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by: Sonia Devine
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:
* Mentally ill people have a weak character
* Mentally ill people are potentially dangerous.
* People with mental illness should just “snap out of it”
* Mentally
ill people are violent
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.
About The Author
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 http://www.manifest-your-success.com.