Anita Hubner’s Story

Stigma Reduction & Mental Health Consultancy

“Anyone who has ever had a psychosis will never fully recover. You might as well give up your psychology studies. A paid job will be out of reach. You will be dependent on disability benefits for the rest of your life.”

Those were the words of my psychiatrist. I was 21. Admitted to a psychiatric ward due to a psychosis. His words felt like a slap in the face. But I refused to accept them. I graduated anyway. I built a successful career as a psychologist in (forensic) mental health care and as a researcher.

Can you imagine? If I had listened to my psychiatrist back then, I would never have become a psychologist. My life would have taken a very different path.

With over a decade of (lived) experience as a psychologist with an MSc degree, bridging the gap between policy and practice, I am dedicated to amplifying the voices of experts by experience worldwide. I am dedicated to social inclusion, a human rights-based approach and mental health equity.

My work is rooted in a seven-year tenure on the advisory board for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) at the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights, where I advised on the implementation of human rights of neurodivergent people with or people with mental health issues at a national level.

As an international keynote speaker—including a high-level address in Brussels at the invitation of the Czech government—I strive to bring complex themes of mental health and stigma reduction to life on the global political stage. My previous work in The Netherlands with ‘’Samen Sterk zonder Stigma’’ (the Dutch equivalent of Global Mental Health Action Network) laid the foundation for my current mission: sharing this vital knowledge through an international online program and speaking engagements across the globe.

KEYNOTE ''CLAIM THE FUTURE"", EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, BRUSSELS

As previously mentioned, I am honoured to have been keynote speaker at The European Year of Youth (EYY) conference “Claim the futureˮ on 6 December 2022 in the European Parliament in Brussels. The event was co-organized by the Czech presidency of the Council of the EU 2022, the European Commission and the European Parliament. The conference took place at the Hemicycle, European Parliament, Paul-Henri Spaak Building, Rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60, B-1047, Brussels.

Please share your reflections on what you've learned and you would like to share with our global community.

As a psychologist, you learn to diagnose mental disorders. You are trained to think within a medical model. Gradually, we are seeing a shift from the medical model towards a social and human rights model. The patient-centered view—"The person is ill and must adapt"—is shifting toward supporting full citizenship: "What can we do in the environment so that everyone can participate?" In fact, inclusive participation is not a favor; it is a right.

There is a growing realization: the mental vulnerability or disability is not the problem. The problem is how society is organized. It is inaccessible and designed for people without vulnerabilities or disabilities. We must make society accessible so that everyone can participate independently. However, the greatest barrier of all lies between the ears: there are many prejudices regarding people with mental vulnerabilities or disabilities. Break the stigma, and suddenly everything becomes possible. Inclusive participation is not a favor; it is a human right. This is the vision of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

In concrete terms, this means that I am dedicated, heart and soul, to securing paid work for people with mental vulnerabilities or disabilities. Employment and financial stability are essential conditions for living independently. Inclusive participation is not a favor; it is a human right.

MEETING WITH MARK RUTTE, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF THE NETHERLANDS

In 2014, the Dutch Ministry of Health organized a national conference focused on breaking the stigma surrounding mental vulnerability. The event was opened by Mark Rutte, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands and current Secretary General of NATO.

I had the honor of meeting him just before the conference. We were interviewed together on TV about this topic, where I shared my personal experiences. It was a nerve-wracking moment for me, as this conference and media appearance marked my public "coming out."

To my surprise, Mark Rutte began his opening speech with my personal story—how the stigma I faced from my own psychiatrist almost prevented me from becoming a psychologist. He used it to illustrate the importance of breaking barriers and focusing on the talents of people with mental vulnerabilities, especially in the labor market.

While choosing openness was intimidating, seeing the impact it made makes me deeply grateful that I pushed past my fear and shame.

Here is the link to the TV interview with Mark Rutte at the conference. In this interview, we discussed the importance of breaking the silence surrounding mental health struggles. It was a special moment where the Prime Minister and I spoke openly about our perspectives on destigmatization.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qX6HVo3Vkw

What has been your favourite moment as a member of GMHAN?

My goal is to bridge the gap between policy and human experience, and I am looking for partnerships like GMHAN to share this vision internationally. Within the network, I want to focus more on breaking the stigma in mental health care. Through my professional experience as a psychologist and my own lived experience, I can effectively explain the dynamics of stigma in mental healthcare.

It works like this: psychiatrists and psychologists see people when they are in crisis, when there is danger, or when they experience a relapse. As a result, they may believe that recovery is not possible. What they don't realize is that the majority of people recover well. There are many people who were admitted and diagnosed when they were young, but who later recovered, graduated, and found good jobs. However, out of fear of stigma, they will never talk about it. Therefore, they "do not exist."

This phenomenon is known as Clinician's Bias: your clinical experience provides a distorted view of the recovery perspective. Psychiatrists and psychologists do their work with the best of intentions, but they are often unaware of this dynamic.

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