Stigmas: How Do These Labels Affect Mental Health?
Do you feel inferior for having a disorder? Do you think you know what people who suffer from them are like? Learn what stigmas are and how they affect our perception of men’s health.
We all want to feel included in society, whether in our group of friends, at work, at school, in a community, etc. Unfortunately, throughout life it is common to have found ourselves in a situation where we have felt that we did not fit in or that they did not accept us. Although it is not a pleasant experience and can cause different problems, on many occasions the situation has been temporary and we have been able to feel integrated with another group of people or in other contexts.
But…can you imagine waking up in a reality in which you suffered from a problem in which a large number of people already had a preconceived idea of you without barely knowing you? Unfortunately, this type of situation is what many people with psychological disorders and its consequences do not only affect this group of people, but the labels related to mental health impact the entire population regardless of their condition. In this sense, in this article you will discover what stigmas are and how they impact our perception of mental health and people who suffer from psychological disorders.
The word stigma comes from the ancient Greek word “stigma” which refers to marks on the body that were made on slaves who had tried to escape. Nowadays, when we talk about stigma We refer to the consequence of a series of beliefs, behaviors and attitudes that a group of people may present and that are perceived as unpleasant by the rest. This causes, therefore, that a group discriminate to the other because they are considered different or not suitable on a social level, which compromises the existence of diversity among human beings. When we refer to mental health, stigma would be like a kind of label that is applied to people solely for suffering from a certain mental disorder.
Erwin Goffman, one of the most important sociologists of the 20th century, defined the phenomenon of stigma as the set of characteristics that a person presents that cause social devaluation and diminish their reputation. Furthermore, he explained how the process of stigmatization specifying that they arise when there is a discrepancy between what he defined as a “composite virtual social identity”, a set of characteristics that we consider a person should have according to cultural norms, and a “current social identity”, characteristics that really define the person. .
Some examples of stigma could be referring to a person who has schizophrenia as “schizophrenic”, a person who has depression as “depressed”, etc. given that the person would be defined solely by a psychological disorder, creating a feeling of constant disability.
Consequences of stigmas:
The stigmata Not only do they remain in the way we perceive and refer to others, but their consequences are very broad and can compromise the recovery or improvement process of people with psychological disorders given that they not only face the symptomatology characteristic of these disorders, but also to precarious conditions, exclusion social, etc. Furthermore, taking into account that everything related to mental health has been little visible for decades, the progress towards the elimination of these discriminatory attitudes It is a slow process due to ignorance about certain disorders.
As we have mentioned, the consequences are not limited only to the lives of people who suffer from a mental disorder, but they generally affect all people, some of the consequences being the following:
Resistance to seeking help: Having certain negative beliefs associated with certain psychological disorders makes the process of asking for help when it is really needed extremely difficult. Thoughts like: “What if I am crazy?”, “What will they think if they tell me that I have…?”, “This can’t be happening to me if I’m normal!”, etc. They are fears that can appear due to erroneous beliefs that we have about mental disorders and the associated fear of being discriminated against for suffering from one of them.
Difficulties in access to work, housing, health, etc.: Mental disorders usually affect a person’s functioning, having repercussions at work, academic level, etc. and together with the social stigmas people who suffer from psychological disorders have difficulties integrating and accessing basic services.
Reduced support network: Stigma can also affect the immediate environment, such as family, friends, etc. When this occurs, the situation worsens since the environment also suffers from having a person close to them. stereotypes associated negatives. This ends up generating in all members feelings of guilt, shame and the feeling of being responsible for a family member or friend presenting with a certain mental disorder, which ends up perpetuating the stigmas themselves.
The self-stigma (or also called internalized stigma ): One of the most obvious consequences of the existence of stigmas in some psychological disorders is the self-stigma and it is considered one of the most serious consequences. This concept refers to the acceptance that a person who suffers from a mental disorder makes of the prejudices negative on the part of society. This leads to negative effects such as lower self-esteem, lower self-efficacy expectations, etc. that have a very negative impact on people’s quality of life, the search for help and the recovery process.
Psychological disorders and most stigmatized problems:
Some of the mental disorders or problems that are commonly more stigmatized are:
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders: Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are a group of disorders that are strongly stigmatized In fact, these disorders are usually mistakenly associated with madness, violence and marginality, characteristics that have a strong negative impact on those who suffer from them.
Bipolar disorder: Normally, the idea of dangerousness and low willpower is associated with bipolar disorder, characteristics that do not have to be linked to the people who suffer from it.
Suicide and suicidal ideation: In the case of suicide, stigmas are also very present and people who present this problem are usually accused of being guilty of not being able to solve their problems, of not valuing what they have, of wanting to attract attention, etc.
Eating disorders: The label of “capricious” is common for people with eating disorders who, despite the large number of factors that influence this disorder, continue to perceive people who suffer from it as capricious and narcissistic.
The adictions: Addictive behavior disorders are also quite serious disorders. stigmatized In this case, today, people who have addictions continue to be blamed and this problem is reduced to a simple decision despite the fact that there is scientific evidence that confirms the complexity at the brain level behind addictions.
One in four people in the world suffers from a mental disorder and no one is exempt from suffering from it throughout their life. Unfortunately, between 35 and 50% do not receive treatment or the treatment they receive is not appropriate. If you suffer from a psychological disorder or think you need help from a professional, it is important that you seek help. Remember that a professional will not judge you and will help you work on the beliefs you may have about yourself.
