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What is Stigma?
Stigma is defined as “a set of negative and unfair beliefs" that are held by a society or group of people, about "the other."
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines stigma as “a set of negative and unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.” It goes on to also define it as “a mark of shame or discredit” or “an identifying mark or characteristic”. These negative or unfair beliefs are often a result of inaccurate information or myths that a person, a group of people, or society may hold.
For example, when it comes to people who use substances, a large part of society holds extremely negative views about this population, perceiving them to be dishonest, violent, and scary. However, if we were to sit and talk with people who use substances, we would come to realise that the average person isn’t dishonest, violent, or scary. Often, people who use substances struggle with intense experiences of trauma, pain, or mental health issues. The stigmatization of this population only leads to further social isolation and their struggles to survive will only intensify.
Another thing to consider is the fact that different parts of the world, or various cultures and religions will view things differently than others. In certain African countries, people with disabilities are seen as cursed, or believed to be witches. Learn more about this in our first blog post - Shame, Abuse, and Misconceptions: The Reality of Having a Disability in Nigeria, Africa. This type of stigma can lead to shaming, abuse, or even death in extreme circumstances.
Types of Stigma
Now that you understand what stigma is, it’s important to understand the different types of stigma that exist. Public stigma, self-stigma, and stigma-by-association are the three main types of stigma.
Public Stigma
Understanding public stigma requires us to ask the question, “how does the public (the majority, a large part of society) perceive this group of people?” For example, when we look at people who suffer from a mental illness, there may be a tendency for people to view them as violent, weak, or unpredictable. This stigmatising worldview may lead to people being labelled, isolated, discriminated against, or abused. It can even go as far as to cause discrimination and prejudice in different settings such as housing, healthcare, workplaces and educational institutions..
Self-Stigma
This occurs when an individual internalises the negative attitudes that are believed by people in society. People who internalise stigma begin to consider their traits/symptoms as weak, shameful, embarrassing, or bad. This causes a severe reduction in self-esteem, increase in social isolation, and an overall impact on their well being. For example, the Trevor Project (Facts About LGBTQ Youth Suicide | The Trevor Project) states that “LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.”
Stigma-by-association
This occurs when the effects of stigma are extended to someone linked to a person who is already being stigmatised. This type of stigma can have psychological effects on an individual similar to those that are already experiencing the stigma, and may contribute to an individual's tendency to isolate or avoid social interaction. Sometimes, experiencing stigma-by-association might cause the individual to distance themselves from a loved one who is experiencing things like mental illness, addictions, or disabilities.
Our Strategy to Fight Stigma
We make change, through the age-old practice of story telling. Understanding someone's impact, and the harm caused by the perpetuation of mis-information is an opportunity to create change. We work with people to share their stories, and foster the inclusion they want to see in the world.