The Fear that Hinders Us

Once upon a time, there was a woman who was feared. She was kind and tender-hearted, but her childhood had been filled with misfortune. Because of this upbringing, she developed a problem—not with her lungs, eyes, or ears, but with her mind. She began to hear little voices in her head. No, not voices anyone else could hear, they only spoke to her. But when people learned about these voices, they became afraid. 

Eventually, she believed she deserved for others to be afraid of her. She struggled with substance abuse; and, for a long time, she felt hopeless. 

But one day, she found help from people who weren’t afraid of her. She found healing among those who showed compassion. Now, she no longer believes that she deserves to be feared—and she is helping people in her community who hear voices in their heads too. 

As a nursing student, I've heard many stories like hers—stories of people struggling with mental disorders. Yet, fear isolates and prevents such people from getting the support they need. The woman whose story I shared once told me, “People aren’t afraid of someone with kidney disease but they are afraid of me.” Sitting there, listening to her, I realized that fear-driven stigma lives in many of us, and it hinders us from empathizing and supporting others.

In a brief 2023 article, Okoli describes stigma through three lenses: self-stigma, public/social stigma, and structural/institutional stigma. Self-stigma occurs when individuals with mental illness internalize negative stereotypes related to their condition (Okoli, 2023). Public (or social) stigma is the general population’s response toward people with mental health challenges; and finally, structural (or institutional) stigma stigmatization is an outcome of practices or policies that disadvantage individuals with mental health challenges (Okoli, 2023). The woman in the story faced public stigma when she witnessed people becoming afraid of her when they learned about the voices in her head. Public stigma, perceived or real, can increase the anticipation of encountering stigma from employers and health care providers, thus hindering access to help. 

A recent study by Hampson et al. highlighted the impact of stigma and discrimination on people with mental disorders in the workplace. It found that individuals with mental health conditions often avoid disclosing their diagnosis to their employers because of fear and stigma. This lack of disclosure can lead to increased stress, social isolation, and ultimately job failure. But why? 

The woman in the story is now thriving at her job, even helping others. She found a place where she was accepted, not feared. She was able to disclose her mental health condition to her employer and coworkers without fear of repercussions. Her recovery was supported by people who were willing to understand her disorder and stand beside her. 

There is help and hope for all people. When individuals receive support for their mental health disorders, they become living examples of hope and can help other people experiencing similar struggles. When people who are not living with mental health disorders break down their biases, fears, and stigmas, they can become a helping hand and ray of hope for others. We all can play a part in reducing mental health stigma by facing the fear that is within us. As a community, we share the responsibility to become the help and hope for each other. 

References:

Hampson, M. E., Watt, B. D., & Hicks, R. E. (2020). Impacts of stigma and discrimination in the workplace on people living with psychosis. BMC Psychiatry, 20, Article 288. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02614-z  

Okoli, C. (2023). Board of Directors’ Column: (de)Stigmatization of Mental Illness and Mental Health Care. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 00(0), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1177/10783903231191105