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it starts with me
Posted On 09/06/2009 13:12:25 by rustyc

  who made you aware of this condition, stigma? how did you get there to the point that you are different from other people? have you ever stopped long enough to see that nobody has the correct way to be with everything in life? would you like for me to share how many times i have broken the mold which should have created a feeling associated with stigma. imagine, what if, an infant could relate to fear and being humiliated the infant would never have learned how to do anything. yet, as we grew we became aware of other people, but, it really was more of what we thought about when alone, to talk to ourself about what we didn't have answers to , so, we assumed or "oh, i got it all figured out." so, where did you get the answers to how things are really suppose to be in life?

  there isn't anything a person can't do once they create a feeling and then create a desire to power up an emotion. which is what people do living with stigma. my mental development slowed alot when i became aware of my mental state not being right. all i had to do was take back my mind and stop living by other peoples rules and started to create desires which would make me happy, what i wanted in life and i am now back on track. i don't care what people think, i no longer press my clothes, and i welcome all challenges, it doesn't matter should i fail or succeed. what i know afterwards is that i am a little wiser and smarter able to do something better the next time. i never walked away from anythig as a child and i will not as an adult. over-coming fear of being humiliated is the key to breaking down stigma.  

Tags: Stigma Stigma Stigma



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From: Sandy_Gale
09/07/2009 12:43:38

I have to agree with Debra on this one.  First, as long as I can recall, I felt something was seriously wrong with me.  My symptoms made my life intolerable ... as a child.  I kept my feelings "secret" even though I KNEW something awful was going wrong.

It wasn't until I was older, in colllege, that I also felt uncomfortable talking about my problems.  The few people I told were dismissive of me.  I think part of that has to do with the fact that I look "normal."  We all do.  So others who don't experience this stuff simply don't understand.

The more I sought help and support, the more I read things in the media, I saw that OTHER HEALTHY PEOPLE saw mental illness as "laziness, weakness, fake."  I finally "came out of the closet" to fight that, as I firmly believe I have a medical/neurological problem.

This doesn't CHANGE who I am.  My illness has only stifled my creativity (which I still have even on my meds).  I have learned now to work on alternative means to feel better, yes.  And I believe in brain plasticity and work on fighting my negative thoughts, still trying to follow my dreams.

I am not humiliated.  I do not care what others think.  Those who still love me are all I care about.  Many are those who have the same problems.

I feel the stigma must be fought with a recognition, IMHO, that these are MEDICAL, NEUROLOGICAL "dis-eases".  We don't know enough about the brain to cure them, but they are treatable.

But I respect individuals choices on how to cope, how to treat themselves.  I find many in the psychiatric and medical profession don't understand either!  They should take more courses on neuropsychiatric disorders and neurology.

As I may have said, I have seen a few neurologists in my day, and they understand my problems more than psychiatrists!  That shocks me!

Again, this is my POV, and I have not walked in another person's shoes.  But this is how I fight stigma.

Cheers

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