STIGMA OF MENTAL HEALTH

GEETESH KUMAR SINGH M.A. 3rd SEM(PSY) DAVPG COLLEGE - VARANASI

What is stigma?

OriginGreek; A mark made by a pointed instrument, a dot.• a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance,

quality, or person. "the stigma of mental disorder"• Synonyms: shame, disgrace, dishonor, blemishMedicine; a visible sign or characteristic of a disease.

A cluster of negative attitudes and beliefs that motivate the general public to fear, reject, avoid and discriminate against people with mental ill health. Stigma leads others to avoid living, socializing, or working with, renting to, or employing people with mental disorders -especially severe disorders, such as schizophrenia, major depression, anxiety etc.

Stigma brings experiences and feelings of:

• Shame• Blame• Hopelessness• Distress• Misrepresentation in the media• Reluctance to seek and/or accept necessary

help

Types of Stigma• Perceived stigma or Self-stigma is the

internalizing by the mental health sufferer of their perceptions of discrimination and perceived stigma can significantly affect feelings of shame and lead to poorer treatment outcomes.

• Social stigma is characterized by prejudicial attitudes and discriminating behavior directed towards individuals with mental health problems as a result of the psychiatric label they have been given.

Mental health myths and facts• Myth: Mental health problems are very rare.• Fact: 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year.• Myth: People with mental illness aren’t able to work.• Fact: We probably all work with someone experiencing a mental health problem.• Myth: Young people just go through ups and downs as part of puberty, it’s

nothing.• Fact: 1 in 10 young people will experience a mental health problem.• Myth: People with mental health illnesses are usually violent and unpredictable.• Fact: People with a mental illness are more likely to be a victim of violence. • Myth: People with mental health problems don't experience discrimination• Fact: 9 out of 10 people with mental health problems experience stigma and

discrimination.• Myth: It’s easy for young people to talk to friends about their feelings.• Fact: Nearly three in four young people fear the reactions of friends when they

talk about their mental health problems.

Facts!61 percent of people with mental illness are outside of

labor force.among people with major depression, 40 to 60 percent

are unemployed.20 to 35 percent with anxiety disorder are without

work.80 to 90 percent of individual with schizophrenia are

unemployed.Only 59.6% of individual with a mental illness- including

such conditions as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder-reported receiving treatment.

Who holds stigmatizing beliefs about mental health problems

• Moses (2010) found that stigma directed at adolescents with mental health problems came from family members, peers, and teachers.

• 46% of these adolescents described experiencing stigmatization by family members in the form of unwarranted assumptions like distrust, avoidance, pity and gossip( Moses 2010)

• 62% experienced stigma from peers which often led to friendship losses and social rejection(Connolly, Geller, Marton & Kutcher (1992) .

• 35% reported stigma perpetrated by teachers and school staff, who expressed fear, dislike, avoidance, and under-estimation of abilities (Wallace, 2010).

What factors cause stigma?• Individual thoughts about ones health and lack of knowlwge.• Early beliefs about the causes of mental health problems,

such as demonic or spirit possession.• Medical model implies that mental health problems are on a

par with physical illnesses and may result from medical or physical dysfunction .

• Medical model implies diagnosis, and diagnosis implies a label that is applied to a ‘patient’. That label may well be associated with undesirable attributes( e.g. Mad, Schizophrenic…etc)

• Media regularly play a role in perpetuating stigmatizing stereotypes of people with mental health problems.

Why does stigma matter?

• Stigma embraces both prejudicial attitudes and discriminating behavior towards individuals .

• Social effects of this include exclusion, poor social support, poorer subjective quality of life, and low self-esteem(Livingston & Boyd, 2010).

• Self-stigma is correlated with poorer vocational outcomes (employment success) and increased social isolation (Yanos, Roe & Lysaker, 2010).

Stigma

Mental

Health

Physical

Health

Source: T. Gadalla, "Association of Comorbid Mood Disorders and Chronic Illness with Disability and Quality of Life in Ontario, Canada," Chronic

Diseases in Canada 28, no. 4 (2008): 148-154

How can we eliminate stigma?

• Raise awareness of mental health problem.• Improve attitudes towards people with

mental health problems.• Increase future willingness to disclose mental

health problems.• Promote behaviors associated with anti-

stigma engagement.

Model of Societal Change

Understanding

Awareness

De-mystify

Inform Normalise

Accept

IncludeSupport

Network

Equality

Do You Know?What is a common symptom of schizophrenia?What proportion of people with severe mental

health problems have been victims of a crime in the previous year?

What proportion of people with mental health problems experience stigma?

What proportion of people with mental health problems reported stigma affecting their friendships?

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/mental-health-quiz

Thank-You