LIVE GR: The Stigma of Struggling (17th of February 7:30PM AEST)
One in five Australians aged from 16 to 85 experience a mental health issue in any given year. While support seeking is growing, with around half of people seeking treatment, we still have a long way to go.
It's hard enough trying to get through the day when we're not feeling our best. But a lot of us have had to deal with stigma too.
Anyone can perpetuate stigma. You might hear a negative comment about people who are struggling by a passerby, be told something condescending by a medical professional or your parents might be critical of you for seeking help. It's not difficult to see why stigma can be so damaging, but it is something that is so widespread in society that it can be hard to avoid.
We are often bombarded with messages about the importance of help-seeking, but sadly, many of us struggle to find support and validation. It can be a challenge to raise your voice when it feels as through the rest of the world is saying, 'Don't make a sound'.
This Wednesday, the 17th of February at 7:30pm AEST, join us for a much-needed chat about the challenges resulting from stigma, and ways that we can combat and cope with it.
See you all then!
I'm gonna go and have a rest now, but I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this chat afterwards! 🙂
Would any other mods or builders like to post questions using the chatpad on the planning thread? 🙂
How can stigma negatively impact on those who are already struggling (e.g. barriers to help seeking)? Who is most vulnerable to the harmful effects of stigma? Are there any protective factors against stigma?
I think that stigma can discourage people from confiding in other people about their experiences out of fear of what other people would think. I think that it can make it hard for people to seek help for themselves. I read lots of articles about people who felt ashamed and worried about seeking financial support or using food banks during the pandemic because they didn't want to be seen as being 'poor'. I think that one of the factors that can make stigma more harmful is if a person already has low self esteem. During low points of my life, I thought that my struggles weren't as bad as other people's and that I did not deserve to have help.
Some protective factors against stigma could include feeling connected to family, friends and other people and having good self esteem.
What is stigma? What kind of struggles are often stigmatised? Are there groups of people who are more likely to face stigma (e.g. based on their identity, what they do, etc.)?
Stigma can refer to negative attitudes towards certain characteristics or features of a person. Stigma is founded on inaccurate and false beliefs, yet has a profound impact on our wellbeing. Mental health is highly stigmatised, for example people with mental illnesses are sometimes seen as wanting attention, which is completely false. Other groups of people, usually marginalised groups, face stigma as well. This includes LGBTQIA+ people, religious and ethnic minorities, women, and disabled people, amongst other groups.
@featuringme I definitely think that the group a person belongs to can make it more likely that they will face stigma. For example, women with physical or mental health symptoms were written off as having 'hysteria' for decades.
What is stigma? What kind of struggles are often stigmatised? Are there groups of people who are more likely to face stigma (e.g. based on their identity, what they do, etc.)?
I think that stigma is when other people disapprove of or associate a particular group with bad things. Struggles such as drug or alcohol use, homelessness, mental health issues, chronic pain, functional disorders, certain medical conditions are often stigmatised, amongst lots of kinds of struggles. I definitely think that certain groups of people are more likely to face stigma and that this can be influenced by factors such as their race, gender, culture, sexuality, what they work as, where they live, etc.
Possibly.... will see how I go otherwise might read it another time!!
I am SO excited for this one - such an incredibly important conversation to have
Tagging some mods and builders who might be interested 🙂
@Anzelmo @Hozzles @elta25 @Addie_DCLXVI @WinterCalvino @ayrc_1904 @sunnygirl606 @Kittybal @A_Friend @AmazingPUMP @LeapofFaith @Wathan @wanderingwasp @featuringme @Emlo @mol1912 @GioDes @Sunnybear @Maybel9595 @nixh
Sorry if I've missed anyone.
I'll be free to help tomorrow! Can't wait to participate in a very important discussion 
Aw, this sounds like such a good topic but I can't make it! 
Definitely want to check in to see what you guys all talk about though aftewards! 
