Anxiety and stigmatization are they related?

Use this forum to discuss the August 2020 Book of the month, " Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress: A Practical Guide" by Gustavo Kinrys, MD.
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Nerea
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Anxiety and stigmatization are they related?

Post by Nerea »

There is a part where the author mentions that “most people will suffer from an anxiety disorder for at least ten years without seeking help”. Does it mean people living with anxiety disorder might also be suffering from stigmatization? Or something else is causing them not to seek help?
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evraealtana
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Post by evraealtana »

I think that is likely part of it. Another part of it may be that people are stressed for so long that anxiety starts to feel normal, and therefore they never think that maybe their "normal" isn't actually normal after all. Maybe getting help is the silver lining after a breakdown following years of accumulated stress, during which time the patient didn't realize the load was getting slightly heavier with every passing day.

It reminds me of the parable about the frog that went swimming in a cooking pot full of cool water. When the stove was lit, the fire warmed slowly enough that the frog didn't notice the changing temperature. Over time, the water got hotter and hotter without the frog being aware of it, until at last the frog was cooked.
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Post by Dominik_G »

I believe — and the authors also mentioned this — people often don't know they are suffering from excessive anxiety or stress. I mean, they might think "ah, this is how my mind works, I always worry too much" but they might not be aware that it's not a rigid and unchangeable personality trait so they don't even think about seeking treatment of any kind. That said, I do believe being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder might come with the risk of also being stigmatized for it. Sadly, this tends to be the case with mental health issues in our current society.
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Post by Guda Lydia »

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.
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Post by David_Kariuki »

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 couldn't agree more. For men especially, opening up to confess that one is undergoing a tough period is regarded as weakness. So we tend to keep to ourselves and end up buried by these mental disorders, and its even quite evident in statistics on suicide.
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Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

Anxiety and stress are two conditions that involve the mind and the heart. I think the main reason most individuals don't seek help or talk about it early is that it involves finding someone you can trust. It's not easy opening up about your weaknesses, and although stigmatization may also be prevalent, I wouldn't say its the main reason.
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Post by Howlan »

evraealtana wrote:
> I think that is likely part of it. Another part of it may be that people
> are stressed for so long that anxiety starts to feel normal, and therefore
> they never think that maybe their "normal" isn't actually normal
> after all. Maybe getting help is the silver lining after a breakdown
> following years of accumulated stress, during which time the patient didn't
> realize the load was getting slightly heavier with every passing day.
>
> It reminds me of the parable about the frog that went swimming in a cooking
> pot full of cool water. When the stove was lit, the fire warmed slowly
> enough that the frog didn't notice the changing temperature. Over time, the
> water got hotter and hotter without the frog being aware of it, until at
> last the frog was cooked.

Yes, to put it simply, "the point of no return". To make people aware of what is going on is very important.
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Post by Howlan »

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.

Yep and these tales of chivalry and strength that many media glorifies are really sad. If you don't get help when in a pinch you cannot ultimately grow. Sure, finding out things by yourself is great but you should get stuck on something long term that you are unable to recover from it.
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Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

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.

This is so true, and the other elephant in the room is fearing misjudgment. For a change, we should all talk about mental health with our family, friends, and relatives. You can start by purchasing this book and sending it as a gift.
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Post by Howlan »

Joseph_ngaruiya 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.
>
> This is so true, and the other elephant in the room is fearing misjudgment. For a
> change, we should all talk about mental health with our family, friends, and
> relatives. You can start by purchasing this book and sending it as a gift.

Yes, sharing our thoughts without any fear of judgment is really helpful and not just with depression. Talking with close friends and family about things that worry you can be a great step in curing anxiety and stress-related problems.
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Post by Joseph WK »

Yes. Anxiety is related to stigmatization. There are a number of times I have heard someone dismiss anxiety as a condition for privileged people. Which means someone from difficult backdrounds won't get the necessary help
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Post by Catie139 »

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.
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Post by BlaqkViolette »

I agree with the notion that anxiety and stigmatisation are related, or at the very least perceived stigmatisation. I believe that society is slowly changing to accept that stress and anxiety are real medical illnesses, with the perception that these two conditions are signs of 'personal weakness'.

The perception that the majority of people will have a negative attitude towards a person suffering from anxiety undeniably reduces the chance they will seek support either professionally or from family and friends.
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Post by apayne310 »

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.
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Post by ashleexry »

People who may suffer from an anxiety disorder may not necessarily realize they're suffering from an anxiety disorder. They may just think that the amount of stress they're feeling may just be normal. Their thought processes could be like, "Doesn't everyone feel stressed or anxious when doing this?" The book describes many of the stress and anxiety signs, from chest pain to sleep disorders. People frequently dismiss such symptoms without finding a root cause.
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