Continued Stigma

[ladybyrd]

Why do so many people, still in this day and time have a continued stigma about Depression and Anxiety? Why does it stir up so much anger, and rejection from others? You can have a physical problem and others have empathy for you, you have a mental health problem and others avoid you like a plague. It only adds to one's suffering.

[Hidden]

It's like you have to be perfect in perfect world. I get this alot but I think it's I'm hated for this. Your feelings aren't important just move forward is

Why are people high and mighty?

We are not perfect but human!

[Weatherwoman in reply to Hidden]

Totally agree. Right now, I said to my Brother (currently staying with, temporarily) that I am Scared & fearful about getting the new Covid Vaccine. He Cannot in any way understand my Fears. He knows that I have an Anxiety Disorder for YEARS, and yet there is NO way he, & many others can understand, I guess, unless they have been through the Hell that these disorders (or whatever you want to call them) cause, there is simply NO understanding, empathy, or caring. Very, Very Sad.

[IncognitoC]

I could not agree more with you on this.

A physical illness or disability is visible people are able to see it without having to wonder what it is.

A mental health disorder is invisible and that scares people because they are not able to see or understand it.

It’s really not fair but it’s life.

[mizzou7016]

Because Physical ailments heal.....because we can recover from physical ailments...Sometimes we will never be "healed" from our anxiety, depression, and mental health issues. It is way too easy....at least in my experiences.....to deny that there is a problem.....that is why so many of us don't seek help for our mental health

[litethatnevergoesout]

that’s just it, it’s invisible. the solutions to remedy it are different person to person. symptoms fluctuate which is spooky to people who are free from it, it’d be like a broken arm one day isn’t as broken the next then is really broken the next day. its difficult relating to, even between other individuals with the same diagnosis. it manifests differently to everyone. really it comes down to it not being anyone else’s problem and you can’t keep up with the rest of society so you get trampled if you’re in the way. why are humans so inhumane to one another, there should be love and acceptance and care for one another with understanding but that hasn’t happened really ever. I’m trying to see it as objectively as I can, I have no clue really.

[gajh]

Seriously, if only it were that easy...

[Hidden]

I think people who don’t understand think we bring it on ourselves or we’re exaggerating or being weak or over sensitive or faking it. It’s very sad x

[Jeff1943]

Because in the past we have never 'come out' - we have kept our anxiety disorder a secret from friends, work colleagues and even family. We fear that A&D are seen as a weakness and makes us unreliable. So we kept schtum and bluffed it out.

I was as guilty as anyone. Now I mention my former history of anxiety disorder to all and everyone. It's the only way to make A&D 'respectable.'

[Hidden in reply to Jeff1943]

Wear it proud brother!

[LifeIsThePitts]

Why We Ignore the Obvious: The Psychology of Willful Blindness

themarginalian.org/2014/08/...

It's the same phenomenon that played out with the pandemic. We tend to ignore what we can't see...viruses are too small to see in the air, but logically we ALL KNOW there are billions of buggers we breathe in with every single breath we take.

The greater the peril we're faced with, the more likely a big part of the population will denounce it's existence or refuse to admit to it's existence in order to salvage and keep intact our own version of Reality and vision of the world.

If we're threatened by something that we'd have to admit to in ourselves, it's easier to deny it if it's too emotional or destructive to our own personal self image. That's where I think the major disconnect comes from.... admitting we may have issues that haven't been addressed.

Excerpt from the article 👇

"...Whether individual or collective, willful blindness doesn’t have a single driver, but many. It is a human phenomenon to which we all succumb in matters little and large. We can’t notice and know everything: the cognitive limits of our brain simply won’t let us. That means we have to filter or edit what we take in. So what we choose to let through and to leave out is crucial. We mostly admit the information that makes us feel great about ourselves, while conveniently filtering whatever unsettles our fragile egos and most vital beliefs. It’s a truism that love is blind; what’s less obvious is just how much evidence it can ignore. Ideology powerfully masks what, to the uncaptivated mind, is obvious, dangerous, or absurd and there’s much about how, and even where, we live that leaves us in the dark. Fear of conflict, fear of change keeps us that way. An unconscious (and much denied) impulse to obey and conform shields us from confrontation and crowds provide friendly alibis for our inertia. And money has the power to blind us, even to our better selves..."

[LifeIsThePitts]

Physical conditions and broken bones heal. Diabetes can be treated so your life is still relatively the same, although meds and diet must be altered in order to maintain physical health. Cancer, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol can be cured. We have sympathy and empathy for those that we can SEE are suffering from physical illness.

