The poll, undertaken by YouGov, is part of a new campaign, Let’s Rethink , launched by national charity Rethink Mental Illness to raise awarenessof the everyday stigma and discrimination faced by those severely affected by mental illness. The poll also showed that sadly nearly a half (49%) wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing a diagnosis with extended family and more than a fifth (21%) wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing their mental illness with immediate family. Chris is supporting this campaign as he has first-hand experience as a primary carer for his dad, Dave , who first started to experience symptoms of schizophrenia in his early 20s.
Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to Burnley Express, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. “I’ve found that people often have a genuine lack of understanding around mental illness. With schizophrenia, for example, there is the common misconception that people think it means you have a split personality.
Even if people understand that there are common symptoms of paranoia and delusions, I don’t think they grasp how those things translate in day-to-day life, and how to support someone who is seeing and hearing things that aren’t really there. “Understanding more about mental illness and what each person needs is so important. My Dad’s illness has shaped his life, from where he lives, to his relationships and how he spends his time.
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