All articles tagged with #stigma
A Washington Post photo essay documents the daily life of an 11-year-old boy with epilepsy and his family, highlighting the invisible nature of the condition and the social isolation it can cause.
A Maine writer details how her family copes with their adult son's mental illness and addiction, confronting the pressure to lie when asked about “the kids.” After discussing with her husband and son, she chooses honesty over deflection, arguing that lying by omission fuels stigma. She cites research on stigma, pledges to be open about their experiences to reduce shame, and to connect with others for support.
Weight-loss drugs such as GLP-1s have become ubiquitous, but the social judgment is flipping: people are shamed whether they take the meds or opt not to, with personal stories of pressure, rising medicalized weight talk, and experts urging not to replace old obesity stigma with a new form of coercion.
GLP-1 medications—used for diabetes, obesity and related conditions—are praised as life-changing by patients and clinicians, even as President Trump minimizes them with 'fat shot/drug' nicknames. Experts say the stigmatizing language ignores their real health benefits and advocate for broader Medicaid coverage and policy action to ensure access.
After Dolly Parton’s death following a brief cancer battle, experts say patients often keep a cancer diagnosis private to adjust to the reality, avoid stigma, and preserve how they’re remembered; while disclosure can mobilize support and access to treatments, many ultimately choose privacy.
Public attention to maternal mental health is rising—fueled by high-profile cases and the Lindsay Clancy trial—revealing that up to 1 in 5 women experience mood disorders during pregnancy or after birth. The piece calls for practical screening, accessible treatment, and care coordination, plus policy changes to reduce out-of-pocket costs and barriers, and to educate families and providers to reduce stigma and ensure a supportive village around new mothers.
The New York Post highlights the ‘CPAP baddies’ movement, where young people use TikTok to glamorize CPAP masks and push back against the stigma around sleep apnea therapy. Supported by ResMed, the trend aims to normalize CPAP use, raise awareness of obstructive sleep apnea, and encourage treatment—often turning a medical device into a source of pride, with online virality and in-person events helping reduce barriers to adherence.
Postpartum psychosis is rare (about 1–2 per 1,000 after childbirth) and still stigmatized; experts explain three common misconceptions, outline symptoms and treatment, and note how high-profile cases like Lindsay Clancy illustrate the complex intersection of mental health and law.
Jessie Cave, who played Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter films, says she started an OnlyFans account in March 2025, posting ‘hair content’ and other material. With a £6 monthly subscription and occasional paid messages, she says she earned as much in a year on the platform as in her entire acting career, including a £15,000 day, and credits OnlyFans with providing financial stability and empowerment despite the stigma surrounding the site.
A University of Georgia study of 1,600 people across 13 Southern states finds mental health workers and first responders hold stronger stigmatizing views toward opioid addiction than the general public, a stigma that could hamper treatment and prescribing of effective medications; with 82,000 overdose deaths in 2024, researchers call for increased training and programs (e.g., Mental Health First Aid) to reduce stigma and improve access to care.
GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound promise to treat obesity as a medical condition, but social stigma persists: people are judged for using the meds rather than for being overweight, and studies show GLP-1 users face more negative perceptions than those who lose weight through diet/exercise; as uptake expands and more Americans know someone on GLP-1, experts expect attitudes to gradually shift.
GLP-1 medications are widely used and have multiple approved uses beyond weight loss; Gallup notes 11% of American adults use GLP-1s, up from 3% in 2024. Trump's recurring “fat shots/drug” terminology has elicited responses from patients and doctors who argue the stigma harms people who rely on these medicines and highlight gaps in Medicaid coverage, while stressing the drugs’ broad health benefits beyond weight loss.
A Wrexham woman, Melys Edwards, goes public about her genital herpes diagnosis to fight stigma and empower others, explaining she refused to be ashamed and now raises awareness via social media. The report notes genital herpes is treatable but not curable, with England seeing rising diagnoses and Wales facing under-diagnosis and delays in accessing sexual health testing and services.
GLP-1 medications, used to treat diabetes, obesity and heart-related conditions, are increasingly common (about 11% of US adults, up from 3% in 2024). While many users and physicians praise their health benefits, President Trump’s labeling of GLP-1s as 'fat drugs' has drawn criticism for stigmatizing a lifesaving treatment; experts emphasize obesity’s complex causes and call for broader Medicaid coverage and policy action to improve access.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. publicly disclosed a severe depression after a lengthy absence from the floor, highlighting persistent stigma around mental illness in Congress and the lack of formal health-disclosure rules for lawmakers. The piece compares his openness with peers like John Fetterman and Yadira Caraveo, notes potential political risks and benefits of transparency, and underscores the broader debate over how lawmakers report health issues and how mental health parity laws could be better enforced.