Anxiety Disorder Stigma is widespread and often goes under the radar. Learn exactly what it is, why it's so damaging and how we can help it stop.
Judgment. Do you have a gut feeling when you read that word?
Often, that feeling has little to do with Webster’s benign definition “to form an opinion or conclusion about.”
Instead, most of us think of someone specific. Someone who made us feel terrible when they quickly formed “a bias and/or personal opinion” about us as the more emotionally accurate Urban Dictionary defines the term.
If you have an anxiety disorder, chances are you know all about being judged. And given the way anxiety influences how you behave and respond to others, you likely spend a lot of time worrying about it. You may also spend a lot of time harshly judging yourself.
On the other hand, if you don't have an anxiety disorder, you may have another problem. This is, you may find yourself accepting views that support anxiety disorder stigma.
However unintentionally, you might be saying or doing things to harm the recovery of loved ones or friends that struggle daily.
Why It’s Harmful to Judge
Anxiety disorder stigma is a form of mental health prejudice. It is especially harmful to a person who may already feel out of control; suspicious and self-conscious. In every effort to avoid doing harm, let's consider a few key ways of how judging an anxiety disorder can do real damage to a sufferer.
Judgment devalues and disrespects the struggles of anxiety disorder sufferers.
Anxiety disorders are not a choice. They are not an excuse for stress or undesirable situations. Above all, anxiety disorders are mental health problems that deserve attention and respect as a real, daily challenge.
Staying rational, grounded and present can be extremely difficult. Therefore, you don’t want to do anything that would present more obstacles to the peace of mind an anxious person fights so hard for.
Judgment can lead to stalled treatment and escalating symptoms.
It’s well known that mental health and physical wellbeing are closely linked. Feeling judged raises doubts in our minds and tension in our bodies, no matter who we are. Moreover, for persistently anxious people, the impact on their willingness to seek help may be detrimental.
Anxiety disorder sufferers already struggle with uncertainty and the unknown. To make things worse, experiencing the judgment of others may then cause them to question their need for help. Unfortunately, they may doubt their ability to change their circumstances and even resist support. Leaving them without care that could ease negative thought patterns, uncomfortable physical sensations, even anxiety-related health problems.
Furthermore, many anxious people adopt judgment and suffer too long on their own. Some may resist, deny or bury their diagnosis. Worse, they may manage their symptoms harmfully with poor choices and or self-medicate with substance abuse.
With all that said, why resist the urge to judge but encourage treatment instead? You help an anxiety sufferer accept their condition. Additionally, they reject the status quo and embrace the care and recovery they need.
Judgment may worsen feelings of isolation and shame
Anxious people have likely been excluded, avoided, or scolded for their tendency to overreact and feed worst-case scenarios. Anxiety disorder stigma is hurtful because it is often steeped in words like “crazy” and “insane.”
Judgment promotes the sense that anxiety sufferers are not worthy of help or even broken. In addition, judgment rarely takes into account a mental health sufferer’s whole story. For example, it overlooks the trauma, relationship disconnect, or physical discomfort under the outward behaviors you see and hear?
How do your interaction affect an anxious person's desire to be with you or others?
Can you do more to accept, embrace and encourage them as a whole person?
Judgment strengthens anxiety disorder stigma
and misses the chance to foster understanding
Judgment comes between you and the anxious person you’ve been engaging. In return, relationships can breakdown or become dysfunctional.
It’s important to remember that, opinion and advice without education and compassion hurt your chances to connect and support change. It hurts your ability to help others resist judgment too.
How You Can Help Stop Anxiety Disorder Stigma
A person with anxiety benefits from you moving past the stigma to engage more openly and genuinely.
Thus, anything someone on the outside can do to encourage discussion and tolerance regarding the struggles, needs, and hopes in the minds and lives of anxiety sufferers is valuable and necessary.
“We are all affecting the world every moment, whether we mean to or not. Our actions and states of mind matter, because we are so deeply interconnected with one another.”
How to Move Forward Together Without Stigma
Learning to accept, rather than draw negative conclusions about the feelings and responses of anxious people is vital. The number of people diagnosed with an anxiety disorder is significant and growing across every demographic.
Simple acknowledgment, kindness, and an appreciation for mental health support can effectively help reduce emotional distance, pain, and isolation. Finally, anxiety disorder stigma can be reduced. When non-sufferers do what therapists ask anxious people to do: slow down, mindfully observe your responses and challenge your unhelpful thoughts.
Everyone benefits when you are thoughtful, empathetic and kind. With trust and connection established, you offer comfort. With an open mind, ask what you can do to help. When you have listened and encouraged, supportively suggest time with a qualified therapist.
Anxiety disorders are stressful enough. Try not to add to each other’s burdens. Let me provide some professional help.
If you would like support and are looking for a psychotherapist, please contact us for a free consultation to learn about how we can be of service.
To find out more about our services, click here Anxiety Therapy .
April Lyons, MA, LPC is a somatic psychotherapist and currently owns a private practice group in Boulder CO. She specializes in PTSD, eating disorders, and bipolar disorder treatment. April is trained in EMDR Therapy, Trauma-Informed Care, and is certified as an Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapist.
