Self-stigmatization is one of the many components of the social phenomenon known as stigmatization. The process of stigmatization labels undesirable differences and can have a result of social exclusion, which can have affects of disempowering and discrimination. Self-stigmatization is affected by the social construct revolving around how others perceive themselves, and how other perceives them on the outside.
Individuals struggling with mental illness are troubled by the self-stigma that is accompanied with low self-esteem and self-efficacy. Self-stigma builds around thinking that you are not good enough and that you should not bother trying. This phenomenon has effects on goal-related behavior and slows down your motivation.
Self-stigma comprises of three steps: stereotypes, agreeing with others, and applying it to yourself. As a result of these steps, people suffer with reduced self-esteem and are dissuaded from pursuing opportunities that are fundamental to achieving their goals, due to diminishing their self-esteem.
Why Do We Stigmatize Ourselves?
Stigma is a prejudicial, negative treatment we face when others see us as just our mental health conditions rather than who we are as human beings. Facing stigma from other individuals who do not understand mental health can be demeaning and emotionally damaging. Although the judgment of others can impact how we see ourselves, but what about self-stigma? Do you ever face self-stigmatization towards yourself?
Self-stigma is biased and can impose negative judgment towards ourselves. You might have stigmatized yourself if you have ever paid more attention to the symptoms and effects of your own mental health than you do on other parts of yourself; caught yourself overthinking words, actions, and non-verbal behaviors of others; noticed self-demeaning thoughts running through your mind all the time; found yourself agreeing with those demeaning thoughts you have; felt that you are letting someone down because you are not good enough; or felt worthless.
These are just some of the signs of self-stigma. As others do when they stigmatize you and when you stigmatize yourself, you are seeing a version of yourself that is unevenly the real you. Beginning to notice when you are self-stigmatizing can intentionally shift your focus to something good about yourself. By identifying the negatives, you will gradually stop stigmatizing yourself. Accepting yourself and your mental illness as a part of who you are can decrease the self-stigmatization towards yourself and can avoid negative comments from others hurting you.
When Can You Overcome Self-Stigma?
You overcome self-stigma when you come to a realization with yourself and decide to choose to overcome it. Overcoming self-stigma does not happen overnight; it takes time to come to terms with yourself and how you choose to look at life. You have to make a decision for yourself to become happier and increase your self-worth. No one wakes up one day and chooses mental illness, and you cannot choose to have it or not.
However, we can choose what we do with our mental illness. We can choose how to cope and how to adjust our lives around our mental health. We can choose to let our mental health control us or we can decide to choose how to work with it. It all comes down to how you see yourself living how you want to live.
Overcoming self-stigmatization can lead you to a happier and healthier life. You may see how different your decisions would become and how much stronger you would become as well.