Loneliness and Stigma
What is Stigma?
In October 2021 I moved to the United Kingdom to begin my studies. For me it felt very simple; I understand the culture, I ‘looked like I should be there’ and I knew identifying as an Australian would benefit me. Not everybody has this experience. Not everybody is welcomed as quickly.
Stigma occurs when someone is viewed in a negative way because they have a distinguishing characteristic or personal trait that's thought to be, or actually is, a disadvantage (called a negative stereotype). Stigma can lead to discrimination.
We can also apply stigma to groups of people, for example, refugees in a new country can face stigma and discrimination. There are also examples such as racial or gender-based stigma, unfortunately for many, this is quite a common experience.
Certain issues can also be stigmatised within society or groups. When we think about mental health, for example, we can consider some limiting beliefs and attitudes towards mental health that can create a stigma to those who disclose mental health problems. A future article will focus on this, and how stigma affects those who experience loneliness for example.
Can Stigma Cause Loneliness?
A key function of stigmatisation is to keep people who are different from the dominant group out (Phelan, 2008)
Unsurprisingly, yes. Those who are from stigmatised groups face more bullying and discrimination. They often have smaller and less influential professional networking opportunities and they face challenges being included in communities. This in itself can lead to less social connections and opportunities to connect with others.
Add to this that loneliness itself is also often stigmatised in society and we see how drastic the situation can be for those from stigmatised groups.
Tackling Loneliness
But how does this impact how we tackle loneliness or other mental health conditions in society? Much of our focus on loneliness is about individual experiences, a lot of that is because we all experience the feeling of loneliness in very different ways. In addition, many of the interventions that society considers useful for tackling loneliness and other mental health challenges are often individualised interventions.
We should also consider the below points:
We need to move beyond just considering mental health and loneliness as individual challenges which in turn closes us off to look at societal and structural factors.
Instead, we should consider these structural and societal factors when we think about developing policies or even understanding the challenges we face.
Loneliness and other mental health challenges are not only public health issues but social justice and structural issues.
If we do identify as being from the ‘dominant’ group, look out for and stand up for others. Being self-aware is one important step.
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The next newsletter will be a guest contribution. In 2023, Connections Brewing will feature more writers and topics. If you are interested in writing a piece for the newsletter please send me an email at chris@100coffeemovement.com.
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Cheers
Chris