We can’t afford to say the word “sufferer” anymore- Dementia in the Media

The solution to tackling the stigma towards Mental Health isn’t concrete but one thing I have learnt is that we need to start talking about Mental Health in a more positive light.

During COVID we have seen the important is staying informed. We also saw the negative consequences of social media and how it can have a negative impact on our health. The media we consume can have an impact on our behaviour and our thoughts.

Think of it like this, if we continuously see the headline “Dementia Sufferers” when we only the word Dementia what would be the first word that came to mind? See it is as easy as that. There was one interesting newsline I saw that mentioned “stigma” and “sufferers” on the same line. Unbelievable.

We need to be aware of the impact of Dementia but there are people who are living well despite having Dementia.

We cannot afford to use negative language like the word “sufferer” because it creates unrealistic imagery for the world. If we continue to stigmatize those with mental illnesses then they will not attempt to seek professional help because mental health is frowned upon. We need to normalise talking about Mental Health for the greater good.