Songs to Bust Stigma
Anxiety Disorders & Stigma
Everyone gets anxious sometimes. Most people feel anxious during a big test, interview, date, or presentation, or when starting a new job or school, for example. However, people with anxiety disorders feel anxious regularly - even constantly - and to a heightened degree.
Types of anxiety disorders include, but are not limited to:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Continual and excessive worry about ordinary situations in daily life
Panic Disorder: Causes recurring panic attacks, which are sudden onsets of overwhelming terror that causes physical symptoms such as a fast heartbeat, nausea, closing or tightness of the throat, shortness of breath, shaking or trembling, and others
Phobias: Excessive and intense fear of specific objects or situations
Separation Anxiety Disorder: Continual and intense worry about being separated from one or more people, usually family members or other people with a close relationship
Social Anxiety Disorder: Excessive and intense worry about being negatively viewed during social interactions and performance situations.
Some people believe that people with anxiety disorders are weak, seeking attention, overdramatic, or “going crazy”. However, the intense reactions of fear that characterize anxiety disorders are unpredictable, involuntary, and unwanted.
According to Our World in Data, 3.8% of people worldwide (about 284,000,000 people) suffer from an anxiety disorder. By working to erase the stigma associated with them, we can make it easier for those with anxiety disorders to reach out for help.
Bipolar Disorder & Stigma
No one’s moods are constant. There are periods of our lives when we feel content, and there are periods where we feel unhappy. For people with Bipolar Disorder, however, these shifts in mood and energy are far more extreme.
The types of mood episodes that people with bipolar disorder can experience are known as manic, hypomanic, depressive, and mixed. Mania and hypomania are characterized by some or all of the following: very high levels of energy and physical and mental activity, increased confidence, reckless decision-making, euphoria, and irritability, with mania being more severe than hypomania. Depressive episodes are characterized by very low levels of energy and physical and mental activity, feelings of sadness, hopelessness, emptiness, or worthlessness, and sometimes even suicidal thoughts. Mixed episodes include symptoms of both manic/hypomanic and depressive episodes.
Types of Bipolar Disorder include, but are not limited to:
Bipolar I Disorder: At least one manic episode and (for many people, but not all) at least one depressive episode
Bipolar II Disorder: At least one depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode, but not a manic one
Cyclothymic Disorder: At least 2 years (1 year in children and adolescents) of periods of hypomanic symptoms and periods of depressive symptoms, though they are less severe than the episodes in Bipolar I and Bipolar II
Bipolar Disorder is one of the most stigmatized-against mental health conditions. Some people think that those with bipolar disorder are overdramatic, seeking attention, crazy, manipulative, or dangerous. In reality, none of this is true - the mood swings associated with bipolar are unpredictable and involuntary, and manipulation and dangerous behavior are not symptoms of bipolar disorder, nor are they common among those with bipolar disorder.
According to Our World in Data, 0.6% of people worldwide (about 46,000,000 people) have Bipolar Disorder. By working to erase the stigma associated with it, we can make it easier for those with Bipolar Disorder to reach out for help.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) & Stigma
Throughout our lives, our perceptions of ourselves and others change regularly. Sometimes, we may view ourselves positively, while other times, we go through periods of low self-esteem. This can impact the way we handle relationships. For those with Borderline Personality Disorder, self-image shifts constantly, which can cause unstable relationships and a fear of abandonment, among other things.
People with Borderline Personality Disorder may have a shifting sense of self-image and identity and intense emotional swings. Extreme anger, feelings of emptiness, impulsive behaviors, and self-harm are all symptoms of BPD. Those with BPD also tend to have unstable relationships and an intense fear of abandonment, which can cause them to go to extreme lengths to avoid being abandoned.
Borderline Personality Disorder (along with Bipolar Disorder, mentioned above) is another one of the most stigmatized-against mental health conditions, even among mental health professionals. The truth is, Borderline Personality Disorder is a serious mental health condition that can be difficult to control, but it is by no means untreatable, and people with borderline personality disorder are not dramatic, attention-seeking, or crazy, manipulative, or evil. The behaviors exhibited by those with BPD are a result of severe emotional pain, which is only heightened by the stigma against it. No one should be defined by a mental health condition, and BPD is no exception.
