Stigma is a powerful thing that can affect people in ways we don’t always see. I learned this when I had a close friend who struggled with chronic mouth odor during our school years. It wasn’t something she could control, but it still caused a lot of trouble for both of us. Her condition wasn’t just a small issue, it was constant and affected her confidence. People started to judge her for it, and the stigma didn’t stop there.
It wasn’t just a temporary issue that could be fixed with a mint or chewing gum, it was chronic and really difficult for her to manage. At first, I didn’t fully understand the depth of what she was going through. But as time passed, I began to notice the way people treated her. The whispers behind her back, the uncomfortable expressions when she spoke, it all became so clear. It wasn’t just affecting her, it was affecting me too.
People began referring to me as "the friend of mouth odor." I remember feeling humiliated and confused. It felt like I was being punished for something I no nothing about. I had always been a quiet person, and I didn’t like being the center of attention for the wrong reasons. But no matter how hard I tried to distance myself from the issue, the stigma remained. I didn’t want to abandon my friend because I knew she was struggling, but I also didn’t want to be labeled or judged by others.
As time went on, I watched my friend become cold and wasn’t the same lively person I had met, she became quiet and self-conscious, always covering her mouth when speaking and trying to avoid conversations. It hurt to see her change like that, and even more painful that people isolated her for it.
The stigma attached to her condition seeped into all aspects of our school life. We were viewed through a lens of ridicule and discomfort. It became increasingly harder to show up to school, knowing what awaited us. People would make jokes, point at us, and even ignore us. I felt ashamed, not of my friend, but of how people treated us. The labels they gave us "the girl with the bad breath" and "the friend of mouth odor" felt like a curse that no one deserved.
It wasn’t an easy journey, but we both slowly learned how to handle the situation in different ways. For my friend, it meant seeking help from medical professionals who were able to address the root cause of her mouth odor. She worked on her condition and slowly gained back some of her confidence. For me, it meant finding the courage to stand up for both of us. I stopped being ashamed of her situation. I learned to ignore the whispers, and I realized that true friends don’t let stigma break their bonds. I knew that sticking by my friend’s side meant supporting her even when everyone made it difficult.
Stigma grows from a lack of understanding. When I started researching the causes of mouth odor and the struggles my friend faced, I stood by her and helped her in my Little way to get rid of the stigma, Being there for someone who is stigmatized can make all the difference. Just knowing that someone believes in them can help them rebuild their confidence and face the world with a little more strength.
Stigma, whether it's directed at you or someone you care about, is painful, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Through support and understanding, both the person facing stigma and their loved ones can overcome the challenges and become stronger.
This is my response to today's episode of hivelearners community prompt of #hl-w159e3 which the topic is tagged EFFECTS OF STIGMA
