The Board of Directors of the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry voted in February to present its 2017 Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award to Dr. John Lion for his piece, “Steadfast talking is the only cure for suicide” published December 18, 2016 in the Baltimore Sun. The board felt it reassured readers that even serious mental illness like depression can be overcome, even if there are setbacks along the way that evoke suicidal thoughts.
The award was established to recognize the article that best fulfills the following goals:
Shares with the public their experience with mental illness in themselves, a family member, or simply in the community.
Helps others to overcome their inability to talk about mental illness or their own mental illness.
Imparts particularly insightful observations on the general subject of mental illness.
A Maryland author and/or newspaper is preferred.
The award carries a $500 prize which the foundation plans to award at the April 27 Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting. The 2016 winner was Amy Marlow, whose article “My dad killed himself when I was 13. He hid his depression. I won’t hide mine.” was published February 9, 2016 in the Washington Post.