. For the public education to be a success, the strategy should ensure that the goal of reducing stigma is to enhance and improve the lives of the mentally ill people while at the same time promoting their recovery and resilience (CMHA BC Division 2005,) Public education is one key approach in dealing with stigma but may not free the society from the stigma. Therefore, it is equally necessary to fight the stigma from inside out. This can be achieved by supporting consumer empowerment and family organizations, creating strong systems of support and service with staff that can offer hope and acceptance as well as building strong communities. These broad approaches may go beyond changing the beliefs and attitudes of the people, while empowering
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In the past, consumers have used their strengths and voices to establish their niche in the community, supported one another, advocate for their needs and worked towards recovery. Their constituency with courage and strength counters the erroneous public attitudes. In the same way, the organization of families facing stigmatizing attitude can also be used to give light to their community members. They can turn the embarrassment into positive actions on behalf of each other as well as their family members. By using the family organizations, they can effectively manage to deliver positive messages to the general public. (Corrigan, 2005) Through their actions, they can turn the negative public attitude into positive perceptions. Furthermore, the anti-stigma war can be won by promoting interpersonal and proximity connections. This facilitates the public and the mentally ill people to connect regularly. Research suggests that fostering connection between the mentally ill people and the general public benefits all parties. The ill people enhance their recovery process while the connection also reduces the public negative beliefs and fears about this population. (Overton & Medina, 2008) There should be many programs developed to foster the inclusion of the mentally ill people into the community. Through such programs, the public can eventually get to know these people as their co-workers, neighbors and friends. In Nigeria, this can be achieved through the development of interdepartmental linkages at the national and local government levels for development of joint policies that promote recovery and inclusion for those with mental
In the past, consumers have used their strengths and voices to establish their niche in the community, supported one another, advocate for their needs and worked towards recovery. Their constituency with courage and strength counters the erroneous public attitudes. In the same way, the organization of families facing stigmatizing attitude can also be used to give light to their community members. They can turn the embarrassment into positive actions on behalf of each other as well as their family members. By using the family organizations, they can effectively manage to deliver positive messages to the general public. (Corrigan, 2005) Through their actions, they can turn the negative public attitude into positive perceptions. Furthermore, the anti-stigma war can be won by promoting interpersonal and proximity connections. This facilitates the public and the mentally ill people to connect regularly. Research suggests that fostering connection between the mentally ill people and the general public benefits all parties. The ill people enhance their recovery process while the connection also reduces the public negative beliefs and fears about this population. (Overton & Medina, 2008) There should be many programs developed to foster the inclusion of the mentally ill people into the community. Through such programs, the public can eventually get to know these people as their co-workers, neighbors and friends. In Nigeria, this can be achieved through the development of interdepartmental linkages at the national and local government levels for development of joint policies that promote recovery and inclusion for those with mental