Stigmatization is having a fixed mind or idea about a particular group of people. Society classifies people into different groups regarding their health status, career, physical appearance, race, and other factors. Although people might not realize that they are having a biased opinion about others, their actions can be detrimental. It can subsequently cause more harm than good, especially to the victims. The ideas of stigmatized people are often dismissed, which can make them commit suicide; however, society can embrace them to make them feel that they are also important.
In most cases, opinions of those experiencing stigmatization are dismissed. As the speaker describes, their ideas are not taken into consideration because they are believed to be insane (Gregory, 2016). People often approach the victims with a fixed mind, which usually misguides their judgment towards the sufferers. However, a simple act of care and showing that they are also valuable for society can enhance their lives. Moreover, conversing or hearing their grievances with an open mind may make one discover that the initial thoughts about the person are wrong since they are humans, who are similar any other individual. Therefore, everybody’s opinion should be taken into consideration without prejudice.
The negative environment affects the stigmatized people, especially the mentally ill, and at times may lead to their ultimate death. When people realize that their presence in society is not recognized, and they are repeatedly disregarded, suicidal thoughts can develop, which might often force them take away their own life. This is always instigated when the individual internalizes the hostile environment to which they are exposed. They may feel that they are not useful for society, thus not being worth living. For instance, individuals who are battling alcoholism may kill themselves if they are dispelled from their jobs or families, totally loosing hope. Hence, victims are frequently vulnerable, and they can go to the extent of causing harm to their own selves.
However, mentally ill individuals can be embraced and incorporated into society. These are people who have real feelings; although they may not be regarded as healthy, they are humans. They feel what other ordinary people experience, and at times, they have bad mood just like any other person. Incorporating them into society improves their psychological well-being (Gregory, 2016). Although they may suffer from hallucinations or paranoia, they also need to be loved. Loving a stigmatized individual costs nothing but benefits society as a whole since it eliminates some of the harmful vices in which the victims might get involved. Hence, the public should involve stigmatized people in common activities and plans without developing prejudice.
Succinctly, stigmatization negatively affects people, even though society might not realize what damages it causes. Many people across the globe have taken away their lives as a result of being stereotyped just because they were deemed unfit to make certain rational positions. However, people can combat stigmatization by embracing the victims with an open mind. Society tends to unduly perceive certain groups of individuals by associating them with evils which they might not even be aware of. However, engaging the victims directly and hearing their opinions and views on life through first-hand experience can help reveal what public thinks about the stigmatized. Therefore, there is a need for the community to change their perception towards groups of people who are often wrongly associated with harmful vices.
Reference
Gregory, J. (2016). Destigmatizing the mentally ill. TEDxFSCJ. Web.