressions that are neutral, respectful and non-stigmatizing. For example, don’t use words like “crazy,” “insane,” “drug addict,” or “addict.” Avoid labels or stereotypes.
In general, it is good practice to use language that focuses on the person and not the condition. For example, using phrases like “a person with schizophrenia” rather than “a schizophrenic.” However, there is not always agreement on these terms and some groups prefer condition-first language. The best practice is to involve people in that group to find out what they prefer.3 For more examples, see the CDC list privileged conditions.
Highlight personal stories
Invite your staff members to share their experiences with mental health or substance abuse issues and seeking care. Avoid inadvertently pressuring anyone to share their story if they are not comfortable doing so.
Avoid reinforcing the idea that there is a stigma
The more we talk about stigma with healthcare professionals, even if the message is that we want to reduce it, the more we put its existence on their radar. If a person has never felt stigmatized before, then they may wonder if they should be concerned.
