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Logan exhibit aims to deconstruct stigma surrounding mental illness – Metro US

Logan exhibit aims to deconstruct stigma surrounding mental illness

Logan exhibit aims to deconstruct stigma surrounding mental illness
DeconstructingStigma.org

A 36-year-old who had his first panic attack at 13. A bipolar soap star who has been on medication for 30 years. Two sisters struggling with depression and anxiety.

These are not the usual subjects on posters travelers might expect to see lining the hallways of Logan Airport, but that’s exactly why “Deconstructing Stigma: A Change in Thought Can Change a Life” is there.

“Told through the eyes of its participants, ‘Deconstructing Stigma’ boldly tears down the misconceptions of what those with mental illness look like,” the installation’s website says. “They are more than just statistics or nameless faces. They are mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, lawyers, doctors, engineers, musicians and more.”

The exhibit features dozens of portraits with text explaining how the photo’s first-name-only subject has struggled with mental illness. Some faces may be recognizable, like “America’s Got Talent” judge Howie Mandel or “General Hospital” actor Maurice Benard, but many are not.

“Each one has been affected by mental illness, and each one has also faced stigma,” the website said.

“Deconstructing Stigma” was developed by McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School’s largest psychiatric affiliate, and its partners, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the International OCD Foundation, Massachusetts Association of Mental Health, the National Alliance for Mental Health and Project 375.

It will be on display at Logan Airport indefinitely.