• Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
No Result
View All Result

Why Do We Feel Menta Illness Self-Stigma? How Do We Fight It? – Bipolar Burble Blog

January 11, 2023


Mental illness self-stigma is essential to recognize. Stigma is a very popular word in mental health advocacy circles. People talk nonstop about the effects of stigma, stigma, stigma. However, self-stigma gets somewhat less press. I don’t know if that’s because it’s people with mental illness talking to other people with mental illness about self-stigma (as opposed to advocates who may or may not have an illness) or because people just don’t like to cop to perceived weakness, but self-stigma is real, harmful, and something we ought to be talking about.

Mental Illness Stigma

According to Dictionary.com, stigma is defined as:

“a mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one’s reputation.”

So, when people talk about mental illness stigma, what they mean is the notion that having a mental illness is somehow disgraceful. This, of course, is just an idea; it’s no more true than the idea that people with bipolar disorder are geniuses.

That said, mental illness stigma is pretty prolific in Western society. Much of this is leftover history from when people with mental illnesses were hidden away and put in insane asylums.

It’s also another example of “othering.” It’s an “us-vs-them” mentality. By nature, humans categorize stimuli in their environment, so it’s natural to put unusual people (say, those with mental illnesses) into their own category — the “others.” And then, because we tend to be scared of what we don’t understand, we treat that category as a threat and “them.” (This is part of what leads to the “othering” of people with other differences too.)

Finally, mental illnesses are, well, illnesses. So, naturally, people tend to want to dissociate from those who are sick lest they, themselves, become sick. Yes, of course, mental illness is not in any way contagious, but we’re talking about the reptilian brain here. It’s working to protect us, even against logic.

Mental Illness Stigma’s Relationship to Self-Stigma

People with mental illness live in the same society as everyone else, and just like everyone else, they are exposed to messages of mental illness stigma. So, when you average person becomes scared of a person with schizophrenia due to horrendous media messaging, for example, the person with schizophrenia gets the same messages and is subject to the same feelings. True, the person with schizophrenia should know that the messages are inaccurate, but when you hear a falsehood repeatedly, it sure starts to sound true. When a person starts to believe they are scary because of an illness, that’s self-stigma.

Take another example. People with bipolar disorder are often depicted as dangerous, with uncontrollable behavior. We are considered to be toxic in relationships. And while people without bipolar disorder are often given this message and believe it because they don’t know better, it’s actually pretty normal for some people with bipolar disorder to internalize that message too. Again, if you hear over and over that because of an illness, you’re toxic, you may start to believe it. Again, this is self-stigma.

The development of mental illness self-stigma in this way is so common and normal. You’re fighting the view of a whole society. Of course, that influences your own view of yourself.

Self-Stigma from Other Factors

While I think most self-stigma comes from the above, I think mental illness self-stigma can be created internally too. Just because we are sick, we may also feel broken and like an “other” no matter how fairly people treat us. This is perfectly normal. It’s tough to integrate the reality of a sick brain into any type of semi-normal life. Acceptance of mental illness is a process, and self-stigma can be pretty prevalent before acceptance is achieved.

And let’s not forget many people experience depression, and depression wants you to hate yourself. It wants you to buy into self-stigma.

Mental Illness Self-Stigma Is Prevalent and Pernicious

I have experienced mental illness self-stigma. It wasn’t as clear-cut as the above examples, but I certainly have felt lesser-than because of bipolar disorder. I have felt the “disgrace” of having a mental illness — no matter how much that disgrace isn’t real. And that’s me, mental-health-advocate-me, mental-illness-researcher-me. If anyone in the world can tell you about mental illness — that it’s a brain illness and in no way the fault of the sufferer, that mental illness does not, de facto, equal dangerous, that people with mental illness can be in happy relationships — it’s me. I can recite chapter and verse about mental illness, and yet I have fallen victim to self-stigma.

And I have found that even seeing self-stigma in myself doesn’t mean I can easily root it out. Self-stigma takes hold, and it’s difficult to get rid of even with a more honest and enlightened viewpoint.

