慢性疾病和羞耻之间的联系

慢性疾病和羞耻之间的联系

Chronic illnesses take a toll on both the body and mind. Not only is there suffering and sickness, but many people with chronic illness or pain often experience depression as well. Feelings of sadness are normal, but there’s one feeling that can be particularly debilitating: shame.

慢性疾病对身心都有损害。不仅有痛苦和疾病，而且许多有慢性疾病或疼痛的人也经常经历抑郁。悲伤的感觉是正常的，但有一种感觉特别让人衰弱:羞耻。

When it comes to shame and chronic illness, the link between physical and emotional health is strong. (Photo: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock)

No one wants to talk about shame. Like chronic illness itself, the difficulty of shame is something we want to ignore. But it’s time we look at illness-related shame in the same light as the actual symptoms of sickness and come up with solutions.

没有人想谈论羞耻。就像慢性疾病本身一样，羞耻的困难是我们想要忽视的。但是，现在是时候把与疾病相关的羞耻感与疾病的实际症状放在一起看待了，并提出解决办法。

Public perception and fear of compassion

公众对同情的看法和恐惧

As with any illness, you have to look at the cause before you can find a cure; the same goes for illness-related shame. Most people who experience this type of shame do so because of the way chronic sickness is perceived by others, writes Katie Willard Virant in Psychology Today.

与任何疾病一样，在找到治愈方法之前，你必须先找出原因;与疾病相关的羞耻也是如此。《今日心理学》的凯蒂•威拉德•维兰特写道，大多数经历过这种羞耻的人之所以这样做，是因为其他人对慢性疾病的看法。

Those who suffer from chronic illness often feel like they stand out. They may feel self-conscious about their physical appearance, special needs or having to depend on friends and family. For some, chronic illness feels like a permanent stamp on the forehead, and they may avoid social interactions altogether.

那些患有慢性疾病的人常常觉得自己与众不同。他们可能会对自己的外表、特殊需求或不得不依赖朋友和家人感到难为情。对一些人来说，慢性疾病就像是额头上的永久印记，他们可能会完全避免社交活动。

Not only does hiding illness-related shame from others cause further psychological duress, but letting it perpetuate can increase stress and worsen physical health as well, according to a study from the Medical Humanities journal.

《医学人文期刊》的一项研究显示，向他人隐瞒与疾病相关的羞耻不仅会导致进一步的心理压力，而且让这种压力持续下去还会增加压力，恶化身体健康。

Self-reflection as a healing mechanism

自我反省是一种治愈机制

It’s important to look inward and understand why your illness is causing you to feel shame. (Photo: Lucas Sankey [CC0]/Wikimedia Commons)

If you experience illness-related shame, you should examine your shame triggers. Virant suggests that, "As you keep track of all the ways that your illness triggers shame, reflect on the beliefs that underlie these triggers. Ask yourself: What am I afraid of?"

如果你经历了与疾病相关的羞耻，你应该检查你的羞耻触发点。Virant建议，“当你追踪你的疾病触发羞愧的所有方式时，反思这些触发背后的信念。问问你自己:我害怕什么?”

Once you identify your fears — whether they be centered around appearance, self-worth or dependence — it's important to acknowledge and accept them, but not to make yourself feel bad about it to the point of humiliation.

一旦你确定了你的恐惧——无论它们是围绕着外表、自我价值还是依赖——承认和接受它们是很重要的，但不要让自己感觉糟糕到丢脸的地步。

"If you find yourself hating the limitations imposed by your illness, honor that feeling and allow yourself to grieve," writes Virant. "But separate out grief from shame. Try to extricate yourself from that feeling, reminding yourself that you deserve better."

“如果你发现自己讨厌疾病带来的限制，尊重这种感觉，允许自己悲伤，”维兰特写道。但要把悲痛和羞愧分开。试着把自己从那种感觉中解脱出来，提醒自己你应该得到更好的。”

While much illness-related shame is linked to public perception, it’s important to look inward and understand why. Once you understand which parts of your illness are affecting you the most, try and let your friends or loved ones know how you’re feeling; don’t let it fester to the point where the shame is suffocating and you’ve given yourself little room to breathe. As with any emotional strain, self-awareness followed by dialogue is integral in fighting stigma.

虽然很多与疾病相关的耻辱感与公众的看法有关，但重要的是要审视自己，并理解其中的原因。一旦你明白了你身体的哪些部位对你影响最大，试着让你的朋友或爱人知道你的感受;不要让它溃烂到让耻辱窒息的地步，你已经给了自己一点呼吸的空间。与任何情绪紧张一样，在与耻辱作斗争时，自我意识和对话是不可或缺的。

When it comes to the shame that can accompany chronic illness, remember that the knot between physical and emotional health is tied tightly. The shame needs to be addressed, recognized and talked about in order for those with chronic illness to live the best life they can.

当谈到与慢性疾病相伴的耻辱时，请记住，身体和情感健康之间的结是紧密相连的。这种羞耻感需要被正视和讨论，这样慢性病患者才能过上最好的生活。