How do you deal with stigma?

[Jake]

I don’t let sz define me. It helps me to understand that I am a normal person. For example…. I have emotions, I am gifted with things, and I enjoy things.

[anon21675834]

I think I’ve only had stigma from my dad when he said he didn’t want me to kill him if I didn’t take an antipsychotic. I just told him I don’t think like that.

[Zigz103]

I buy them gifts

[POET]

I became a sigma to deal with stigma

[Montezuma]

I’m a lot like you @Jake .

If I end up being known for anything I want it to be more for my art than my sz.

[Qwerty]

Not very well. In recent years I have found myself stigmatised by people who should know better. Like professionals

It’s left a very bad taste in my mouth tbh

[Charles_Foster]

I’ve really only experienced this in the medical community.

Not even the mental health professionals.

I mean like the ER physician you’re seeing for a kidney stone.

They’re hands down the ■■■■■■■ worst.

You have two choices.

Mediocre healthcare where they don’t take you into consideration at all,

Or,

Stand up for yourself and be discharged.

[everhopeful]

A couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have had any issues with declaring that I had schizophrenia to anyone.

That’s changed. Mostly because I have a newsfeed about schizophrenia and every day there’s some story about a schizophrenic murder or something like that.

So I’ve internalised the stigma!

Now I’d be afraid to tell someone that I have it really.

[Wave]

@Qwerty

Like professionals

I’ve learned first hand that the largest offenders are the so called professionals

[agent101g]

Haha, I also have only been discriminated against by doctors and social workers. The reason? I don’t tell anybody I’m sick! I had one social worker in particular really treat me like garbage. Gave me the side eye like I was a drug addict, boy did my mom hate that woman lol she saw her dynamic with me once and insisted I change contact people. Pretty sure this lady thought I was doing all kinds of wacky street drugs with how often I acted weird, but it was just the disease I swear!

To answer the question, I don’t deal with it on most days, cuz I don’t tell anyone. Most health workers are surprised by how sane I seem and treat me normally. That one person was a strange exception.