Fighting Mental Illness Self-Stigma

As I said, self-stigma is real, common, and normal. It also can be hard to deal with in all its manifestation. That said, it’s worth fighting to get your self-worth back.

To fight mental illness self-stigma, try this:

  1. Look inward for evidence of self-stigma. Look for beliefs around mental illness that are negative. Look for beliefs that you know are false but feel real. Look for ways you feel bad about yourself because of your mental illness. Examples include things like, “I’m unloveable because of my mental illness,” “I can’t make friends because of my mental illness,” ” I can’t keep a job because of having a mental illness,” and so on.
  2. Write down evidence of your mental illness self-stigma. Writing down these thoughts and seeing them in black and white often makes it clear how false they are.
  3. Write a counterthought for each one. Write down something you can say to yourself to fight that narrative of each statement of self-stigma. For example, “I am a loveable human being. Mental illness doesn’t change my inherent loveability,” “Making friends is difficult for me, but it’s impossible. My mental illness doesn’t make me a bad friend,” “I have a hard time keeping a job because I am sick, but I know with the right job and right accommodations, I can be a good employee,” and so on. It’s not about being fake or stating blanket affirmations, it’s about acknowledging how mental illness affects you while being clear that it doesn’t define you in your totality.
  4. Practice saying your counterthoughts to yourself when things are good. You might find it hard to believe your counterthoughts at first. Practice saying them to yourself when you’re in a good place to start believing them.
  5. Repeat your counterthoughts each time you have a thought of self-stigma. This is the tricky part. You need your counterthoughts when your self-stigma arises. That’s the hardest time to remember your counterthoughts, however. That’s why practice matters. You may wish to carry a written list of your counterthoughts to help.
  6. Talk back to stigma wherever you see it. If you feel like you can, talk back to people who make discriminatory remarks in front of you. Think of it as your way of educating others. They may simply not know any better.

And finally, give yourself a break when you fall a bit short. Fighting mental illness self-stigma can be difficult, and you won’t be able to do it all the time. That’s okay. You’ll have another chance in the future.

Other Posts You Might Enjoy



Source_link

Share120Tweet75Share30

Related Posts

How to Care for Someone With Dementia — Talkspace
Mental Health

How to Care for Someone With Dementia — Talkspace

February 1, 2023

Learn Tips for Daily Care for Someone with Dementia Caring for someone with dementia can be challenging, especially if you’ve never been in a caregiver role. However, the right tools and strategies can ease your burden and help you...

Time To Talk Day – Top 10 Best Things To Say About Mental Health
Mental Health

Time To Talk Day – Top 10 Best Things To Say About Mental Health

February 1, 2023

While attitudes to mental health are changing, BACP research revealed last year, there is still a lot of misconceptions and harmful stigma that exists around mental health conditions and mental illnesses. Ahead of Time to Talk Day on 2...

DO THIS to cope with the grief of a narcissistic relationships
Mental Health

DO THIS to cope with the grief of a narcissistic relationships

February 1, 2023

DO THIS to cope with the grief of a narcissistic relationships Source link

Exploring the Harmful Effects — Talkspace
Mental Health

Exploring the Harmful Effects — Talkspace

February 1, 2023

The Impact of the Model Minority Myth Even though a myth such as this makes positive assumptions about specific racial minority groups, the problem lies in the fact that it treats members of the group as a monolith rather...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Anxiety (441)
  • Depression (136)
  • Meditation (210)
  • Mental Health (428)
  • Mental Illness (383)
  • Sound Therapy (2)
  • Stress Disorders (245)

Popular

  • Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • 4 signs of burnout in your teen– and how to help them through it

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • How Stress Affects Your Vision

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • Helpful Resources During Suicide Prevention Month 2022 – My Brain’s Not Broken

    301 shares
    Share 120 Tweet 75
  • The Covid Symptoms No One is Talking About, But You Need to Know, Say Experts — Eat This Not That

    301 shares
    Share 120 Tweet 75

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2022 Naturalele.com | All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
What Are Cookies
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT