"Stigmatization: Stay Aware" event was held at Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital on 07.05.2024 within the scope of Social Responsibility project carried out by the lecturer of Assist. Prof. Dr Feride Ercan as project coordinator and in cooperation with the lecturer Dr. Nurcan Düzgün from the department of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, Nursing Faculty of Gazi University. The event was held with the contributions of Ankara Provincial Health Directorate Yıldırım Beyazıt University Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital Community Mental Health Center team. At the event, the stand opened and aimed to raise awareness about mental disorders and stigmatization with the contributions of Nurse Derya Pelir, Social Worker Ayşe Er Fazlıoğlu form Community Mental Health Center and 4th year intern nursing students Gamze Varlı, Büşra Akbuğa, Rabia Sarıkaya and Merve Akgül from the Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences.
Within the scope of the event, the focus was on raising awareness about Mental Disorders in the society, initiating behavioral change, and changing the language and behavioral habits of the society that marginalize individuals with mental disorders and push them out of social life.
Within the scope of raising awareness about mental disorders, the information was given on the subjects of “What is a mental disorder, what are the symptoms experienced by individuals with mental disorders, the importance of supporting individuals during the treatment process, the importance of individuals with mental disorders existing in social life, what is stigmatization, what are the problems that patients and their relatives may experience as a result of stigmatization, what are the effects of internalized stigmatization that patients may experience?, What are the institutions that individuals with mental disorders can apply to?” and questions from patients, patient relatives and hospital employees were answered. Brochures prepared during the event were distributed for informational purposes. The event, which attracted great interest from the society, ended with the hospital management and clients expressing their gratitude and satisfaction.