The Social Impact Of Stigma Surrounding Physical And...

The Social Impact of Stigma Surrounding Physical and Mental Disability Of those who know me well, a small number eventually find out that I am bipolar. It s not something I advertise to the public, and it has, at times, been an enormously debilitating force in my life. Even though I am educated about my problems and know better, many times I have berated myself harshly for my weakness or even found fault in my very existence. Early on, I doubted my right to live based upon the difficulties inherent to the disorder, and I have since sometimes felt deeply ashamed of it. Not everyone who has learned of it has been understanding. Not at all. I have been told I was undisciplined, that the illness was fake or manufactured, that I was making excuses, that I was scary, that I needed to go back to church, that I was just manipulative, that I needed a knot jerked in my tail, that I had taken advantage of loving parents, that I was just too emotional, that that that that that...... It s NOT just my imagination that keeps me from telling people. -sricki All across the globe, people with disabilities are shut out from the rest of society, kept back by a wall called â€Å"stigma†. They are well hidden from the rest of the world, institutionally separated from the moment that they begin school. Children with disabilities grow up almost exclusively around other children â€Å"like them†, usually under the pretense that it allows them to feel more â€Å"normal†. As they growShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness1658 Words   |  7 PagesMental illness is a controversial topic in recent news. From Sandy Hook to the Aurora movie theatre shooting, the effects of mental illness have sparked fierce debate and negative stigma surrounding the issue. Mental illnesses, â€Å"patterns of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that are deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional† (Myers 562), affect 1 in 4 people at some point in their lives (Stigma and Discrimination). 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