Everyone has mental health, and everyone should be able to feel that they are not feel that they are treated unfairly if they are facing difficult times.
Between Monday 10th March – Friday 14th March (Excluding Wednesday 12th March), across the Aylesbury, High Wycombe, and Uxbridge campus, we will be running stalls for students to join in to break the stigma around mental health. These stalls will provide facts, information and signposting around mental health.
- Mind (2024) found that 1 in 4 people will experience a Mental Health problem.
- The Mental Health Foundation (2024) shared that 20% of adolescents may experience a Mental Health problem in any year.
- Students Minds (2024) reported that nearly 50% of young people enter higher education, with approximately 1 in 4 reporting having a diagnosed Mental Health Issue whilst at university, and 1 in 4 students don’t know where to get Mental Health Support.
Here at Bucks Students Union, we offer the Advice Centre. This service is free for students to use to get free confidential advice, guidance, and support. They can get support on issues/concerns relating to academic, accommodation, finance, legal, personal and policies. With offices at the Uxbridge and High Wycombe campuses, they offer in person, telephone, and online appointments.
Buckinghamshire New University is also a part of the University Mental Health Charter (UMHC), which is a scheme to support student mental health and ensure they can get the support they need. BNU offers the Counselling, Student Hub, and Inclusion and Disability services to provide support.
Everyone has mental health, and everyone should be able to feel that they are not feel that they are treated unfairly if they are facing difficult times.
Nearly 9 out of 10 people who have a diagnosis of a mental health illness, will say that stigmas and discrimination have had a negative impact on their lives. Stigmas and discrimination can sometimes make someone’s mental health worse, delay or stop them from getting support and help (Mental Health Foundation, 2024).
Scotland’s ‘See Me’ movement, found that only 47% of individuals would feel confident to challenge stigma and discrimination (See Me, 2025). Whilst this may sound like a positive number, to effectively break the stigma and show support to individuals who may be going through a difficult time, the number should be higher.
What is a Stigma?
Regarding mental health, “a stigma is a negative belief or attitude based on a preconception, misunderstanding or fear of mental health” (See Me, 2025). A stigma plays into making a judgment on someone/something based on an already established individual idea (e.g. Individuals with OCD are neat freaks or believing that someone is violent because they have a mental illness, as is often portrayed on screen (tv/film).
There are four main types of stigma:
- Self-stigma – A judgement a person puts on themselves, often because of hearing or seeing stigma/discrimination externally. (e.g. thinking themselves uncapable of completing certain tasks, which can lead to frustrations, withdrawn and low confidence)
- Stigma by association – a person connected to people with mental health concerns (e.g. family or friends)
- Structural Stigma – when policies, rules, and practices of institutions restrict the rights and opportunities. (e.g. policy wording)
- Public Stigma – also known a prejudice when people create an opinion before being aware and understanding the facts. These prejudices can develop negative connotations and may lead to negative impacts on individuals with mental health concerns.
Stigma may not be intended but it still has an impact!
Stigmas can lead to discrimination, which can make you feel like you don’t matter, frustration, and feelings of isolation. No one should be judged, least of all because of mental health. There can be many impacts to a person because of stigmas, this could be withdrawal, isolation, fear about opening up about concerns, and low self-esteem, to name a few.
Stigmas can happen anywhere, in any aspect of life; at work, during your weekly shop, in healthcare or relationships. Individuals who experience a stigma may fear facing it again and this can lead to withdrawal.
Sometimes, people are unaware of the impact their behaviour and words can have on other people. They may not mean harm, but conversation about the situation could make them more aware and help them not make the mistake again.
However, stigmas can crop up in daily life, in conversation and in the media. Phrases like “There are people worse off”, “I’m a bit OCD about that” and “man-up” can diminish individuals who live with a mental illness. Photos of individuals clutching their heads or costumes which reinforce stereotypes, could also impact those living with a mental illness.
Challenging stigmas and behaviours
Knowing, understanding, and identifying stigmas is one aspect of breaking the stigma around mental health. But to challenge them?
- Be aware of your own behaviour and actions, and others’. Avoid making judgements based off a diagnosis, and don’t try to avoid people who have a diagnosis, they are the same person.
- Don’t ignore or dismiss someone asking for help. It could be easy to dismiss their behaviour as seeking attention, but typically asking for help is the first stage to recovery.
- Understand that opening up about mental health can be scary and daunting; don’t show frustrations, let the individual share when they are ready. You can start a conversation with them by asking them if they are ok. This shows that you are ready to listen and not judge.
- Don’t treat people differently because of their mental health diagnosis. Making individuals feel different can hinder recovery progress and negatively impact mental health also, adding self-doubt about themselves. We all have mental health, which is ever changing.
It can be daunting to challenge someone else and their actions, but it can be done.
It’s good to know some facts about mental health, so in conversations you can dispel any myths they may believe. You can read more information about stigmas here: https://www.seemescotland.org/stigma-discrimination/understanding-mental-health-stigma-and-discrimination
Scotland’s See Me campaign have a page on information regarding lived experiences of stigmas different mental health conditions. You can read that information here. https://www.seemescotland.org/stigma-discrimination/stigma-relating-to-individual-mental-health-conditions
Remember mental health is nothing to be ashamed of. It can be frustrating and upsetting in a situation where people are using misconception against you. These misconceptions are not a reflection of your person. Stigma can be overcome with the right information, and sharing facts and experiences, if you are comfortable.
If you are comfortable, share your story. You could say you are open to talking about mental health (this could be from a personal or secondary perspective – you know someone with a diagnosis). This could help clear any misconceptions or answer any questions.
Challenge stigma by having social contact. Have conversations with others, listen to what they are telling you. You can also read or watch to listen about another person’s experiences to educate too. By contacting socially, you can focus on the person and not the label they are given. Avoiding any negative assumption associated with it. Having a conversation can boost confidence and show others that you are ready listen. You can find out more here: https://www.seemescotland.org/stigma-discrimination/talking-about-mental-health or here: https://timetotalkday.co.uk/tips-to-talk/
Educating yourself and others about the facts of mental health helps to dispel myths and negative associations with mental health. This supports you and others to understand and support others who are living with mental health illnesses.
Stigmas can have negative impacts and you can challenge them as you see or hear them.
Join us in ‘breaking the stigma’ by heading to one of our stalls based in Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Uxbridge.
You can read more here about stigmas and support:
https://www.seemescotland.org/stigma-discrimination
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/mental-health-problems-introduction/stigma-misconceptions/
You can also reach out to us too!