Mental health is not so cut and dried. Although it is as debilitating as a broken leg or stage 4 cancer.

The problem isn't that we don't know it exists.... it's that we hide it out of shame and guilt because of the stigma attached to it in our society.

We view mental health as a deficit or handicap or somehow a fault of our own...but we don't view heart disease or cancer as being our fault if we get THOSE diseases! It's the same... it's a medical condition requiring treatment to heal us.

Sadly, It's human beings that have determined One is WORSE than the other.

[SayNOtoPanic]

I think it’s ignorance and lack of inclusion. It’s a failure in society because it’s not taught and explained even as basic as all humans have anxiety.

[richitadutta]

I have suffered that too. People around me including my family cares a lot about my physical health. But they never got deep with my mental health. I had 2 major depression and anxiety attacks till now that lasted for several weeks. At that time they took care of me, but once I got ok, they forgot what I suffered. They are not bothered that whether I am facing the same problem again or what is inside my heart. When I gets mood swings or get angry, they just say control your behaviour. But never think why I am behaving like that.

Mental health is never a priority for anyone except the one who have to face it. Or we can say people just want to ignore your inner sufferings coz they know they will not be able to help you to come out of it. So they want you to keep that suffering inside you only, so that the dont feel guilty about not able to help you.

[Hest19]

I think nobody knows how to fix it, even doctors with their RX pads and counseling do not have an easy answer. And we are taught that “we are in charge of our happiness”. There’s truth to that I just know that some people have a lot harder time than others… .And people without that problem don’t understand.

[bethelbee]

I've always been very open about my struggles with depression and anxiety over the decades. The more we talk about it and the more we educate others the less stigma there will be. Obviously those that have never experienced it will never truly understand, but we can try to do our best in educating others. It may be part of who we are but does not define us.

[Hidden in reply to bethelbee]

I very much agree about sharing, but that is not for everyone afflicted. Along the way I agree with all of the comments made on this thread. I believe people are also just flat out afraid of what a person with a mental illness " might" do. Remember the American Sniper movie.

A couple years ago I looked up the amount of crimes and violent behavior committed by those with a mental illness. They ran along societal stats until you got to severe mental struggles, but even so the stigma exists due for so many reasons we have talked about.

What society has really not understood is that when we reject "anyone " chronically we are devaluing a human being. All those movies romanticing in high school to make fun of those a bit different. We've seen those very students lashing out in a huge way

i have no idea if anyone will care about what I have to say but i'm writing my story to do my part to chip away at the S word.

I'm oh so proud of all of my brothers and sister here.

[bethelbee in reply to Hidden]

You're right, sharing isn't for everyone, but those of us that can should try to educate others. Crimes committed by those with mental illness usually are not those with 'plain old depression or anxiety', but may have components of psychotic or schizoid behaviors.When we reject anyone we are devaluing a human being as you said. It's a shame it happens.

[Hidden in reply to bethelbee]

I just replied to only huh? I’m old

Lol

[bethelbee in reply to Hidden]

Don't get your reply, and BTW I'm as old as you are, a year older

[Hidden in reply to bethelbee]

Oh I haven’t been healthy enough to manage much online until recently . Did my response go just to you or all on the thread. I’m thinking I got it wrong.

BTW- like your responses. Especially for a youngster. They show your ahead of your years

[bethelbee in reply to Hidden]

It was directed to me, but anyone on this post can read it. Thx for calling me a youngster(lol). You're a year younger than I am. Glad you like my responses.

[Nothing_but_books]

I agree about the stigma associated with mental illness.

There is also a stigma associated with a physical illness that isn't visible. I live with constant pain. I've gotten nasty comments when I use handicapped parking, I've been told I'm malingering, and listened to endless inquiries, "Have you tried..." Yes. I have.

[Wakeboarder24]

It’s easier to say not my problem

[TangledUpIn]

This just happened to me yesterday, I was talking with my friend Julie when she said, "The boys in the family have major depression, but the girls in the family don't because they are strong survivors." 🤨And...I was part of a zoom meeting when one of the participants proclaimed, "People who say they have depression are just lazy and don't want to work." 🤨

[SayNOtoPanic in reply to TangledUpIn]

Oh wow. Sorry u had to hear that kind of ignorance or lack of understanding. I’m sure you handled it gracefully though. Hugs to you. Peoples words can be very heavy and they are clueless.

[Weatherwoman]

Yeah, I have heard that SO often. Just think Happy thoughts --They haven't a CLUE!

[Weatherwoman]

Me, too! Some of my family says "Get Over It!" I am just SO tired of these callous remarks!