Stigma, Taboo and Mythology

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Previously, we have mentioned the 'stigma' of depression. One of the biggest problems with depression is the failure to recognise it. It is obvious that if it isn't identified, it won't be treated properly. But even when it is identified, it often isn't treated well enough.

One of the major reasons for the failures to identify and treat the illness is a result of the 'stigma' associated with the term 'depression'.

Stigma
In medical terms, the 'stigma' of a disease is the visible sign of that disease. Stigmas include such things as the spots you get with measles or chicken pox.

But this isn't the kind of stigma we're talking about. We are talking about the type of stigma that causes people to avoid facing their symptoms, avoiding diagnosis, avoiding treatment and avoiding even the mention of depression. The reason for this is a fear of being labelled as being 'mental' or even 'mad'. Fortunately with improved understanding of the illness, more people are realising that these fears are unfounded.

The word 'stigma'...
The word 'stigma' comes from a Greek word meaning, "to prick" as in with a pin. This would normally leave a mark. So the word has taken on that meaning - a mark like the one left by a branding iron. And because such marks have mostly been used as a punishment or to single out "undesirable" people, the word now has bad connotations.

To understand why 'stigma' is now such a negative thing, think about some recent stigmas society has imposed. During the Second World War, the Jews were made to wear armbands to identify them.

Further back in history, some social groups branded the foreheads of women they thought were promiscuous with the letter "A" for adulteress.

These marks set people apart from "normal" society, they singled them out, resulting in rejection. If you associated with people marked in this way, you risked being branded as 'one of them'.

But why does this stigma exist? Why is it attached to depression? What is wrong with being ill? You won't be stigmatised if you get the flu. Even if you get drunk, wrap your car around a tree and half kill yourself, you're more likely to get sympathy rather than stigma.

So why is depression different? There's no simple answer. What seems certain is that the stigma exists and that it is irrational. So how can we get rid of it?

As humans, we don't deal very well with "mysteries," with things we can't see, feel, taste or measure, with things that aren't "real." So, we invent myths to "explain" these things.

 

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