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    Self Stigma

    Good morning afternoon or evening everyone,
    I'm new to this forum, decided to take the step to reach out and try to connect with other people with lived experience.

    One question I'd love to ask is, does anyone struggle with self stigma?
    has anyone been there?
    what helped you overcome self stigma?

    I'd love to benefit from the wisdoms anyone has, or even just to find people who can relate with this struggle...hopefully we can find ways to overcome it together
    Thank you for your input.



    #2
    Welcome to the forum Barefootboy. What is your experience with self stigma? I am not familiar with this term.
    AJ

    Humans punish themselves endlessly
    for not being what they believe they should be.
    -Don Miguel Ruiz-

    Comment


      #3

      I experience self stigma as fear, self doubt, wavering self esteem.....low self confidence. I always question my experiences and perceptions. I wonder....is this the illness tinting what I'm experiencing, or is it just me?
      Does that make sense?

      Comment


        #4
        Yes it does.
        AJ

        Humans punish themselves endlessly
        for not being what they believe they should be.
        -Don Miguel Ruiz-

        Comment


          #5
          Hello Barefootboy, and welcome! I'm glad you've come onto the forum to connect. I've found this place to be a lifeline at times.

          Thanks for bringing up an interesting topic.

          Do you think self stigma might apply to a lot of mental health conditions? I'm all too familiar with depression, and have certainly experienced the feelings you describe. It's as if I'm going along and doing well, then somehow the rug gets pulled out from under me. All self confidence comes crashing down and I feel like a zero. Any stability I've built up is whooshed away and I have to start again. However, I'm very glad to report that because this has happened so often in my life, I recognize it now as a temporary situation. It doesn't take very long now to get back to stability and confidence again. I also have lots more "tools in my toolbox" now than I used to, and support people as well.

          Is it the illness tinting the experience? I'd say absolutely it is. Mood disorders mess with our thinking and emotions, it's their job and they do it well! They're expert at skewing our outlook so we blame ourselves for things that aren't our fault. Of course there are also elements of us that aren't to do with a mood disorder, things that we kinda have to own, and take responsibility for. With time and experience it has become easier for me to distinguish between the two. Some stuff is a gray area too, but that's okay, most things either pass and don't matter anymore, or eventually become clearer.

          That's my two cents on self stigma
          uni

          ~ it's always worth it ~

          Comment


            #6
            Yep, the story I told myself then was that I “should” be able to do an “easy” task, like showering and the days when I really could not at that point in my life, I “should” be ashamed of my lack of self-care.

            I called myself out about my “shoulds-would I treat another person like that? No. So why am I treating myself like that?

            I am telling myself a new story about acceptance, compassion, and hope.

            Comment


              #7
              Good afternoon
              Thankyou for the responses.

              Hi Uni. Yes I do feel that self stigma applies to a lot of Mental health conditions.
              I can relate totally to the repeated rise and fall you've mentioned and I'm so pleased you are in a place where you can recover from the fall more quickly now. I think that's great and it's encouraging for me to hear, so thank you. Also pleased and can relate to having more tools in the toolbox and supports.
              About the second part of your post, it's funny, I read once that Mental illness is never any ones "fault" but it does become our responsibility so I see what you're saying in the 2nd part of your post. If i understood you correctly lol. Hope I did. :P
              I appreciate the input

              To RiverRanch, I work on those "should" statements as well, It helps to challenge them and balance them out. I do it with C.B.T.
              I love how you are telling yourself a new story, I've heard that advice from a therapist actually, he asked me what story are you telling yourself about your life. It took me a while to figure out what he meant by it, but eventually I understood. So pleased to hear you've gone the way of acceptance, compassion and hope. I'm doing my absolute best to follow suit.

              I'm thrilled to hear from you both. Thank you sincerely

              Comment


                #8
                Great to read your reply Barefootboy. It sounds like we're on the same page in several ways. I feel understood and encouraged by what you've said, in the same way that you're encouraged by my post. It never ceases to amaze me how helpful it is to help one another, if you get my drift! I think being aware of self stigma is half the battle, so that's a big step in itself

                RiverRanch, I gain encouragement from you as well. Those freaking "shoulds" get me in trouble if I don't pay attention. Some of them are so ingrained by upbringing, family, society, etc. that I may never totally erase them, but progress is what I'm aiming for, and I've made quite a lot. Glad to hear you have too.
                uni

                ~ it's always worth it ~

                Comment


                  #9
                  Good morning Uni.
                  If it makes you feel any better, I don't believe "shoulds" ever truly completely go away. lol. Well in my experience anyways I'm finding it's a daily practical practice. The act of catching them is in itself the success of it, not eliminating them forever. That's how I feel anyways lol. :P

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Excellent point Barefootboy!
                    uni

                    ~ it's always worth it ~

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