To judge if social stigma is an illness, let's first understand what does the term “stigma” means. In this context, Stigma means identifying a specific characteristic of an individual or a group of people in a negative way.
Now let's learn what the term “social stigma” means, it is the term given when a person's social, physical, or mental condition influences other people's views of them or their behaviour towards them. It is severe social disapproval of a person based on their characteristics that stands out from the other members of society. The concept of social stigma mostly arises where there is a mental illness.
What are the effects of stigma?
Generally, stigma occurs when a person defines someone by their illness rather than who they are as an individual. The effects of stigma can eat a person and it is capable of even ending a person’s life. One of the most common effects of stigma is the feeling of shame, hopelessness, and isolation. This is all a person would never want in their life and once a person enters into that phase, that person would start to deviate from his normal life. Every single day at least one in a hundred people are entering this phase. The only way all of this will stop is when the members of the society accept and support each other.
How can social stigma be called an illness?
There are a lot of people with serious mental illnesses, they were thrown a couple of calls. On the one hand, they struggle with the symptoms and functional impairments due to the disease. On the other hand, they are exposed to stereotypes and prejudices that are the result of misconceptions about mental illness. In the Middle Ages, people who suffered from mental illnesses were considered a living example of the weakness of human nature. A common belief was that mental illness, or because he wasn't going to stay spiritually strong. People with mental illnesses were sent to prison as criminals, and in some cases, death. For most of the symptoms that come with mental illness, sneaking is a leader of people living these symptoms to question the reality and practice of isolation in the real world. Obstacles and negative attitudes towards people, mental illness, as a result of the stigmatization process will have a strong impact on them. They are often reduced related to daily activities. After hearing positive reviews and living the onslaught of negative actions, they begin to see themselves negatively. In people who are diagnosed with a mental illness, it is often the case that their self-esteem and self-confidence are sacrificed to live, under the pressure and fear generated by stigmatization.
The individuals of the society have consumed the behaviour to stigmatize people with any type of flaws. This behaviour has enormously spread throughout society and every single day one in three people suffering from stigma ends their precious life. Even after seeing the person’s pain and suffering, a part of the society still doesn’t change and this is the illness that has been killing many beautiful lives.
How to address social stigma?
Health professionals recommend that you show compassion for those affected, it is a concept of illness in itself, and take effective measures to ensure that people who can help you keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Each of us has a role to play in preventing discrimination by showing kindness, negative stereotypes, removal, as well as more information about mental health issues, and sharing personal experiences to provide the necessary support.
Words matter, have a meaning, speech, and language probably have a negative meaning for people and are averse to feeding stigmatizing attitudes. They can maintain existing negative stereotypes or assumptions, as well as strengthen negative associations between the disease and other factors, create widespread feelings of fear, or dehumanize those who suffer from this disease. This can distract people from selecting, testing, and quarantining. Spread facts and not fear, Stigmatisation may be the reason for having enough knowledge about what the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will be transmitted, treatment, and how to avoid infection.
Let’s wind up!
Stigmatization is detrimental to a person's mental illness. It affects their life choices, their self-image, and even their illnesses. We reviewed the literature, learn about the process of stigmatization, and suggested possible solutions to ease the stigmatization of a client who has a mental illness. Finally, we suggest how clinicians can develop an awareness of their stigmatizing beliefs and how clinicians can be trained differently to minimize the development of stigmatizing beliefs. We recognize that additional research is needed to confirm these changes. But we also understand the fact that to address the stigma associated with mental illness, changes are needed by mental health professionals and health professionals alike.
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