Overcoming Social Isolation Caused by Mental Health Stigma

Social isolation caused by mental health stigma can be debilitating. Many people are aware of social anxiety disorder, but social isolation is a form of anxiety where a mental health patient is not in a care facility but their own home and has a hard time facing the many forms of mental health stigma in society (Mental Illness, Isolation, and Loneliness).

This is a serious problem because isolated mental health consumers can fall off the treatment map or go into a cycle of being in and out of the hospital their entire lives. Some of these mental health stigma myths, such as the myth that people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are violent or the myth that mental illnesses can be transmitted, contribute to social isolation causes as well.

Let's Talk About Social Isolation and Mental Health Stigma

Causes of My Social Isolation: Self-Stigma

When I was younger and newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder, mental health stigma kept me from returning to school and pursuing my dream of becoming a journalist. Though I had the skills to attend school, a drug I was on made my hands shake and I worried people could tell I took psychiatric medications and would look down on me. I put off registering for school until it was too late and spent the next years in a state of social isolation.

Mental Health Stigma From Loved Ones and Employers Further Isolated Me

The few times I left my apartment was for groceries or to visit with family members, and the social isolation I experienced caused me to be nervous and withdrawn. Stigma from old friends and possible employers would have ruined my life if I hadn't been determined to become a writer whether I went to a school where mental health stigma would affect me or not.

It hurt when people judged me; it hurt when I missed out on job opportunities due to mental health stigma. There were even times I made the unhealthy choice of trying to treat my social anxiety by consuming alcohol, something a person on medications should never do (Self-Medication of a Mental Health Problem). Mental health stigma held me back, but I stayed firm in my goals and over years my social isolation decreased, and I was even able to take a job as a volunteer educator in the mental health field.

Social Isolation and Mental Health Stigma Can Be Overcome

What causes your social isolation? Do you worry a lot about what others think, are you afraid to meet new people or take social risks? There are many treatment options. I found a haven from stigma when I moved into a group home for people with mental illnesses. Everyone in the home was either dealing with a mental health issue or trained to help me through my problems.

I no longer had to live with my guard up; I had friends and people to talk to about how I felt. As time passed and I became more a member of my community, I was more able to deal with mental illness stigma. Life skills classes and frequent talks with a mental health worker helped even more. I still faced problems at work but I was lucky enough to belong to a union that protected my rights and understood that at times I would need a long sabbatical, a "mental health month" as it were.

It all comes down to trying to move forward in your recovery from social isolation caused by mental health stigma a little each day, and remembering that real friends and family members you can lean on will never judge you.

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