As the public pays attention to mental health, more and more people have begun to heal themselves through psychological counseling.
However, in real life, there are still many people who obviously have psychological problems but are unwilling to seek help from professionals. Why does this happen to
? This may be affected by the " psychological problems stigmatizing ".
Writer Lin Yihan once shared the public's stigma of psychological problems at his wedding -
If you have a junior who has leukemia , you will not tell him:
"Don't interact with people with leukemia, otherwise you will also get leukemia."
"This is because your willpower is insufficient, and your stress resistance is not strong, so you will get leukemia."
"Why are everyone's leukemia good, but you are not good?"
"Why are everyone's leukemia good, but you are not good?"
"Why are everyone's leukemia good? l0 However, people often say similar words to people with psychological problems:
"Don't interact with people with psychological problems, otherwise you will also have psychological problems."
"It's because you are too fragile that you have psychological problems."
"Why are everyone okay, you are so pretentious?"
1
Psychological problems stigmatization refers to the society's label of derogatory labels for individuals or groups with psychological problems, causing them to be treated unfairly.
From the perspective of stigmatists, there are three main types of stigmatization of psychological problems:
1, stereotype
stereotype refers to having a rigid understanding of psychological problems.
For example, thinking that "people with psychological problems are dangerous, violent, and incompetent" is a stereotype.
2. Prejudice
Prejudice refers to negative emotional reactions or feelings towards psychological problems.
For example, the idea of "people with psychological problems are dangerous" will make people feel fearful;
"people with psychological problems are incompetent" will make people feel pity.
3. Discrimination
Discrimination refers to treating people with psychological problems differently, which affects the other party's rights and opportunities.
For example, people who avoid or isolate psychological problems refuse to provide job opportunities because the other party has psychological problems.
2
From the perspective of the stigmatized person, the main stigmatization of psychological problems is the following three types:
1. Experience stigmatization
Experience stigmatization refers to the stigma experienced by people with psychological problems in the past or present.
For example, he was treated unfairly because of psychological problems, was despised in interpersonal relationships, and was fired because of psychological problems.
2. Expected stigma
Expected stigma refers to people who have psychological problems expect that they will be stigmatized in the future.
For example, think that you will be ridiculed by others for psychological problems in the future, or lose the opportunity you could have obtained.
3. Internalized stigma
Internalized stigma refers to the negative thoughts and feelings related to people with psychological problems that recognize and their own stigma characteristics.
For example, you feel ashamed in your heart, think that you are not good when you have psychological problems, think that you are useless, etc.
3
stigmatization will have many negative effects on people with psychological problems, which not only affects their mental health, but also leads to their poor coping methods and affects their social functions.
1. Impact on mental health
People with psychological problems are already suffering from great pain in their hearts, and stigmatization will make their originally ungood mental state worse.
The negative tags created by stigmatization will reduce their self-esteem, sense of self-efficacy, , and self-worth, and will also cause them to blame, depressive tendencies, and self-depreciation, etc.
2. Impact on coping behavior
Stigmatization will lead to people with psychological problems and develop wrong coping behaviors.
For example, they will think that psychological problems are shameful, and choose to hide their situation from others rather than seek help from professionals, which will lead to aggravation of psychological problems.
3. Impact on social life
Stigmatization will cause people with psychological problems to encounter a lot of injustice in their lives.
For example, in the workplace, they may be denied employment due to psychological problems. Even if they are hired, employers may avoid giving them more important jobs out of concerns, which will affect their career development.
In terms of life, because of stigma, others will choose to distance themselves from them, which will lead to them narrowing their social scope and affecting their social functions.
4
Psychological problems have so many impacts, so what should we do to break the stigma of psychological problems? You can try to start from the following points.
1. Face psychological problems
We need to know that psychological problems are not a disaster, and psychological problems do not mean shame.
Talk about psychological issues openly. When this topic is no longer a "taboo", more prejudice and discrimination will be eliminated.
2. Provide social support
If there are people around us who have psychological problems, please do not discriminate against them, but choose to help them.
Positive social support will make those in pain feel warmth and hope, and regain the love for life.
3. Seek professional help
When there is a psychological problem, please seek help from professionals in time. Doing this is to be responsible for yourself.
There is nothing shameful about actively seeking help, but rather a manifestation of courage.
