What Is The Impact Of Stigma On People With Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities?

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Impact of Stigma on People Living With Mental Illnesses
Introduction
Mental health is an issue of major concern among several communities. Several defects have been observed to occur in mental health in many people over the past few years. This has been reflected in different surveys which aim to analyze the causes of these mental health defects. The same has been the case with developmental disabilities in that case regarding the issue have been on the rise in the recent past. The patients with such disorders have been enrolled for treatment in different health institutions and new ways of helping them are being developed every day according to research findings. These people are usually stigmatized in the process, and this portrays a bad image of the society. Stigma is one of the most hurtful and isolating issues in society which is often experienced by people with mental health illness. Learning to live with a mental problem can be challenging especially when people experience the prejudice that is brought about by stigmatization (Hanson, 123). For long people in the community have discriminated against people with disabilities and have denied them some of their basic rights. However, times are changing and so should people. Due to awareness campaigns created worldwide by activist’s people are slowly gaining knowledge on how to deal with people with disabilities. This does not mean that people living with mental illnesses are not affected by stigma.
One of the ways in which people are affected involves diminishing their self-esteem while at the same time robbing them social opportunities. It is important to realize that these people are human beings and they are entitled to their rights just like any other ordinary person. The opportunities they are denied range from education, employment to lack of accommodation due to their state (Black, Murphy and Gardner, 89). Stigma can also come from the parents of t...