No judgement

How can I tell if I’m being judgemental?

There are two main types of judging behaviour.

There’s the type when we treat others differently solely because of their mental health, singling them out as different, strange or someone to avoid. There’s also the type where we turn that judgement on ourselves, leading to feelings of shame and low self-esteem, among other things.

Judging someone else might include:

• Avoiding that person
• Making fun of them
• Seeing their behaviour as attention seeking
• Holding other negative thoughts about them
• Using language that might hurt their feelings

How can judging other people affect them?

Judging someone can have similar effects to other forms of discrimination. People describe feeling isolated, ashamed, misunderstood, criticised and demeaned. Judging can also result in people being less likely to talk about what they’re going through and ask for the help they need.

Is this kind of discrimination a big problem?

Despite attitudes about sexuality, ethnicity and similar issues improving, discrimination against people with mental health problems is still widespread. 7 in 10 young people who have experienced a mental health problem say they have been discriminated against by friends.

What can you do?

There are lots of small things we can do that make a big difference to someone who’s experiencing a mental health problem. Find out how you can play your part.