What is Stigma?
Stigma is the use of stereotypes and labels when describing someone, and it is often attached to people who suffer from mental health issues. We don't fully understand how the brain works yet, but one thing we DO know is that it is an organ. Yet our society doesn't readily accept brain disorders the way we accept other organ disorders. Why is this so?
Stigma is a harsh reality for people who have mental health problems, because it prevents them from enjoying a normal and productive life. So many people today feel uncomfortable about mental health issues, despite the fact that there is growing evidence that more and more people are developing these problems. In fact, many people are so uncomfortable with the stigma that they would rather suffer in silence than get help they need.
Here are a few of the most common misconceptions about mental health problems:
The media has only further fuelled our distorted beliefs about mental health issues. Frequently, characters on television and in the movies that have a mental illness are depicted as dangerous, unpredictable and violent.
What Are the Effects of Stigma?
If you became ill you would go to a doctor. Once you got better, you would expect to get on with life as usual. But it's not that easy for people who suffer from mental illness. Often, they can suffer from persistent rejections and exclusions by ill-informed members of the community. Some people have been denied loans, health insurance and jobs because of their history of mental health issues. Consequently, these people lose their self confidence and may develop further anxiety or depression, on top of the issues they are already facing.
I witnessed this first hand many years ago, when my brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The majority of his friends deserted him; they weren't able to comprehend or cope with his altered personality and erratic behaviour. Within months he went from being a popular, vivacious and outgoing young man to a shattered, isolated loner. Over the following months, I watched my brother sink deeper into debilitating depression, which ultimately became so unbearable that he took his own life.
What Can We Do?
All of us have times when we feel depressed, anxious or angry. We might even have a series of bad days, where we think that nothing will ever go right for us and the world is against us. For a mentally ill person, these feelings do not go away.
So the answer lies in education and understanding. If you know someone who seems very emotional, down or upset, then lead by example; show compassion and understanding, and encourage them to seek help. And if you're suffering silently yourself, take comfort in the fact that you're not alone and that there is hope.
*** You are licensed to publish this article free of charge, on condition that the author's name is included, and the link to her website remains visible and clickable to human readers, and as long as the links can be read and followed by the search engine spiders. ***
Sonia Devine is a qualified professional hypnotherapist and success coach with a caring and committed approach to healing, who lives in Melbourne, Australia. You can find more of her information on mental health, self image, love, relationships, phobias and much more on her website Manifest Your Success
INTRODUCTION Everybody has a story. My... Read More
Millions of people sufferaround the world from a depressive illness.... Read More
Many of us feel depressed at one time or another,... Read More
According to the June 7th issue of the Wall Street... Read More
It has just been announced, after a study by a... Read More
Many illnesses, emotional and otherwise, are often said to be... Read More
A zoo attendant entered a lion cage carrying only a... Read More
What do you do when your fears and depression are... Read More
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a... Read More
It amazes me that 6-10 million Americans have been diagnosed... Read More
Being lonely is a normal part of our everyday lives.... Read More
Andropause correlates directly with depression ? a major player in... Read More
We all suffer with bad moods from time to time.... Read More
What is Stigma? Stigma is the use of stereotypes and... Read More
Nancy was doing very well until about two years ago... Read More
Maria has been feeling depressed for at least two and... Read More
In every moment of our life we have the choice... Read More
Depression is the most prevalent of all the emotional disorders.... Read More
It seems unreal, another major storm hitting Florida after experiencing... Read More
There's a dangerous illness afflicting women everywhere across the nation.... Read More
Scientologists believe that chemical imbalances do not exist. In their... Read More
When artiste Leslie Cheung committed suicide, he left behind a... Read More
While depression is a growing epidemic in western society, it... Read More
When we have depression, one of the things we drop... Read More
Approximately 19 million American adult workers allow depression to limit... Read More
Schizophrenia suffers around the world have benefitted greatly with the... Read More
When most people hear the words American Indian, visions of... Read More
"Thanks for Noticin' Me" says Eeyore. He walks slowly. He... Read More
Final FDA approval of vagus nerve stimulation as a therapy... Read More
I heard about a woman who was suffering from depression,... Read More
It is true that forms of depression cannot be avoided,... Read More
Suresh was a worried person when he came to me... Read More
When suffering from clinical depression, people have different ways of... Read More
A zoo attendant entered a lion cage carrying only a... Read More
There is an illness all around me in modern society... Read More
Schizophrenia suffers around the world have benefitted greatly with the... Read More
FDA confirms some antidepressants increase suicide risk in some children.... Read More
When a person undertakes a course of therapy through their... Read More
Have you read the famous quote, "Every struggle is a... Read More
While it is arguable that depression is not always preventable,... Read More
Psychological well-being is something that we all have a right... Read More
Many illnesses, emotional and otherwise, are often said to be... Read More
Unfortunately, millions of Americans currently suffer from the debilitating effects... Read More
A major symposium about vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment... Read More
Many people who are suffering from mild to moderate depression,... Read More
The Law of PermanenceSuicide is always a permanent solution to... Read More
World Health Organisation states one out of four worldwide suffer... Read More
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Treatment-Resistant Depression About Vagus Nerve... Read More
Winter time is depression time for many women. Perhaps it... Read More
"Thanks for Noticin' Me" says Eeyore. He walks slowly. He... Read More
It amazes me that 6-10 million Americans have been diagnosed... Read More
If you are like me ...you love your sleep!Sleep deprivation... Read More
Looking for a way to reduce the amount of worrying... Read More
Typical signs of depression actually show a change in the... Read More
"Ring, ring." The crisis operator answers the phone to a... Read More
Depression is the most prevalent disease of our time. Under... Read More
When artiste Leslie Cheung committed suicide, he left behind a... Read More
According to the World Health Organization, 4 of the 10... Read More
Having lived with a depressed partner for 3 years and... Read More
Depression has long been considered a character flaw indicative of... Read More
When most people hear the words American Indian, visions of... Read More
Suresh was a worried person when he came to me... Read More
Vagus nerve stimulation is more effective than antidepressants and is... Read More
Depression is a serious illness, not a harmless part of... Read More
What's curious is that most of them will be on... Read More
A major survey on depression symptoms from the National Mental... Read More
Depression |