Stigma (noun) 1) a: archaic : a scar left by a hot iron : brand b: a mark of shame or discredit : stain c: an identifying mark or characteristic; specifically : a specific diagnostic sign of a disease

That definition from Merriam-Webster probably sums up how a lot of people view mental illness, whether in themselves or someone else.

But it shouldn’t be that way, says one activist in Tennessee.

Colleen Coffey, who’s had anxiety, depression and eating disorders, tells students that they can live a normal life, as long as they get help.
And she’s living proof.

The stigma associated with mental illness doesn’t seem to bother Coffey much, but it does hurt others.
Elizabeth, a graduate student at the University of Chicago, tells the Associated Press that stigma was part of why she went on and off antidepressants for years, until she realized she needed to stay on them.
(As this blog pointed out yesterday, going off medication carelessly is never a good idea.)

Over at Relevant Magazine (where I used to write book reviews), Karen Bowlby gives a bracing account of her encounter with a church that tried to “heal” her of bipolar disorder through prayer alone, implying that if she wanted to be cured, she could be, without medication.
Thankfully, she didn’t listen and has found relief from both science and faith.
But the stigma is even more harmful when it comes wrapped up in spiritual language:

Stigma is an ugly thing. It is shame attached to something considered socially unacceptable. It is isolation, and guilt. However, as ugly as stigma can be, there is nothing uglier than stigma in the Church. It is the opposite of grace in that it judges, condemns and carries out the sentence in the blink of an eye.

These three women should challenge us to rethink how we view mental illness and how we can end the stigma.