Antistigma Program Shows Power of Taking Control

Actress Mariel Hemingway (left) presents a Voice Award in August 2006 to Stamp Out Stigma founder Carmen Lee for her efforts to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Photo credit: Larry Merkle

Eve Bender writes about the Stamp Out Stigma (SOS) program in the June 1st edition of Psychiatric News:

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The program has also helped panelist Ina Pottorff, 47, who lives in Foster City, Calif., to understand her experiences with mental illness over the years by relaying her story to others.

Pottorff described herself as a moody teenager who was misdiagnosed with depression as an adult.

When she was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder and treated with a combination of medicines, she began to become more stable.

Throughout her life, Pottorff has been no stranger to stigma. For instance, during one of her first encounters with psychiatric emergency services at a county hospital in California, an intake nurse asked her about her educational level. Pottorff truthfully replied that she had a master's degree in criminology, and when asked about work, she told the nurse that she'd worked for the National Park Service and had been stationed at the White House.

The nurse turned around and scribbled on her chart, speaking aloud as she did, according to Pottorff.

"Thinks she was a tour guide at the White House. Is delusional," the nurse said, and took steps to have the baffled patient committed to the hospital involuntarily.

Said Pottorff, "I protested and told the nurse that I was telling the truth—that I'd show them my plaques and awards at home," but the nurse wouldn't hear of it.

These days she relays this story to audiences and usually gets a chuckle. But she also gets much more from her audiences.

"For years I thought I was the only one who was sick, who felt isolated, who couldn't get along with other people, and who could barely function," she told Psychiatric News. "Through SOS, I have learned that I am not alone."