A stigma..

Stigma is a very big part of medicine especially in mental health issues. Almost everyone experienced stigma. But it is more prevalent in those with an illness.

Just what the hell is this stigma??

I think an example would best show what it is. For example, a man with a previous history of severe depression, wanted to rent a flat. The owner is fine with him staying as long as he stays away from his young children. The man in return replied "I'm not a child-eater you know. I'm human just like you." The man who is completely fine, in good health, is experiencing stigma enacted by his landlord. That is stigma.

It might seem trivia but it doesn't when we ourselves experienced it. Stigma comes in many form. Even in the form that other people can't see. That is felt stigma. A stigma that is within the person anticipating an enacted stigma.

People sometimes need to stop judging people from what they had in their past. Sometimes, even health care professionals enact stigma on patients. I know it's difficult to not prejudice to someone else just because they had bi-polar disorder, or schizophrenia, but if they do not do anything to you, then why should do anything to them? Why prejudice?

I read an article once in British Medical Journal about the life story of the article's author himself...He was a medical student who had bi-polar disorder. He dropped out of med school for failing exams and had a trouble with the police force. However, he got help and got better in a year. He then requested the med school for a second chance and was lucky to be given one.

Since then he got numerous prize for outstanding performances. He also completed a PhD and currently doing another one as well. He's married, have two lovely kids and a three-legged cat.

The thing is, he knew what it was like to be stigmatised. People were telling him to quit because of his mental health illness. But he kept on going proving others wrong. He said, stigma is like a disease. It spreads from one person to another.

People choose what they want to believe but they didn't think for once that they might be wrong. People who had mental health or any illness is no different from us. It's their action today that define who they are at the moment.

Why prejudice? They are us, and we are them. No one likes to be judged by others, so why should you?