Taboo, Stigma and Acceptance in Mental Illness

Do you suffer from a mental illness or from time to time are you a bit depressed, obsessed or paranoid? Do you sometimes meet some of the criteria for a mental illness without crossing the line? Many experience symptoms below the clinical range but those people wouldn’t like to accept that they have taken a step closer to the unspoken mental problem. Ironically this early stage could be the best time to treat and prevent these problems
In my experience we don’t like our mental illness to be known by everybody or in some cases by anybody. Is this a good or a bad thing? On the plus side the secrecy protects one from taboo and stigma, for example you are shielded from employers who discriminate against people with mental illness or people in your social circle who are uncomfortable with these kinds of problems.
As long as society holds these views it’s understandable that sufferers don’t “come out” about their illness. However there are considerable benefits to openness regarding mental illness.

• While some may ostracise or judge you others will be understanding and helpful. Fellow sufferers may approach you about their illness and share their experience.

• Through your openness you will get more opportunity to help fellow sufferers when you have recovered

• Being open will also help with your acceptance of the illness. This is also true in reverse if you accept you illness it’s easier to be open.

However accepting the illness yourself and that you suffer from it is not the same as overcoming the fear of how others will react which is the main barrier to openness.
The stigma or lack of understanding is evident when someone tragically dies by suicide. A common reaction is “I don’t understand why he did that”. For sufferers of Depression suicidal thoughts are commonplace so they can more easily understand these tragedies.
Why does stigma exist for mental illness? Mental problems are viewed as something that can be overcome by freewill, something that you can simply snap out of. People find it hard to understand that an illness can take away your enthusiasm, your ability to reason, self motivate and importantly your ability to project a positive image of the future.
To be fair taboo and stigma has reduced a lot in recent years but we still have a long way to go before mental illness is treated like physical illness and a sufferer can feel confident about declaring their aliment to the world.