Anxiety and stigmatization are they related?

Nimisha_91 · Post by **Nimisha_91** » 09 Aug 2020, 00:54

I think for the most part, people dismiss anxiety thinking it's normal. They may not realize that although everyone experiences anxiety at times, it doesn't stop them from living their lives normally. People may also be worried to be seen as fussy or whiny when they try to tell someone about it..

Ed Emmanuel · Post by **Ed Emmanuel** » 09 Aug 2020, 21:45

Some persons actually see anxiety and stress as a lifestyle, and not even a challenge. While most try to seek the right person to help and maybe that is why they take that long. But, I do not see that as stigmatization.

jardenjarden · Post by **jardenjarden** » 10 Aug 2020, 00:39

I think that's a wonderful question, and I think it really comes down to each individual person. For example, I have quite a few close friends and family members who have a clinically diagnosed anxiety disorder. One of them didn't seek out help for years just because she thought it was normal to feel that way all the time. I don't think it ever really crossed her mind that having full-blown panic attacks that often was not a normal occurrence for most people.

In contrast to this, a close friend of mine didn't even consider seeking help due to his own stigmatization of anxiety. He saw it as a weakness, something that he needed to suppress and ignore. I think he later discovered this was greatly connected to his father's viewpoints on emotion and mental illness. Because he had that idea drilled into him from a young age, he was scared to seek help or attempt change. Like Kinry said, "is it you, or is it the five-year-old version of you?"

So all in all, I think that one's own circumstances and the environment that they are in/have been in is what greatly contributes to how one deals with their own anxieties.

elisathelvarik · Post by **elisathelvarik** » 10 Aug 2020, 00:55

Nimisha_91 wrote:
> I think for the most part, people dismiss anxiety thinking it's normal.
> They may not realize that although everyone experiences anxiety at times,
> it doesn't stop them from living their lives normally. People may also be
> worried to be seen as fussy or whiny when they try to tell someone about
> it..
I also think that society has normalized anxiety so much that it's sometimes referred to as something "relatable." For me, all my life I had people online and in-person joke around about anxiety that I never figured out what anxiety was and when it should be taken seriously. Anxiety can become so confused and twisted to the point that people will believe that it's not a problem at all. But that's what I have experienced personally.

Patrick Maina1 · Post by **Patrick Maina1** » 10 Aug 2020, 02:27

It depends on how you look at Stigmatization.Most pyshopathological disorders attract stigma from the society and anxiety is no different.

Arite Seki · Post by **Arite Seki** » 10 Aug 2020, 09:59

I think it can be both the issue of stigmatization as well as the issue of awareness. A lot of people are reluctant to seek help or admit they need it due to the negative connotations of mental health that exist today from professional to social spheres. I do also think that a lot of people aren't aware that they need the help or that the help is even available for them.

djr6090 · Post by **djr6090** » 10 Aug 2020, 13:21

It is not weak to ask for help. What others think is not as important as what relief is needed. And, I think, everyone can benefit from moral support.

gatuguta2030 · Post by **gatuguta2030** » 10 Aug 2020, 15:10

Yes. Anxiety is stigmatized. Society plays a big role in stigmatizing people suffering from stress and anxiety. This makes people not to open up on what they are experiencing.

Kaitlyn Canedy · Post by **Kaitlyn Canedy** » 10 Aug 2020, 16:52

I believe that this is entirely possible. Anxiety and stigmatization are both different, but they tend to work together when it comes to personal belief in one's portrayal of themselves.

keiyoshi · Post by **keiyoshi** » 10 Aug 2020, 20:39

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.

I've been thinking the exact same thing. Another possible inference is that maybe people don't even know they're experiencing anxiety unless someone mentioned or noticed it for them.

Star_and_Buck · Post by **Star_and_Buck** » 10 Aug 2020, 21:54

I think that both are related. A person suffering from anxiety is also stigmatized. I can say this because I have suffered the similar sircumstances in my life.

Joseph_ngaruiya · Post by **Joseph_ngaruiya** » 11 Aug 2020, 05:35

Star_and_Buck wrote:
> I think that both are related. A person suffering from anxiety is also
> stigmatized. I can say this because I have suffered the similar
> sircumstances in my life.

At times the reason for stigmatization might not be the anxiety. In agreement with your comment, the anxiety can be used as an opportunity by others to stigmatize the affected person.

Joseph_ngaruiya · Post by **Joseph_ngaruiya** » 11 Aug 2020, 05:39

Kei Nakagawa wrote:
> 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.
>
> I've been thinking the exact same thing. Another possible inference is that maybe
> people don't even know they're experiencing anxiety unless someone mentioned or
> noticed it for them.

I believe this is part of the reason the author recommends engaging in outdoor activities. When you are alone, it's hard to realize if something is going wrong with you. But in the company of friends, they'll point it out, thus preventing a progression into stress or anxiety.

Joseph_ngaruiya · Post by **Joseph_ngaruiya** » 11 Aug 2020, 05:44

Katie Canedy wrote:
> I believe that this is entirely possible. Anxiety and stigmatization are
> both different, but they tend to work together when it comes to personal
> belief in one's portrayal of themselves.

Does it mean that whether someone would face stigmatization can be determined by the way they portray themselves?

Chiawa · Post by **Chiawa** » 11 Aug 2020, 06:08

Fear of being stigmatized can be a strong hindrance from seeking help or even admitting that one has a problem. This is most common in men. They would rather brave it up than share a weakness.

In my opinion, stigmatization can also be a contributing factor to anxiety.