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!
