I feel that there is a stigma associated with mental illness due to the fact that there is a lot of negativity surrounding the topic as a whole. This plays into the underlying issue of ignorance and lack of knowledge when it comes to the topic of mental illness. When some people think of mental illness they often categorize it as one thing, rather than recognizing there are many factors and characteristics and cannot be placed into one “box”. I think what contributes to self-stigma is our societal standards that have shifted over the years. This mainly stems from social media and how it has changed our perception of ourselves due to the constant validation we seek from others and the ability to compare ourselves to others through different platforms.
Culture, as we know, has a profound impact on many aspects of our lives. In terms of mental illness, culture can define our response to it. Depending on the culture, the people associated with it may view mental illness with being either demonic, a curse, etc. If that is the case then the people with the mental illness will most likely not be treated or diagnosed properly. Some people identified as having a mental illness can even be cast out of their family or community depending on their culture. Culture overall has a big impact on how mental illness will be viewed and treated which can immensely affect the person’s daily living.
