Diseases and Stigmas that Haunt Them

What are stigmas of diseases? Stigma is a “collection of negative attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, and behaviours that influence the individual, or the general public, to fear, reject, avoid, be prejudiced, and discriminate against people”. It is the negative feedback or discrimination done by a healthy individual on a diseased individual. This enables varieties of discrimination that leads to denial of the individual from full social acceptance and ignites social inequalities. In a society stigma draws a fine invisible line between “normal” and “outsider,” and between “us” and “them”. And to our surprise God doesn’t discriminate but we humans do - one of the finest creations of God. This is how humans treat humans. We say we are educated but such behaviour towards anyone makes one educated illiterate. These stigmas sometimes break the individual so much that he himself starts to think that he is a so-called “outsider”. This sounds like a stereotype, doesn’t it? Don’t you think this is another way of discrimination just like racism and caste discrimination?

Question is how we can erase this line of discrimination which is adding another challenge that is disturbed mental health? So, it should have the same norms as for any other discrimination. Also stigmatizing an individual not only affects that person but also the family and immediate community. Sometimes this leads to not getting acceptance from the family itself due to the society pressure. So, the affected individual starts losing confidence and not approaching for professional help. Along with physical illness, they are forced to go through mental illness which at times brings them to a point of committing suicide. Many suicides in India are due to such chronic illness. Such stigmas are way more harmful than the disease itself. The disease a person is suffering from may be curable, however, the stigmas suffixed to it can’t. Most commonly the people suffering from AIDS, leprosy, mental illness and recently COVID-19 are the preys to these stigmas. What we need to understand is this can happen to us as well.

It’s important to make them realize that there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to respond. We should give them sufficient time to process the news so that they are kind to themselves while adjusting to new situations. So, let's take a decision of not letting them go through another level of distress when they are already going through one. It not only affects people who are suffering, but also creates a negative impact on ordinary people. It makes people to hide symptoms or illness, keep them from seeking help on time and ultimately leading to increased suicide rates. The laws should be as strict as for discrimination and harassment because we all know this is no less than a crime. So, let's come together and join hands against such stigmas!

Stop the Stigmas, Support the Stigmatized!