Mental Health and the Stigma

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What is Stigma?[edit | edit source]

According to Crocker and colleagues[1] ''Stigmatized individuals possess (or are believed to possess) some attribute, or characteristic, that conveys a social identity that is devalued in a particular social context.’’ Simply, stigma is a way of negative judgement associated with certain charatersistics/conditions, develops on a social level and not specific to a person[2].

When the society adopt a certain image with subtle characteristics, often negative, upon a specific group of individuals it is called sterotype.

Stigmatization is a complex phenomenon that has political and social influences

Prevelence of Mental-illness stigma[edit | edit source]

According to the World health orgaization, people suffering from mental health illness are often exposed to violations of human rights, stigma and discrimnations.

Several studies showed public beliefs towards mental illness, it was found to be correlated to drug abuse, prostitution and criminality. Other surveys reported public response to mental illness to be less pity, with a high percentage beliving this group doesn't deserve help. This may have an impact on the right of people with mental illness to enjoy safe housing, healthcare and job opportunities[3].

The stigma and negative belifs are not exclusive to the public. Healthcare professionals show some undesireable attitudes towards mental-illness population[4].

A study that investigated Turkish physiotherapy students beliefs towards people mental-illness using Beliefs towards Mental Illness Scale found moderate positive attitudes. Students who have a relative with mental illness or those who needed psychiatrist/psychotherapist professional advice at some point showed better scores[5].

In healthcare sectors, stigma and discrimination could be observed on different levels[6]. On a large scale, mental-illness may recieve less invesment, lower qulity of standards and biased culture. Moving to healthcare individuals, interaction with patient may be influenced by pre-based sterotype thoughts, discriminatory behaviours and negative attitudes). Patients report feelings devalued, dismissed, and dehumanized by many of the health professionals[7].

Heathcare professionals may unconciously show negative attitudes towards people with mental-illness. Excluding them from decision-making,not taking their symptoms seriously[8], not giving sufficint information about their condition, either physical or mental and showing paternalistic or demaning behaviour[7].

The Impact of Stigma on People with Mental Illness[edit | edit source]

People with mental illness face both the challenge of the disease along with the sterotype and other's judgmental thoughts. The public stigma is not the only type of stigma these people are dealing with, there is also the self-stigmatization[3]. Self-stigmatization is an obestacle in the way of personal development and can challenge obtaining good posiiton in personal and professional life for people with metal illness.

Higher level of cortisol and depression were found between stigmatized people. Those who stigmatize have feelings of disgust[9].

Stigma in healthcare has another dimension. Because mental-illness is associated with beliefs of less productivity, healthcare professionals may not seek help when needed and fear judgements from their peers with increased risk of suicide[10].

''what to do'' and ''what to say'' programs have been introduced to many healthcre systems, delived by trained instructors who recovered mental illness themselves. First, to target unconcious myths and biased judgments and second to show healthcare professional the role they play in helping in facilitating recovery of mental illness[11].

From another point of view, some authors reported a positive impact of stigma on people with mental illness. It is a way of motivation to push the person further into therapy. While it could be threatining for some people, others may be energized and motivated[3].

[12]

Tackling the Issue[edit | edit source]

One of the major influencers on stigma is media. People with mental illness are often featured in films and drama as homocidal. This triggers fear and sends mesages to the public that this group should be avoided and expelled of communities.

Education plays a significant role in challenging stigma. Campaings that protest against biased judgement and sterotyping of mental-ill population in the media are another solution to change these negative thoughts and misconceptions. Adding mental-health sepsific courses, particularily to healthcare schools was suggested by Yildirim et al[5] to tackle stigma among healthcare professionals.

Education is particularily important for healthcare professionals. Since many of the stigma-related attitudes are being unintentional or produced unconciously, reciving anti-stigma training could be helpful to prevent similar attitudes[13].

Communities should encourage engaging people with mental-illness with the public. It is a way of understanding the them and challengng the sterotype[3].

[14]

Resources[edit | edit source]

The Working Mind: aiming to reduce stigma and encourage healthcare professionals on early seeking of professional help.


References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Crocker J, Major B, Steele C. Social stigma: the psychology of marked relationships. The handbook of social psychology. 1998;2:504-53.
  2. ↑ Setchell J. What Has Stigma Got to Do with Physiotherapy?.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Corrigan PW, Watson AC. Understanding the impact of stigma on people with mental illness. World psychiatry. 2002 Feb;1(1):16.
  4. ↑ Baker JA, Richards DA, Campbell M. Nursing attitudes towards acute mental health care: development of a measurement tool. Journal of advanced nursing. 2005 Mar;49(5):522-9.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Yildirim M, Demirbuken I, Balci B, Yurdalan U. Beliefs towards mental illness in Turkish physiotherapy students. Physiotherapy theory and practice. 2015 Oct 3;31(7):461-5.
  6. ↑ Corrigan PW, Druss BG, Perlick DA. The impact of mental illness stigma on seeking and participating in mental health care. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. 2014 Oct;15(2):37-70.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Hamilton S, Pinfold V, Cotney J, Couperthwaite L, Matthews J, Barret K, Warren S, Corker E, Rose D, Thornicroft G, Henderson C. Qualitative analysis of mental health service users’ reported experiences of discrimination. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2016 Aug;134:14-22.
  8. ↑ Thornicroft G, Rose D, Kassam A. Discrimination in health care against people with mental illness. International review of psychiatry. 2007 Jan 1;19(2):113-22.
  9. ↑ O’Brien KS, Daníelsdóttir S, Ólafsson RP, Hansdóttir I, Fridjónsdóttir TG, Jónsdóttir H. The relationship between physical appearance concerns, disgust, and anti-fat prejudice. Body Image. 2013 Sep 1;10(4):619-23.
  10. ↑ Papish A, Kassam A, Modgill G, Vaz G, Zanussi L, Patten S. Reducing the stigma of mental illness in undergraduate medical education: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Medical Education. 2013 Dec;13(1):141.
  11. ↑ Knaak S, Mantler E, Szeto A. Mental illness-related stigma in healthcare: Barriers to access and care and evidence-based solutions. InHealthcare management forum 2017 Mar (Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 111-116). Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.
  12. ↑ Imagine There Was No Stigma to Mental Illness | Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman | TEDxCharlottesville. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrbTbB9tTtA
  13. ↑ Knaak S, Patten S. A grounded theory model for reducing stigma in health professionals in Canada. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2016 Aug;134:53-62.
  14. ↑ Reducing the Stigma of Mental Health. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a1Q-nPWKKs
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