Have you ever experienced rejection or judgment from others who believed you were distinct from others? Perhaps you have been treated unfairly? What impact did this have on you?
Maybe you experienced fear, embarrassment, loneliness, or miscommunication. That is how stigma could feel.
What is mental illness stigma?
When someone labels you, it’s because they believe you have a mental disease. When someone labels you, it’s because they believe you have a mental disease. Whenever people try to treat you unfairly, that is because they know about your mental health condition, which is known as discrimination. Social stigma and discrimination are the main reasons for mental health problems. When individuals carry this stigma then gradually it turns into their external behavior, which could be violence.
Examples of mental illness stigma:
The stigma around mental illness can be seen in remarks like such-
1) Akhi is a university student in the textile engineering department. She is an introverted girl. When anyone asked her to do their group project or presentation slides, she was never able to say “No, I can’t. Because this is a group project, then why I will do it alone”. Not only this, but because of her not talking nature, she couldn’t make a single friend in the last 2.5 years. Of this gradually she felt depressed, her feelings got worse, and having a hard time staying at university. Rather than being classified as sick anxiety sufferers are sometimes called weak and assured they should “snap out of it.” It is possible to characterize people with mental illness as violent.
2) One of the girls whose name is Jakia, is very decent and hears the issues about herself “Your skin color is very dull”, ” you are ugly”, and “You don’t know the right way how to talk?” etc., etc, which hurt her. As an introvert, she doesn’t know how to reply to these words. But she feels hurt the most when her family compares her with her beautiful younger sister. She eventually became depressed as a result, and one day she decided to end her life.
3) “Oh you are so ugly”, “don’t wear the black dress because you are already so dull”, “why don’t you understand any simple sentence at one time”, and “How fat you are” Include mocking or labeling someone with a mental condition as weak for asking for support.
Why does stigma exist?
Stigma comes from a lack of knowledge about mental illness caused by false information and illiteracy. Additionally, it may occur as a result of stigma or negative beliefs held by some in mental illness. This may result in judgment. The media may have a role in the propagation of stigmatization. For instance, if certain publications associate mental illness with violence, it perpetuates the false notion that all persons suffering from mental problems are violent. According to studies, people with mental illnesses are more likely to be the targets of violence than to be those who commit crimes.
How can I deal with stigma?
Openly discuss mental health. Positive content can now be found in excess on social media. Educate both yourself and other people. Share facts and personal experiences to challenge misunderstanding and insults. Remind others that how you speak matters by being attentive to it.
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Writer
Akhi Akter
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE