Greetings, beautiful people in this community. I'm so excited to be part of the last episode of this week's featured contest. I have learned much by participating in all the contests. There are some things I discovered through the contest that made me go on to search online. Most topics looked strange and misunderstood and I won't stop there but go further to do personal research that would widen my understanding. This community is the best and its consistency is top.
Images by me
Today's edition is asking us to discuss the effects of stigma on ourselves or our loved ones.
I would start with what stigma is all about. Stigma is a negative attitude that a group of people hold about someone that often leads to neglect, discrimination, and shame.
We have types of stigma, self-stigma, public, and general stigma.
I have encountered self-stigma that brought shame and self-esteem. It was just a mere thing that happened to me. I wasn't this person who was associated with people, and I wasn't this person who was able to express myself in public; this was when I was in secondary school. I always internalized this negative belief in myself. I can't talk with my mate or play. So whenever my mate wants to play, I will not be included, and I will exempt myself too. Thank God, I am now open, I can make friends and associate with people now and we can have meaningful ideas and knowledge that will bring a change to where we are.
Another stigma on a loved one that I so much love is mental illness. This guy was intelligent right from when he was very young. He helped me in doing my assignment in my nursery school several times. He had marked out his goals and how he wanted to achieve them. I grew up and traveled out of the home. Coming for a visit, I saw him in a mental condition that everyone in society neglected him. I couldn't communicate intelligently with him, but he could see me and recognize me well, but no reasonable conversation could be communicated between both of us. I cried inside of me, asking why this stigma was on him. No job reasonable job was offered to him, no good friends around him, and no connection again. Has a person with mental illness, menial jobs in the village were given to me to do, and many more minor things that couldn't add value to him. He is now discriminated against, rejected by society, tagged crazy, and reduced in opportunities both in society and family.
However, a beautiful woman with HIV was neglected by men who realized that she was a victim of this disease. She had lived with it for years and later died with it.
A lot of people are facing the effects of stigmatization in society and everywhere.
These people shouldn't be treated or neglected anywhere. They should care for them and cover up the unhealthy conditions that might bring shame to them. They should be loved and worked together.
I have one very close to me, I love her so much that she doesn't feel that she is sick.
This post is in response to the #Hivelearners featured contest, week 159 episode 3
I love, I care, and I forgive
I remain @peckypeace