Stigma and Shame Around Mental Health

Recognizing you are stuck in a negative pattern in life can be difficult to do and even more difficult to acknowledge. Admitting you may need help from someone else, especially a professional, is even more difficult and comes with its own unique challenges.

Stigma, Shame, & Embarrassment

We have all received from society, the message that we need to “handle it ourselves”, to “pull ourselves up by our bootstraps”, or to work harder. When we cannot rise to our own expectations or the expectations of others, we often turn the blame and shame on to ourselves and create a feedback loop of negatively that pulls us down. Often admitting we need help comes with an idea that we are not enough, that we are broken, that we can’t do it ourselves and due to that perceived failure, we feel embarrassed and shameful. We can also have fear of an official “diagnosis” that puts a label on us of somehow broken, wrong, inferior, or damaged. We can often feel that if we seek help we will feel dismissed or misunderstood.

No One Can Do It Alone

Sure, there are aspects of our lives that we want to keep independent and private but, have you every played a sport, been on a team, created art and shown it, performed music, or volunteered in a group? All of these activities remind us that community shows us various ways we are not alone in our struggles and being together gives us opportunities to find like minded people that we can related to. When major disasters happen, those that are whole come to heal, and those that need the healing are grateful.. not judging themselves. When you find yourself trying and still feeling stuck, seek help to get “unstuck”, to rebuild yourself, to feel whole so you may help another person in the future. Seeking help can feel vulnerable but its the necessary first step toward healing.

“No man is an island” – John Donne

Get Compassionate & Evidence-Based Therapy

If you notice that you often feel negative stigma, shame, or embarrassment about reaching out for therapy, our experts are trained in sensitivities to these feelings. As compassionate therapists with a dedication to individualized care, we’ll work with you to give you the tools you need to reduce these feelings and work on healing. For more information on our therapy services and how we can help you, click here to contact us today!