Are You Tired of the Stigma Around Anxiety?
Do you hold back from telling others that you struggle with anxiety because you’re afraid they’ll think negatively of you?
Yeah, this is a real thing, and it’s called a “Social Stigma”.
Unfortunately, there is a double standard in our society when it comes to mental health. If you break your leg, have diabetes or high blood pressure, you go to the doctor to get help. But, if you have anxiety or other mental health disorders, you may be judged or called “crazy” because of the negative attitudes and beliefs people have toward mental illness. Although more people are accepting of mental health issues, the stigma associated with it continues to be a problem. I didn’t seek help for a long time because I didn’t want to be seen as weak. If you can relate, I don’t want you to feel this shame anymore! Today I’m breaking down the social stigma around anxiety and what you can do right now to overcome this stigma to get the help you deserve when it comes to managing your own anxiety.
The Social Stigma Around Mental Health Issues
According to data captured from the Mental Health America 2020 online screening tool, mhascreening.org, and the 2020 State of Mental Health in America report, one in five people nationwide (47.1 million) are living with a mental health condition. And, more than half a million people reported feeling anxious or depressed between January-September 2020, with depression hitting an all-time high in September 2020. However, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, only 36.9% of those suffering actually get help!
A “social stigma” is the negative view that people project onto other people who basically share that they have problems and aren’t perfect. It’s the process of devaluing someone based on a characteristic that usually the person has no control over and is made to feel ashamed of.
This stigma is completely unfair and most of the time judgement from others stems from a lack of knowledge, awareness and fear. This lack of understanding could be because certain people have never experienced mental illness or don’t even realize the types of mental health disorders that exist.
What’s even more interesting is that a 2017 study found that people with a mental illness who had a greater sense of “self-stigma” did not recover as well as those that did not internalize negative stereotypes. So, the stigma around mental health can come from external and internal beliefs.
The Impact of a Mental Health Stigma
The stigma around mental health issues can lead to discrimination. The more obvious way would be when you hear someone make a derogatory remark towards you. The not so obvious way would be when people avoid you because they are nervous or scared to be around you. And, of course, this all leads you to judge yourself for having anxiety and not being able to control it.
This, of course, can lead to any of the following harmful impacts:
You may be hesitant to get help.
There could be a lack of understanding with your family and friends about what you are going through, which could possibly strain your relationships.
You might be harassed or bullied.
It might be difficult to find work or keep a job.
You may believe that you can’t improve your mental health or that you aren’t worthy of feeling better.
The truth is that this stigma can cause harmful and long-term effects on you and your loved ones, and I think it’s time to make a change.
Let’s Turn This Stigma Around
Research shows that one of the best ways to combat this narrative is to know someone or have contact with someone who struggles with a mental illness. When you honestly and openly share your experience, you help to create a world where folks are armed with the facts about anxiety and the possibility of recovery. People who know someone with a mental illness are less scared because it becomes more relatable and real.
Here are some other ways to help kick this stigma to the curb.
Be Open and Honest. Like I said above, sharing your experience is the best way to reduce this stigma. But I totally know that is easier said than done! But how about this - imagine if everyone with anxiety told one other person about their experience? Maybe the judgement around mental health would slowly start to disappear. AND - you might be surprised who can relate to what you share and possibly have a similar story! Remember, 1 in 5 people actually struggle with anxiety!
Try not to dwell in self-doubt or shame. Remember that you are not your anxiety. Instead, remember you are the observer of your anxious thoughts, and when you notice your mind racing, you can pause, take a breath, and choose how you want to react. You can learn to better manage your anxiety and reduce self-judgement! Which is in no way a reason to feel shame!
Don’t isolate yourself. I know it’s hard to speak up about how you are feeling and not dwell in self-doubt. Sometimes when those feelings creep in, we want to hide from people and avoid the situation all together. If you find yourself getting “quiet” or staying away from others because of your anxiety, be sure to find a friend you can trust and share your experience. You’ll find the compassion and support you need in that moment.
Watch how you speak. Remembering that you are not your illness, make sure to say things like “I am a person with anxiety”, or “my friend is a person with anxiety” instead of “I’m anxious”, or “he’s anxious''.
Encourage people to read. Books about mental illness, specifically anxiety, can be extremely eye-opening for your family, friends and loved-ones. If the people in your life have not experienced anxiety, they can learn what it’s like from simply picking up a book. And if you struggle to understand your own anxiety, these books can be helpful to you as well!
Listen without judgement and be open. To those who don’t struggle with mental health issues, remember that not everyone experiences life the way you do. Allow people who are sharing their story with you to just be themselves. Be open to learning about the struggles of anxiety and consider speaking up to educate others about the negative stereotypes we still deal with in America on a regular basis.
So there you have it. Social stigma around anxiety and mental health is a real issue that doesn’t have to hold you back from getting the help you need in order to live the life you want! Let’s make a promise to each other that we will speak up about the struggles people face and share resources on how to support one another! These steps, along with the others listed above, will help make the stigma around anxiety a thing of the past!