ON THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS

CHAPTER ONE: THE IMPACT OF MENTAL ILLNESS STIGMA

Stigma is a mark of disgrace and shame. This is a research book about the
impact of stigma on the lives of people affected by mental illness. How can
we help people from being victimized by the prejudice and discrimination
that arises from stigma? Stigma has a harmful impact on people with mental
illness and their family.

In this first chapter we can find the distinction between public stigma (ways
in which the general public reacts to a group based on stigma about that
group) and self stigma (the reactions which individuals turn against
themselves because they are a member of a stigmatized group). There are
stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination. Most people know the stereotype
“the mentally ill is dangerous” Agreeing with the stereotype is where
prejudice comes in and results in discrimination. Prejudice that yields anger
can lead to hostile behavior like physically harming a member of a minority
group. Angry prejudice may lead to withholding help or replacing healthcare
with services provided by the criminal justice system. Fear leads to
avoidance so many employers do not want to hire people with mental
illness.

THE IMPACT ON PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS: People with

mental illness suffer the greatest impact from stigma.

1- Stigma has a harmful impact on obtaining good jobs and leasing safe
housing. People with mental illness are frequently unable to obtain good
jobs or find suitable housing because of the prejudice of key members in
their communities; employers and landlords.

2- Stigma interacts with violence issues to cause people with mental illness
to have a deformed experience with the criminal justice system. Attitudes
and beliefs held about mental illness by police officers (police officers are
often the first point of contact with the criminal justice system for a person
with mental illness) may have significant consequences in terms of safety
and quality of life for both the general public and the individual with mental
illness.

General health-care system seems to withhold appropriate medical

procedures because of mental illness stigma.

THE IMPACT ON FAMILY MEMBERS, PROVIDERS AND OTHERS:

The prejudice and discrimination experienced by the persons with
psychiatric disorders also affects family, providers, and others associated
with the person with mental illness. For example some family members
experience others trying to avoid them because of their relative. Because of
stigma undergraduates are less likely to pursue training in psychiatry and
other mental health disciplines, residents and graduate level trainees
experience stigma and demoralization as professionals, and actual
practitioners feel underappreciated by their patients and by society.

THE IMPACT ON THE AT LARGE PUBLIC: Stereotypes about mental

illness cause people with mental illness to lose their chance to be successful
because they belong to a marked group. Therefore because of society’s
ignorance, they are deprived of job and housing opportunities and must be
supported by government assistance. Stigma also maintains personal fears;
almost everyone worries at sometime in their life about having a “nervous
breakdown”

THE IMPACT OF SELF STIGMA

Self-stigma occurs when individuals assimilate social stereotypes about

themselves as persons with mental illness. Self-stigma results in a loss of
self-esteem, diminished self-efficacy, and a hesitancy to participate in
society at large. Most of them choose not to pursue mental health services
because they do not want to be labeled a “mental patient” or experience the
prejudice and discrimination that the label entails.

UNDERSTANDING STIGMA AT THE SOCIETAL LEVEL

Two levels of stigma in society have been identified: institutional policies

and social structures.

Institutional Policies and Stigma: Generally there is one person (e.g. the
CEO of a company) or a group of people in positions of power with a
prejudicial agenda who promote the agenda by enacting policies that
discriminate against a group.
Social Structures and Stigma: Sociologists have identified structural stigma
that develops historically as the result of the economic and political
injustices wrought by prejudice and discrimination. This concept has mostly
been used to explain racism and sexism. Although there is not clearly a
prejudicial group in power maintaining structural stigma; rather, it is the
product of historical trends in discrimination.

The Role of Affirmative Actions: Affirmative actions are needed to resolve

structural discrimination and stigma.