Anxiety and stigmatization are they related?

[Joseph_ngaruiya]

Catie139 wrote:
> There is no question that stigmatization is involved in getting help. When
> it comes to getting help from a counselor or psychologist in particular,
> there have been multiple studies done that show that particular cultural
> groups have a higher rate of stigma attached than others. Also, in many
> cultures men are taught that they have to "be strong", and any
> sign of anxiety would give a perception of weakness. However, I don't
> believe that stigma is the only thing that keeps people from getting help.
> For instance, some people simply hate the thought of taking medications.
> If they think that telling the doctor is going to mean that they have to
> take medication for it, they may not say anything.


I concur with your point regarding some people who opt not to take medication because they dislike that process. Apart from stigmatization, this shows that some of the cases involving stress and anxiety are heightened by ignorance.

[Joseph_ngaruiya]

apayne310 wrote:
> I think this is a loaded question because people may have a variety of
> reasons for being unable to seek help - someone may not have the means to
> afford treatment, they may not have the support, there's not enough
> education about these things, and definitely, stigma.
>
> While stigma is often a big one, I find that by me, a lot of people are
> pretty comfortable talking about anxiety, which for me is actually what
> prevented me from seeking help for many, many years. I found myself
> comparing how my anxiety manifested itself to how my colleagues and
> classmates talked about their anxiety and it made me certain that I was
> just overreacting about my experience. Until I sought treatment, I didn't
> understand that there's a difference between anxiety and an anxiety
> disorder and that other mental health needs could amplify an anxiety
> disorder.
>
> More than stigma, I feel like the biggest barrier is a lack of education
> when you're talking about those more pervasive and severe issues. Had I
> known that the anxiety my classmates talked about and the anxiety I
> experienced were different things, I probably would have gotten help
> sooner. As someone that has worked in a high school and on a college
> campus, I can attest to how little attention is given to educating staff
> and students about mental health, which deeply contributes to the stigma of
> mental health.


This is part of the reason I love reading. It opens up a window of opportunities to learn and distinguish issues. An example is Gustavo's book that can be shared with many to address this problem of stress and anxiety. And although there's information on the remedies to prevent or deal with stigmatization, some societies have simply refused to conform.

[Anna Dougherty]

Some people may think that what they are experiencing is normal and don't seek help. Others may believe that they just have to deal with the anxiety as part of who they are now. The person may also be anxious about receiving help.

[Kola+wole]

Many people would rather live with their stress and anxiety, than be referred to as weak.

[Brenda Creech]

Guda LM wrote:
> In my opinion, I believe people with anxiety disorders are inherently
> stigmatized. From my personal experience growing up, we are always taught
> stress is part of life and you have to be tough and resilient. The notion
> is true in part, but also it encourages people to be quiet with their
> struggles. A person who openly comes out and states their anxiety issues is
> immediately deemed 'high-maintenance' or 'complicated'. These labels
> themselves are a form of stigmaization.
>
> These unwritten rules are especially very strict for men. A man who openly
> acknowledges his pain and seeks help is seen as weak, further leading to
> stigmaization.
>
> I acknowledge things are currently changing, and mental health is starting
> to be recognized as an important issue, but there's still a long way to go.

I agree with you! Even in the medical field mental health is still misunderstood. I worked on a psych unit in a hospital for two years and it hurt me to see how even doctors and other nurses talked about the patients in that unit! Things are beginning to change some, but there definitely is a long way to go!

[Elvis Best]

Yes, I do believe that suffering from anxiety does come with some stigmatization. Most people do not want to be perceived as weak or vulnerable, and so they postpone seeking help until their anxiety disorder becomes unbearable.

From my side of the world, it is unheard of for someone to seek help for any disorder related to psychology. As a result, many people are evidently suffering behind closed doors, unable to get proper help.

I am glad the author decided to write this book though. It will help a lot of us face our anxiety and stress issues head-on.