1.6% of people in the United States (about 5,232,000 people in the U.S.) have Borderline Personality Disorder. By working to erase the stigma associated with it, we can make it easier for those with Borderline Personality Disorder to reach out for help.
Depression & Stigma
Negative emotions such as sadness, anger, and fear are unavoidable in life. When things don’t work out in the way we had hoped, it’s hard not to feel sad or angry, even when it seems like there are so many other things to be grateful for. People with depression feel these emotions for extended periods of time and to a heightened degree.
The symptoms of depression include persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, or worthlessness, irritability and anger, loss of energy, changes in sleep and appetite, difficulty concentrating, loss of interest in hobbies and activities, unexplained pain or digestive problems, slowed movements, self-loathing, and thoughts of suicide. Some people with depression may not experience all of these symptoms, while others do.
Types of depression include, but are not limited to:
Major Depressive Disorder (Clinical Depression): Severe symptoms of depression that can interfere with daily life, including continual and overwhelming feeling of sadness or loss of interest in most activities, present for at least two weeks
Atypical Depression: A form of major depressive disorder in which mood can temporarily brighten in response to positive events
Persistent Depressive Disorder: Symptoms present on most days for at least two years, although the symptoms may be less severe than major depressive disorder
Postpartum/Prenatal Depression: Postpartum depression is major depression starting after childbirth and lasting for at least two weeks that may interfere with daily life. Prenatal depression is similar, but happens during pregnancy as opposed to after childbirth
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: A form of Premenstrual Syndrome that causes severe symptoms of depression shortly before menstruation that may interfere with daily life
Seasonal Affective Disorder: Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder that are present during a certain period of time during the year (often around winter, when there is less sunlight)
Situational Depression (Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood): Symptoms of depression that appear as a result of a major life change or stressor
Some people believe that people with depression disorders are weak, seeking attention, lazy, or overdramatic. However, the symptoms of depression are unwanted, and those with depression cannot simply “snap out of it.”
According to Our World in Data, about 3.4% of people worldwide (about 264,000,000 people) suffer from depression. By working to erase the stigma associated with it, we can make it easier for those with depression to reach out for help.
Eating Disorders & Stigma
Many people are mindful of the way their bodies look, and it can be a major insecurity for some people. People with eating disorders see a flaw in their body weight or shape and adopt harmful eating habits to try to change it.
Types of eating disorders include, but are not limited to:
Anorexia Nervosa: Extremely limited food intake caused by an intense fear of gaining weight
Bulimia Nervosa: Episodes of large food intake (bingeing) followed by an attempt to get rid of the calories through unhealthy methods such as forced vomiting, laxative abuse, or extreme exercise (purging), often caused by an intense fear of gaining weight.
Binge Eating Disorder: Regular episodes of large food intake due to a loss of control over eating habits
Some people believe that eating disorders are a diet or lifestyle choice, and that people with eating disorders are shallow or media-obsessed. In reality, eating disorders are serious mental health conditions and are not a conscious choice. Eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
According to Our World in Data, about 16,000,000 people worldwide have an eating disorder. By working to erase the stigma associated with it, we can make it easier for those with eating disorders to reach out for help.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) & Stigma
Many people feel the need to double-check something to be certain, and may worry if something is not done correctly. Those with OCD experience repeated thoughts, impulses, fears, and images that they attempt to relieve through repeated rituals or behaviors.
OCD is characterized by obsessions and compulsions that interfere with daily life. Some people experience one without the other. Obsessions are repeated and intrusive thoughts or images. Common obsessions include high anxiety about germs, a need for symmetry or order, and images or thoughts of aggression towards oneself or others. These obsessions are distressing and unsettling. The person experiencing them may know they are illogical but cannot do anything to prevent them. Compulsions are behaviors that are performed in order to temporarily relieve the anxiety and discomfort caused by obsessions. Common compulsions include repeatedly checking something, repeated counting, repetitive hand-washing or showering, and hoarding. Not performing these compulsions can cause high levels of stress and anxiety.
Some people believe that people with OCD are dangerous, or that OCD is synonymous with neat and well-organized rather than a serious condition. However, neither of these are true. The symptoms of OCD are serious and can often be very distressing, and there is no correlation between OCD and dangerous behavior.
According to the National Institute of Health, about 156,000,000 people worldwide (2%) have OCD. By working to erase the stigma associated with it, we can make it easier for those with OCD to reach out for help.