Bipolar General
DBSA California – Depression Bipolar Help & Support
Description: Address self-stigma in bipolar disorder with an innovative program. Available to clinicians and individuals. Learn, educate, grow.
Overcoming Self-Stigma in Bipolar Disorder (OSSiBD) is a one-of-a-kind program designed to help reduce self-stigma in individuals living with bipolar disorder. OSSiBD materials are complimentary to clinicians. It is free for individuals to participate in our OSSiBD groups. On this site, you can connect with OSSiBD by requesting clinician materials or taking part in the program .
Stigma is defined as "an attribute that is deeply discrediting" (Goffman, 1963) . Stigma is the negative feeling we have about someone due to a difference in them and is often not even related to that difference. We are all surrounded by stigma - stigma about race, ethnicity, jobs, socioeconomic status, and certainly mental health conditions. When society at large subscribes to these beliefs, it is called public stigma . Stigma leads to misunderstanding, prejudice, and discrimination. It prevents us and our
Self-stigma is what happens when people have incorporated these public stigmas into their own beliefs, then get diagnosed with the condition, then turn these stigmas in on themselves. Self-stigma is also when someone feels terrible about themselves simply because they know they have a mental health condition. Here's an example: Imagine a person has learned a stigmatized view from the general public (ex: people with bipolar disorder are dangerous). Then, this person receives a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar General
DBSA California – Depression Bipolar Help & Support