PROCOVERY - Dissolving Stigma

On page 16, of The Power of Procovery, Kathleen Crowley writes:

"There is a great deal of talk about stigma, meaning negative judgements and discrimination by others. But the most powerful and destructive stigma of all is inner stigma. " (from the Power of Procovery, copyright 2000, used with permission of the author)

Those words strike me as being so very true. So often, we blame others for attaching negative labels and meanings to mental disorder. We think, "If only THEY would think more positively of us, things would be better." It takes only a moment of reflection to realize what a powerless, victimized approach that is.

Do you realize that people with a mental disorder are about the LAST group to "come out of the closet"? Alcoholics have done it. Gays and Lesbians have done it. We seem so ashamed, as if there were something "wrong" with us.

The starting point, quite certainly, is our views, concepts, and feelings about ourselves. Other people have simply been "reflecting" what we see in ourselves. If we see someone looking forlorn, we assume he's sad. If we see someone who looks ashamed of what they are, we think there's something shameful about them.

Once we become comfortable, even proud of who we are, we will flash those feelings like a lighthouse to all around us. Then, when they've come to know and respect us, we can share about our disorder comfortably.