[Njoxs-19]

The fear of stigimazation and also been judge. Plus finding someone who you can trust to walk the journey with you.

[Amisco_gimbiya]

I think people don't even realise they are dealing with a serious matter. They see it as just a normal part of everyday living.

[SeasonalBuddy]

Yes. Many people with anxiety suffer in silence afraid to come out with their problem for fear of the stigma associated with it. Many people underestimate it as a disease, so many will tend to downplay it

[Astrolorraine]

Yes, there is the stigma of being self-centered or feeling sorry for oneself attached to talking about depression or anxiety. I'm willing to bet people go undiagnosed for years because they feel it's something they should get a handle on on their own, or they feel it's a normal part of their personality, as in "I'm an overthinker" or "I worry a lot".

[Joseph_ngaruiya]

B Creech wrote:
> Guda LM wrote:
> > In my opinion, I believe people with anxiety disorders are inherently
> > stigmatized. From my personal experience growing up, we are always taught
> > stress is part of life and you have to be tough and resilient. The notion
> > is true in part, but also it encourages people to be quiet with their
> > struggles. A person who openly comes out and states their anxiety issues is
> > immediately deemed 'high-maintenance' or 'complicated'. These labels
> > themselves are a form of stigmaization.
> >
> > These unwritten rules are especially very strict for men. A man who openly
> > acknowledges his pain and seeks help is seen as weak, further leading to
> > stigmaization.
> >
> > I acknowledge things are currently changing, and mental health is starting
> > to be recognized as an important issue, but there's still a long way to go.
>
> I agree with you! Even in the medical field mental health is still misunderstood. I
> worked on a psych unit in a hospital for two years and it hurt me to see how even
> doctors and other nurses talked about the patients in that unit! Things are beginning
> to change some, but there definitely is a long way to go!

It's sad to see medical practitioners doing that. But I think some doctors and nurses may also be undergoing stress and anxiety without realizing it. Stigmatization and mental health are receiving more attention today. Change is taking place slowly.

[Joseph_ngaruiya]

Astrolorraine wrote:
> Yes, there is the stigma of being self-centered or feeling sorry for
> oneself attached to talking about depression or anxiety. I'm willing to bet
> people go undiagnosed for years because they feel it's something they
> should get a handle on on their own, or they feel it's a normal part of
> their personality, as in "I'm an overthinker" or "I worry a
> lot".

When your self-worth is not present, you don't find a reason to make a change where it's needed. Seldomly I see as if individuals subject themselves to stigmatization. If people perceive you to be introverted, they'll hardly approach you to see how you are doing.

[X-XXXX-X]

I think some people might don't even know they have anxiety, they probably think they are just overreacting or this has became so normal they don't know another way of living.

On my opinion it's the same with other mental disorders, even if they fell like something is wrong they will probably wash it off as they being dumb.

There is also the "social anxiety" problem.

Sometimes I read some post about how to recognize y x z disorder and I even identify with that, but every time I was dragged to a psychologist I just got too nervous and lied the whole section to make it looks like I was fine. And then got the hell out of those meetings as soon as possible. I really never even asked anything about if I might had x because I didn't wanted to look dumb or like a crybaby.

So, I would guess it could be a mix of many different factors really.

[Howlan]

Anna Dougherty wrote:
> Some people may think that what they are experiencing is normal and don't
> seek help. Others may believe that they just have to deal with the anxiety
> as part of who they are now. The person may also be anxious about receiving
> help.

Yes, many factors may play a major role in refusal to deal with Anxiety. Especially if they feel insecure and refuse to be dependant on medication. In this cases proper guidance and awaremness is essential so that they can understand their own condition better and help themselves.

[Howlan]

Kola+wole wrote:
> Many people would rather live with their stress and anxiety, than be
> referred to as weak.

Yes, I feel many people would rather refuse to be dependant on medication as they do not consider stress or mental anxiety for that matter to be of much significance. Proper logic and information must be provided to those individuals to help them understand the problem better.