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Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health
R Further Research: Time to Change
On a positive note, data released in 2014 by Time to Change
about public attitudes towards mental illness showed that:
‘There have been notable attitudinal improvements. For
example, 83% of people now agree that ‘no one has the
right to exclude people with a mental illness from their
neighbourhood’, whereas only 74% agreed in 2008.’
You can find out more about these changes over time by visiting
the following website. Make notes in the space below.
www.socialcare.blog.gov.uk/2014/10/09/public-attitudes-to-
mental-health-have-improved-but-still-more-to-do
For others
People with mental ill health say that the social stigma attached to mental ill health
and the resulting discrimination they experience can make their difficulties worse.
Society in general holds stereotyped views of mental ill health and its effects, and
much of the stigma and discrimination arises from deeply ingrained cultural attitudes
that are passed on from generation to generation. Reporting in the media can worsen
this problem, as mental illness is often linked with violent, dangerous or criminal
behaviours. A picture is often portrayed of a person who is unable to live a normal
life, and this is far from the case.
The national voluntary sector campaign Time to Change aims to change these
stereotypes by changing public attitudes. There are numerous stories on the Time
to Change website that people have shared in the hope that they will help others
to see that difficulties can be overcome.
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