Mental health stigma occurs often with people who do not understand mental health disorders or who judge others for having them. People with mental health stigma might face stigma and might be viewed negatively, or treated differently and are made to feel worthless or shamed, as if they are less than normal people.
Stigma also leads to discrimination thus making the illness worse. One of the examples of mental health illness is when someone suffering from mental health illness is considered dangerous, incompetent, or crazy.
It is also called mental health stigma when a person having mental illness is mocked and considered weak for asking for help. Stigma often includes imperfect stereotypes. People dealing with mental health illness might be characterized as being violent as compared to the rest of society.
A person facing anxiety might be labeled as behaving cowardly rather than having an illness. Then people with schizophrenia are improperly described as having a split personality.
However, as more mental health research is conducted and awareness is spread throughout the population, more people are beginning to seek care without fear of judgment or shame.
Why there is a mental health stigma?
Mental health stigma arises because of no proper understanding of mental illness, or simply as a result of ignorance and misleading information. In addition, people also have negative attitudes or opinions towards it. This results in discrimination against people having mental health illnesses. Several mental health professionals also have negative opinions of the people they care for.
Media also has an important role in causing mental health stigma by
- Depicting incorrect stereotypes about people having mental illness
- Exaggerating situations through unjustified references towards mental health illness.
- Making use of demeaning or hostile language.
Effect of mental health stigma on people with mental illness
A person who is suffering from mental health illness and is stigmatized might be treated negatively by those who don’t understand or condemn people with mental disorders. They are excluded from several things the rest of the society takes things for granted, thereby leaving them marginalized.
They are labelled by their illness thereby becoming vulnerable to discrimination. Coping with the effects of discrimination is worrying and can worsen mental illness. A lot of people say managing this is more difficult than dealing with the mental illness itself.
People with mental health illness might embrace the prejudiced opinions of others which has an impact on their self-esteem. They might feel ashamed leading them not to look for treatment, withdraw from society, and start abusing alcohol and drugs.
Strategies to deal with mental health stigma
You do not have to face mental health struggles all alone. Have a look at some of the strategies for coping with stigmas efficiently.
- Seek professional assistance: The more time you take to reach out for professional help, the more mental health problems can have an impact on your quality of life. With the assistance of a skilled professional in Orange County mental health treatment, you can proceed with some steps toward a better understanding of what you are struggling with and what you can do to deal with it.
When you have a mental illness, a trained professional can assist you in understanding all options for treatment. Talk through the stigma that you are experiencing and it is powerful.
- Avoid negative self-talk: Pay attention to how you are speaking to yourself, even in your mind. The things that we say to ourselves, can become the narrative of what we consider ourselves. If you are consistently judging and complaining about yourself, there is a high chance of believing the messages you are telling yourself.
Such kinds of negative thoughts generate pathways in your mind that emphasize themselves and make it hard to change or move forward. Try to utilize positive affirmations to reinforce good and bring a change to your thought patterns.
- Do not isolate yourself: Mental health stigma often sustains in the dark and quiet recesses of your mind. While it might be tempting to not interact with anyone, you can challenge yourself to connect with others. Set up a goal, start small, and build on it.
For instance, you can reach out to your friend at least once or twice a week. You can simply text “hi” as a start. This will seem bigger as well as intimidating in your mind than it is, especially if you have isolated yourself for a while. Then gradually, you will build larger interactions with other people.
- Keep in mind you are not your illness: It is tempting to own your illness based on how you are talking and thinking about it. But separating it a little can offer less power. Just reframing it a bit, “you are not broken, but you are experiencing a low mental well-being”. Rather than thinking that you are an anxious person, think I have some anxiety symptoms. It might seem like a simple differentiation but you truly are what you tell yourselves.
- Be a part of a support group: There are several support groups for those who are managing mental health and family members supporting them. When you join a support group, it gives you the power to manage the feelings of loneliness and offers a reminder that you are not suffering alone.
- Work on your mental fitness: Whether you are struggling because of mental illness or some mental health problems, you can create and reinforce skills that assist you in maintaining and enhancing your mental health. Practices for mental fitness that build up your resilience, flexibility, stress tolerance, and compassion are not cure but they will offer you a strong foundation for facing mental health problems.
Take the first step for addressing your mental health stigmas
Mental health stigma shows up in both evident and also elusive ways. It is vital to identify it so that you can take some steps to limit its impact on you and those who are around you if it is affecting you, you can name it, speak about it, and look for supportive people to join your pathway as you work on mental health.
Struggling with your mental health does not imply that you are fragile. Rather, with the assistance of your coaches, having a better understanding of your mental health is the initial step for building mental fitness. It is the development of tools and confidence for flourishing, no matter where you are.