Social Stigma Is Defined as a Mark of Shame - Essay Example

Social stigma is defined as a mark of shame which is associated with a certain condition, people or quality, usually outside ofwhat is considered to be “normal” by greater society (Kelly & Field 1996). Ervin Goffman the sociologists discusses stigma in relation to what he describes as the ‘spoiled identity’ (Goffman 1963).This suggests that a stigmatized individual is outside what is considered to be the norm and does not have the benefits that come with belonging to the greater identity. When the society suspects the behavior of the stigmatized person is not part of this norm, he or she is viewed as if he is not human or less human. Goffman showed that stigma is a social issue or problem which is assessed as a behavior, reputation or as an attribute which is disgraced in a certain way (Goffman 1963). This can be due to mental illness, sexual identity or irrational behavior. Stigma leads to rejection and perception as an undesirable stereotype in the society, instead of being considered as a normal and accepted person in the society (Goffman 1963). People diagnosed or who at the risk of being diagnosed with a socially stigmatized condition find the stigma more fearful than the condition itself because they have the perception that the society will or may react negatively after learning of their condition (Joachim & Acorn 2000). Those at risk of social stigmatization may avoid seeking help from society and even others may avoid treatment. In the real world, society views those who are faced with a stigmatizing condition as people who are hard to approach. They are a threat to others and are unpredictable. Stigmatized people may also fear that society will see them as incapable, lazy, inferior and weak (Joachim & Acorn 2000). They also fear to disclose their status to friends, family members and work colleagues in relation of being assisted or seeking help from the professionals. Despite the benefits that are associated with diagnostic labels of many stigmatized conditions (e.g. mental illness) the individual may face a negative self image because those in the society or around him or her think that the ideas associated with culture are associated with the person (Kelly & Field 1996). Fear and the subsequent stigmatization can be caused by ignorance (Kelly & Field 1996). Most people who are faced with a stigmatized condition have a sense of inadequacy, shame and low self esteem, which may further the problem and lead to exclusion from society as a whole (Scambler 2004). They feel that their social status in the community has been reduced. Their participation in societal activities will also be reduced. A stigmatized individual may also reduce their involvement in some social activities because of their fear of rejection (Scambler 2004). Some individuals have fear themselves about their condition. This may be because some stigmatized conditions are attached to behaviours that are not seem as part of the ‘spoiled identity’ (Goffman 1963) such as self-neglect. These stigmatized people may be fearful because they may lose their job or their close relationships as some people would not like to be associated with them, so they may decide not to tell anyone about their condition (Joachim & Acorn 2000). The perception of stigma by association reveals the facts that the stigma does not only affect the individual with the label, but the effects extend to those within the society where they live (Schur 1983). There is evidence that the presence of a stigmatized person in a local area may lead to reduced house prices (Östman & Kjellin 2002). Family members are also at risk of stigma by association, and as many as 18% of family members of those with a mental illness have thought that the patient would be better off dead (Östman & Kjellin 2002). This suggests that even those close to the individual may fall victim to thoughts full of stigma, despite the fact they know the stigmatized individual well and should have a greater understanding of the condition. Stigmatized individuals may begin to isolate themselves from the community as a whole (Scambler 2004). If the community limits themselves from interacting with the stigmatized person, their families may also be excluded as well. Their families may have been dependent on society so they will end up isolating and discriminating the person so that they may continue to get the benefit from the society (Joachim & Acorn 2000). For many people, the idea of a mental illness (or similar condition) produces fear because it is associated with a loss of control or mindfulness (Joachim & Acorn 2000). In this sense, the stigmatizing diagnosis may make this fear worse as it becomes a certainty in that person’s mind, despite the fact that diagnosis and treatment are the best way to prevent this loss of social functioning (Kelly & Field 1996). Stigmatized people may also be scared that they will become a burden to their family, especially in the event that they lose the ability to take care of themselves independently (Kelly & Field 1996). People who suffer from some stigmatized conditions may also be scared to lose their legal and financial independence (Kelly & Field 1996). For instance, a person will tend to fear cancer as social condition more than malaria because of the conceived feelings and attitudes that come from observation of the effects of the disease (Belling 2012 ) In some ways, social stigma may be worse than the condition itself. Although cancer and mental illness are extremely difficult to deal with by themselves, being perceived as ‘out of control’ or unable to act as a functioning human being may be more difficult (Scambler 2004). This is because the illness itself may have an identity which overrides the identity of the person, and they begin to see themselves as ‘sick’ rather than as their own individual (Scambler 2004). Others may further this problem by grouping individuals together without acknowledging their differences (Scambler 2004). Stigma may also be more dangerous than the condition itself. Some evidence suggests that the likelihood of diagnosis has a big impact on mortality rates (Fairlough 1992). One study suggests that surviving suicide leads to social stigma which makes the individual feel ostracized and can lead to further, successful suicide attempts (Cvinar 2005). This type of stigma can also continue after death, with family members of AIDS victims suffering from abuse and ostracization from society (King 1989). A person will fear losing friends as earlier mentioned not because people actually lose friend but because of the perception that it happens. This could arise as a result of past experiences of friends which the person is aware of which leads him to such conclusions. Besides this it could be the fear of being left alone and the trauma of the experience when he is left alone that terrifies an individual. This perception may, however, be wrong. For instance, suppose the person is aware of a patient whose friends did not depart and whose experience has some positive side, he would not have the perception that the experience is bad. In this case, the victim is likely to view his situation more positively and therefore suffer less from social stigma. It is therefore, the bad side of the story or the poor side of the experience that drives people to think negatively of being diagnosed with a certain chronic disease which induces fear. The fear generated here is not of the sickness, but fear of the unknown and fear of the end result (Kleinman 1988) Some part of the problem, as previously mentioned, is that there are examples of some indiviudals that suffer from chronic illness losing property or posessions (Kelly & Field 1996). In the case where a person suspects that he may be diagnosed with a certain chronic disease, he may be frightened because of lack of preparedness for this. Preparations may be distributions of assets, property and holdings either for control or management to reliable people (Farrell 2011), which may reduce the individual’s fear. Lack of distributions may lead to waste or mismanagement which eventually cause loss and bankruptcy. A person may fear that his property will not be taken care of in his absence and this stigma could increase his suffering and sickly state. Besides this preparedness may include addressing the family on the important aspects that need to be looked after in case of absence. Other factors that affect the person relates to young children and how they will be taken care of in the absence of an individual. This lack of being prepared is among the number one causes of the stigma even before a person can be diagnosed with a certain disease. In conclusion, people diagnosed with, or at risk of being diagnosed with, a socially stigmatized condition find the stigma more scary than the condition itself. This can be attributed mainly to fear of the unknown and the condition or the end result of the condition. Most of the individuals are not prepared for the diagnosis or the condition in relation to family, asset disposal or control (Lachman, Lachman, Butterfield, 1979) They either lack control of the situation and do not want to admit it or the fear in them renders them helpless. Besides this, the fear may be attributed to social rejection, mockery and avoidance which would lead to more stigma and self disgust. The stigma on the other hand leads to many effects, physically, psychologically, mentally and socially. People afraid to express their thoughts on the stigma will have signs of withdrawal from other as they fear being discovered. Others will deteriorate physically and their bodies grow weak while other suffer from depression. In this case, the thoughts of an individual can lead to stigma depending on their nature, the condition of the person and the reactions to a situation. 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