Think about what it would be like to spend most of your time alone because being around other people is just too difficult. You feel that others are judging you for your mental illness, and so you are scared to face the world. You withdraw to avoid this stigmatization. This social withdrawal is emotionally very costly. But this is a two-way street — the mentally ill withdraw from society–society withdraws from them.
An Austrailian survey reported that two-thirds of people affected by a mental illness feel lonely “often” or “all of the time”. The research says in contrast, just 10 per cent of the general population reported feelings of loneliness. (1)
Social relationships are important for anyone in maintaining health, but for the mentally ill it is especially important. People with mental illness value contact with family. But families may be unwilling to interact with their mentally ill family member. Social isolation is also sometimes due to the unwillingness of others to befriend the mentally ill. The public may avoid them altogether. The stigma associated with mental illness creates huge barriers to socialization.
People with severe mental illness are probably the most isolated social group of all. They are judged, disrepected and made into pariahs. They fear rejection from others, who may be afraid of the mentally ill, so the mentally ill person may feel overwhelmed by the thought of attempting to form new friendships. Just avoiding any contact is often the choice. Or, they may make a great effort to conceal their condition from others, which results in additional stress from worrying about their true condition being discovered.
It is sometimes the case that the severely mentally ill person becomes homeless. This in itself is isolating, and they then must suffer the double stigmatization of being homeless as well as mentally ill.
Another reason the person with mental illness may experience social isolation is the nature of their mental illness. Social phobias like agoraphobia, or severe anxiety or depression often cause the suffering person to be afraid to venture out into society.
When anyone, mentally ill or not, does not have enough social contact, it affects them mentally and even physically. Loneliness creates stress, taking a toll on health. Other things affected can be the ability to learn and memory function. High blood pressure is also seen. It can be the trigger of depression and alcoholism. (2) Imagine the consequences, then, if you are already depressed or have other mental illnesses? Loneliness can make you worse. Loneliness and loss of self-worth lead many mentally ill to believe that they are useless, and so they live with a sense of hopelessness and low self-esteem.
Social isolation is both a cause and an effect of mental distress. When the person isolates more, they face more mental distress. With more mental distress, they want to isolate. This vicious cycle relegates many people with severe mental illness to a life of social segregation and isolation.
Many people with severe psychiatric disabilities say that the stigma associated with their illness is as distressing as the symptoms themselves. This stigmatisation not only prevents them from interacting with others, but may prevent them from seeking treatment, which in turn exposes them to a greater risk of suicide.
Too often the public does not understand the challenges of the mentally ill and doesn’t want to try. It is therefore necessary to confront biased social attitudes in order to reduce the discrimination and stigma of people who are living with mental illness.
References
(1) Mentally Ill ‘neglected by communities’. (05/08/2002). Yahoo. AU.
(2) Psychology Today. The Dangers of Loneliness. Morano, Hara Estroff. (Aug. 21, 2033).
First published at www.brainblogger.com
Posts
14 comments:
Anxiety disorders are mental illnesses in which patients feel excessive anxiety, fear like agoraphobia or distress during situations in which most other people would not experience these symptoms. However, people with anxiety disorders experience disabling anxiety and distress that dramatically reduces their productivity and significantly diminishes their quality of life and ability to function on a daily basis. http://www.xanax-effects.com/
Thank for you that addition to my blog.
Yes Bob gives us a link to Zanex, a very addictive drug, that gives a false sense of wellness, leaving addiction, and in case a chemicaly induced nervous breakdown, that looked like Bipolar manic Depression. So when I did not feel like myself, 4 years later I began medication for BP, and lost the next 14 years of my life. During the first 5 years in a marriage, I was left to fend or not for myself. With 3 children, hubby was not interested in family therapy, so I went alone, until I gave up.
Left alone most of the time, drugs reinforced and exerbated feeling of anger[very often fear] and he walked out. Good thing, but I had no sense of reality, no judgement[per charts] but a No fault divorce was in his favor, and I was represented as of sound mind, among other civil rights violations. I learned the truth 3 years ago, managed a total and complete recovery, for what was a group of life conditions and hormone inbalances. The kids turned on me after 15 years of hearing that,I chose to be ill, and refuse to understand. A lack of devisive responsibility, leaves me healed, but holding the "bag" for the breakup of my family, beside the financial issues that were overlooked, because of the neglection of a person with "mental" illness, which is a social issue, and when true illness exist should be looked upon no differently than any other medical condition.
Isolating, is cruel and unusal punishment.
I now represent CCHR.
Thanks for the post. Isn't CCHR a Scientology organization?
I googled mental illness isolation because I suffer from this so badly. Im 29 yrs old and have severe PTSD and depression as a result of a tremendous amount of child abuse and neglect.
Since I was 15 I have been trying to recover from the many and varried effects of my horrendous past and all this alone is exceedingly painful to me to attempt to sort out, nevermind the emmense loneliness I live with on a daily basis. I have been so mistreated and even in my limited connections now I find myself still being mistreated. It seems as though the universe does not want me to make it out of this hell.
I cant find people who will care and share with me, I always find people who want to use my past to their advantage. People who look for those who are so isolated and needy that they would allow any number of atrocities to occur as long as theres a hint or promise of acceptance and companionship attached.
I feel so hopeless and crushed under the weight of all I am supposed to overcome and with little to no supports I am almost always a hairs breadth from suicide.
It seems like the world was made for the wicked, and those who can tolerate stepping on the backs of others to get by.
My only hope is to make it through this enough to fix myself so one day I can attract friends who are truly friends and not abusive people who hide behind kindness just long enough to trick me into needing them.
Its either that or just end it.
I hope that Anonymous reads this and decides to get help. I receive mental health counseling at my county health center, and it's very helpful. Please call someone before you consider ending it. Google suicide hotline for phone numbers. Thanks for posting and hang in there!
I inclination not acquiesce in on it. I regard as nice post. Expressly the designation attracted me to read the whole story.
Amiable post and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you seeking your information.
Good post and this enter helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you seeking your information.
Post a Comment