High Prices: How Stigma hurts your mental health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), new data reveals that depression It’s been ramped even more in the US. As CNN reported on the CDC discovery, “In recent years, more than one in eight people over 12 have fallen. The prevalence of depression has almost doubled from 7.3% in 2015-16 to over 13% in 2021-23.” However, despite the rise in numbers, many have also not sought the help of experts. why is that?

All humans have been touched in some way by varying degrees of mental disorder. Perhaps it happened to you, a friend, or someone you love. And everyone had at least one of the moments. Even if it was a day, an hour or a minute, you experienced worrying for fear of losing your heart and losing everything that was important to you. Or you felt so deep sadness that you didn’t know if you could be happy again. It happened to all of us. But imagine that you always feel that way. Stop thinking about those things and imagine you can’t live with them every day. And imagine being ridiculed for it. For many, this is what mental illness is like. The result is a supported form shame.

Covid-19 Pandemic and Mental Health

The 2020 pandemic has undoubtedly given a huge boost to mental health. It has always taken mental illness seriously and reformed some of the questionable attitudes of those who view mental health treatment ineffective accordingly. Over the past five years, people have been very worried, and then sorrow Even the most stoic temperament felt it stress.

but, Mental Health Stigma He is still alive and well in the United States. Level of intolerance towards those in need Psychiatry Keep getting high inexplicably. For example, mental illness is a sign of inferiority or moral weakness, and it takes more than a long-term pandemic to change the mindset of disapproval on mental issues, such as the attitude that mental illness is a sign of inferiority or moral weakness and only those unstable are affected. Or, the patient somehow brings it to himself, or pretends they have a mental illness to operate the system. Another misconception is that people with mental illness are incompetent, unable to work, and become productive members of society. And one of the most common myths about mental disorders is that they have the potential for dangerous behavior. This misconception is particularly inaccurate. In fact, people with mental illness are more dangerous to them than others.

Internalized Stigma

One of many outcomes of this kind discrimination There is a “internalized” stigma for people with mental disabilities, and patients begin to believe in negative ideas expressed by others, and as a result, they believe themselves unsuitable for care. As a result, they begin to doubt whether they can recover and live a normal life.

As a clinician treating mental illness for the past 30 years, I have seen internalized or self-aware stigma and the shame it produces are destructive. Self-stigma leads to depression anxietylow Self-esteemand self-provoking behavior – the kind that will help people give up and settle into a hopeless, compromised life. And, of course, despite the help, self-stigma leads to substandard treatment outcomes as patients adopt “Why don’t you bother?” attitude. no need Optimism Treatment may not be as effective to work. Therefore, fewer patients will reach out to help. And even if they have do When you reach out, they often do not continue treatment long enough and end prematurely. Risk factors include possibilities suicide, Drug abuselegal issues, and future adult psychopathology.

The role in the destigmatization of celebrities

Unfortunately, for now, one of the only ways the compassion required to help fight stigma is applied is when popular celebrities reveal their own battle with mental illness. In the past, there have been many A-list celebrities who have been bravely and opened up, including Beyoncé, Dwayne “Rock” Johnson, Lady Gaga, J.K. Rowling, Selena Gomez, Ryan Reynolds, and the late Robin Williams. He also witnessed famous athletes on mental illness, including tennis star Naomi Osaka, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

Perhaps society is being attacked by a bit of a star. When the superstars bravely open up, they become more reliable and in the public eye the mental illness they suffer from is less of a strange and disliked. The influence of such personal disclosures from illustrious figures actively changes exposure from dark secrets to the usual, expression of fact of anyone Really teeth. Without A-listers moving forward, they may not have seen the progress the deintegration process has achieved.

The saneness of numbers

This is something else to think about. The public sees sanity in numbers. In other words, mental illness is rare for most people. The number of people suffering is small compared to other parts of the world. People can’t really understand things they know very little about. If it’s not, there’s something wrong. The sanity of numbers means that people don’t have to doubt things. Our beliefs provide us with comfort, so we believe in them indifferently, even though they may sound truly likely. As a result, our minds are closed and our credibility becomes part of the understructure of our worldview. Because there are many others who believe it, even a closed system of beliefs that lacks exposure to other frames of reference. As musician Frank Zappa said, “The mind is like a parachute and only works when it’s open.”

But the sanity of the number of “new normal” mental illnesses can speak more voices. This is the kind of voice that comes from not only A-list celebrities, but also people who live a rather normal and productive life. As a psychotherapist treating different degrees of mental illness, the patient demographics I have worked for capture every life course and functionality at every level, including doctors, pilots, actors, musicians, construction workers, law enforcement officers, architects, lawyers and more. The saddest aspect is that some of them are family, friends, employers, and even their indifference and lack of support. spiritual And religious communities are far worse than suffering from actual mental illness. For many individuals, it’s like adding humiliation to an injury. It is no longer just the pain of living with mental illness, but also the insult of being voided by those who love them.

As we progress towards helping us create a more compassionate world, remember why we can’t do it if human organs like our hearts, livers and kidneys can fail because of ourselves. Former President Bill Clinton said, “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about mental illness, but stigma and bias are ashamed of us all.”

If you or someone you love is thinking of committing suicide, immediately seek help. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, dial 988 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelineor reach out to Crisis text line To find a therapist near you by texting 741741, Psychology Today’s Therapy Directory.