The debilitating stigma of mental illness is present in psychologists, psychology departments, and in the larger higher education environment. My reflections on my experience as an African American psychology professor living with bipolar disorder can shed light on how stigma can prevent colleagues from intervening and providing much-needed support to a colleague in crisis. I summarize the history of my struggle with mental illness and with the decision to write about it. I emphasize the importance of vigilance with respect to the fact that changes in medication can rapidly and radically impact one's mood and behavior. My insights as a prosumer can inform administrators, staff, and faculty as they develop policies and practices to assist employees with mental health concerns, which should include providing trusted colleagues with permission to contact a spouse, friend, therapist, and/or family member in the event of a change in behavior. The aim is reduced stigma, greater authenticity on the part of the person living with mental illness, and early intervention, similar to the response one would expect to a heart attack, to interrupt or prevent a prolonged episode of psychological distress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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污名很重要：一位非裔美国心理学教授走出了精神疾病的壁橱。

心理学家、心理学系和更大的高等教育环境中都存在精神疾病令人衰弱的污名。我对作为一名患有双相情感障碍的非裔美国心理学教授的经历的反思可以阐明污名如何阻止同事干预并为处于危机中的同事提供急需的支持。我总结了我与精神疾病斗争的历史，并决定写下它。我强调保持警惕的重要性，因为药物的变化会迅速而彻底地影响一个人的情绪和行为。我作为产消者的见解可以为管理人员、员工和教职员工制定政策和实践以帮助员工解决心理健康问题时提供信息，这应包括允许信任的同事在行为发生变化时联系配偶、朋友、治疗师和/或家庭成员。目的是减少耻辱感，提高精神疾病患者的真实性，以及早期干预，类似于人们对心脏病发作的预期反应，以中断或防止长期的心理困扰。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 (c) 2020 APA，保留所有权利）。