Thoughtful Thursday: Dealing with Stigma
Thoughtful Thursday
We’re restarting Thoughtful Thursday. These will include threads that talk about sensitive broad issues that are associated with Personality Disorders but not intrinsic to them in order to encourage discussion.
What is stigma?
Stigma is when people disapprove of individuals based on certain social characteristics that distinguish them from others in a community.
Why does stigma exist?
Not everyone is the same. People show individual differences because they have had differing experiences. Some of these are appreciated by others, some are not. The latter includes a subset of what people consider abnormal. For a lot of people, this is unfamiliar territory so their usual ways of reacting to events around them do not work. This can often turn into disapproval: people may avoid, insult, or do other things that end up isolating and further perpetuating the differences the individual has. This is when stigma is directed towards ourselves by others.
As members of society, we often internalize such values and engage in self-stigma where we put ourselves down for the way we are. This is an exhausting process because we are continuously blaming ourselves for things we may not have much control over.
Since stigma can be directed by both ourselves and others and it has considerable effects on how we see ourselves, it becomes important to be aware of it and have discussions that address it.
Questions
How have your experiences with stigma been? Do you see yourself internalizing it sometimes?
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What helps you to cope or be less affected when you experience it?
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