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It's wonderful and I am excited to drop my last participation for this edition. It was such an awesome week. The theme is one of the cardial thing that is happening in our society today. The issue of stigma or stigmatization is quite challenging and requires great efforts from all quarters to combat it. Kudos to all the management staff for their efforts in sustaining this precious community with life challenging issues. I believe many have found solace in reading and solution to their problem by reading through other author's blog.
What's stigma?
This can be seen as a label or mark given to a person or group because of the condition. People are stigmatized because of what they pass through which causes discrimination or marginalization of such individuals. For instance, there a young man whose mother went through terrible situation before he was given birth. The people named him sorrow because the condition surrounding his birth was very bad and truly dark moment for the mother. Growing up he sees people calling him such names and mocking him. This almost develop mental disorder but finally he was delivered. Today he is a transformed person and things are going properly as it ought to be.
Types of stigma
There are different types of stigma we have in our society. We have self stigma which involves some dangerous negative attitudes that can lead to obscurity, shame and low self esteem. Just like the little story I shared before, the guy suffered from low self esteem and internalized negative attitudes.
Another type of stigma is the one caused by the social and other beliefs system which can cause discrimination and isolation. It can be termed as social stigma. Being labelled with negative names from the society because of your condition. This is one of the commonest stigma that happens in our society today. For instance when it comes to the issue of marriage, there is a string always attached. Let's say if the guy hails from the middle belt and wants to marry from the east. They would say don't marry from the north because they are hausa. The stigma is that everyone from the north is regarded as a hausa person.
At times the kind of policies and laws we have could cause stigma. When the law doesn't favor you, the government or relevant authorities will enshrined policies that seeks for gratification of themselves. Some could result to having social class.
Have I seen someone stigmatized before?
Oh yes I have seen a lady being discriminated before simple because she was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. In those days and even now once such word is mentioned there is a way people normally looked at it. I can say many people died because of stigma. Are there no more dangerous diseases and viruses that kills people more than HIV/AIDS? But no one cares about others. Thank God she was so strong in heart and today, she is married and still living with the virus for the past 15-20 years. If you weren't told, you can't believe that she's a carrier.
Dealing with stigma can be complicated and complex but no withstanding there are tips or ways we can deploy to enable us cope.
Tips how to cope with stigma
- Don't stay in isolation try and network with other people with similar challenges you are passing through. Whatever you are passing through you aren't the only one. There are many others therefore identify them and connect with them.
- don't hide your feelings. Be open and share your challenges with a good and trust individual. It's said that a half shared problem is half solved.
- Don't be idle. Identify your gift and activate it. Engage in productive activities like exercise, work etc. An idle man is a devil's workshop.
Thanks for reading through my entry.
I see the way we treat people with HIV AIDS this is very brutal, I had to educate one of my friends about it because he thought the girl was sleeping around that was why she got this chronic illness not knowing that she was born with it, the mother was the one who had it then and when she gave birth to this child it affected her, people stigmatizing her caused a lot of damage for her.
Eya so sorry about that.
Stigmatization is a mark, internal or external, on the body that can bring shame to the person. Just like you mentioned a lady who had HIV and Aids.
Once you decided to stay in isolation the stigma have won.
Seriously my brother
These is very rich. These three tips will be very helpful to anyone going through stigmatization. Because most times they stay alone and refused to associate with people.
Thanks for sharing
Good to note that this piece is edifying.