Radical De-Stigmatization
Jerry H. Gelbart, M.D., F.A.P.A
Board Certified in Psychiatry
Definition
“STIGMA”: Social disapproval or unacceptability
Stigmatization of people with mental illnesses is extremely damaging and unnecessary. It comes from fear and irrational thinking.
Stigmatization is both a consequence of mental illness, as well as a contributor. As a Psychiatrist who does psychotherapy in addition to prescribing medications, I understand the impact of “not being normal.” Most readers are all too familiar with biases against people with mental illness. However, many are not aware of how much the question of “Am I normal?” contributes to the CAUSE of the illness itself.
At the heart of anxiety and depression is the feeling of not being normal, being “different…inadequate… worthless….” Judging- I call it “Toxic Judging”- of the self causes and sustains the symptoms. Along with that comes intense shame, fears of rejection, and the belief that their “true self” is unacceptable to “normal” people. Being “mentally ill” is a scary concept, because it is almost synonymous with “not being normal.”
What is a “normal” person? Are you normal? What does that mean? That you’re similar to other people? That there is nothing wrong with you? No defects? Physical or emotional? If you have Diabetes are you not normal? Hypertension? Overweight? Tall? If you have Depression or Anxiety or even Schizophrenia?
The concept of “being normal” is VERY IRRATIONAL, as there is no such thing! It is so black or white and arbitrary it makes no sense! We all have “something wrong” with us. We ALL have Biological, Psychological, Social, and Spiritual strengths and weaknesses—ways we are like others and ways we are different. If we have a problem with our pancreas (Diabetes) or cardiovascular system (hypertension) or brain (any type of mental illness) we are still “normal.”
“Toxic judging” in our society is irrational and responsible for a great deal of suffering. This involves people deciding that being one way is better than being another way, that one person can be more OK or valuable or more “worthy” than another. That if someone has a “defect” they are less-than. It causes us to be defensive and to hide parts of ourselves we believe are flawed, especially psychological flaws.
Since we all have weaknesses, flaws, or “defects” (many we are not aware of) then to NOT have a defect would be abnormal. Psychiatrists and other clinicians use guidelines to diagnose whether someone has a “mental illness” or not. This does not mean that those who see a therapist or take medications are “broken” or not normal, any more than it means those who are not in treatment are “normal.” Everyone is somewhere along a spectrum from Illnessà Healthà Wellness. Everyone is normal.
I propose a campaign to fight for RADICAL DESTIGMATIZATION for everyone, starting with people with brain illnesses. We must challenge society’s definition of “normal,” and help people with mental illnesses see that they belong as well.
