We are one week away from the Bell Let’s Talk day and at Springboard we are thinking and talking a lot about the impact of stigma.
Many of our adult clients’ mental health symptoms have been exasperated by feelings of judgment and shame. And too often, we hear stories from clients who have felt labelled from an early age for their challenges with attention, emotional reactivity, focus and mood. They were identified as a “class clown,” or a quiet “daydreamer”, but in reality they were often as confused as everyone else about why they couldn’t keep up. They continuously disappointed themselves and those around them and struggled to follow through with their intentions for as long as they can remember. By the time we see them at the clinic, they are usually exhausted by it all.