Paramus Looks to Combat Mental Illness Stigma

The community is getting on board of a new initiative to raise awareness about mental illness, working to make Paramus a stigma-free zone.

a borough resident and longtime volunteer of the Paramus-based CarePlus NJ, an advocate and provider of mental health services, is working to get this initiative off the ground. 

"Stigma is a huge problem when it comes to mental illness because many people are ashamed, embaressed and scared," said Uzzi. This prevents many people who suffer from it to avoid seeking help and there are so many people who just don't understand it, she says.

"The whole idea is to educate the community about mental illness and to train people to be aware of the signs, what to look for if one encounters someone having a crisis," explained Uzzi. 

Hoboken became the first city in the nation to declare itself a "stigma-free zone" two years ago which inspried Uzzi to bring this to her own hometown.

The inititiave is in its very early stages but its already received support from the Mayor, the Board of Education and the Chamber of Commerce, reports Uzzi. She says it's quite heartwarming to see so many coming on board already and are excited about getting this off the ground.

Events, programs and activities would be designed to to teach the general public about mental illness, not from a professional point of view but from a layman's perspective. There would also be professional training for school nurses and staff as well, she says.

Uzzi says many don't understand that mental illness begins to show itself between the ages of 14 and 20.

"When it's caught early on it can be so much more treatable than if one waits and the problems get worse and therefore more difficult to treat," she explains about the importance of treatment.

"We want people to be able to be comfortable to talk about their mental illness before it gets worse," says Uzzi about getting treatment as a preventive measure towards good mental health.

Those looking to get involved with the Paramus stigma-free initiative can contact the Paramus Division of Human Services at 201-265-2100, ext 635 or email imaury@paramusborough.org.