I was listening to a lady on the radio talk about her chronic depression which led her to many attempts in trying to take her own life.

I was very thoughtful of what she was saying. Clearly she was in some pain, again the debate on the radio spoke about social stigma.

I have started to wonder if we are using this word properly around disease for example

the stigma towards Alzheimer’s disease?.

Are we in fact building a wall that is encouraging us to separate from each other?

I wonder and the more I think it through, we challenge and become disappointed in others when we look at them with the expectation of helping us. We naturally seek the ones we believe should be able to help us. We are drawn to them.

We shortly realize that maybe they can’t help us. They have not had the experience we are having and therefore justify the response by what they act out or don’t say by explaining that it is a stigma.

Maybe it is time to realise that the barriers we are creating by using this word stigma need to be removed, and actually look at what is really going on.

What do you want people to say?

Maybe they don’t know how to look after themselves, let alone someone else?

They may be scared to say anything when you seek help from them, and our interpretation of what is being outplayed in their response is being labelled stigma and it’s incorrect.

Understanding, real help and compassion is what’s really needed.

Tell me know your thoughts! I want to start a campaign on Facebook about removing the stigma towards Alzheimer’s Disease – Who is with me? What can we do?

Come and join in the discussion on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/alzheimersmyexperience