- Stigma: “A sign that indicates a shameful quality in a certain individual” or a quality that is considered as shameful.
- Social Stigma: Prejudice and discriminatory behavior, directed at people with mental health problems as a result of a label placed on them by society on the basis of mental health.
- Perceived stigma/self-stigmatization: “Subjective characterization by people with mental disorders of their perceptions of discrimination”
Examples of suicide stigma (note that each one is very painful)
- Talking to someone about suicide, and the idea itself may be ingrained in their head
- Suicidal people fully understand the idea and concept of death
- Anyone who dies from suicide is depressed
- A sudden improvement in emotional state after a suicide attempt or a depressed period indicates that the risk of suicide has ended.
What are the factors that could contribute to the stigma?
- Family
The relationship between family members and the person in the spectrum of the stigma can affect the extent to which it is passed on to their loved ones. In extreme cases, family members may begin to stigmatize the person and behave in a way that leads him/her to believe that suicide is the only solution in the situation. A study also found that adolescents with mental health problems noticed stigmatizing behavior directed at them coming from family members. 46% of them describe the stigma regarding unwanted assumptions.
- Teachers
In the same study mentioned above, 35% of young people reported stigma coming from teachers. These teachers would show “fear, hostility, avoidance and underestimation of abilities” towards these students.
- Peers
62% of adolescents have experienced stigmatization from their peers. This leads to loss of friendship and social rejection.
- Media
The media has been criticized for perpetuating stereotypes, especially through movies and social media.
Imitation patterns in the film, television, and music industries often depict suicide and perpetuate stereotypes that can lead to imitation. Sites like Tumblr often expose their users to images depicting self-harm, suicide, depression, putting it all under the pretext of something that is “beautiful, romantic, and meaningful.”
This elevation and popularization of self-pity can lead to ignoring the stories of those who are clinically depressed compared to those who are not.
While social media allows false awareness of the topic and self-identification, misinformation about mental disorders is prevalent, leading to self-diagnosis of mental illness, such as depression, when it comes to normal everyday things.