Fighting Stigma

Abstract

Mental health professionals now understand more about mental illnesses than ever before. Effective treatments are available that support many people with mental illnesses living full and productive lives. Despite this and the general public’s broader understanding of mental illnesses, negative and incorrect beliefs about these disorders continue. These incorrect beliefs include that mental illnesses are moral failures and that people with mental illnesses are dangerous, incompetent, and unable to function in the community. This can cause persons with mental illnesses and their families to delay seeking treatment in an attempt to avoid being labeled with a mental illness diagnosis. Once diagnosed, they may worry about people finding out and treating them differently. They may experience discrimination in various parts of their lives. This is due to the stigma of mental illness. The traditional definition of stigma is a mark of shame that usually lasts forever. Stigma can have negative effects on both the affected person and his or her family. The stigma related to mental illnesses often begins when doctors diagnose the patient with a mental illness. This diagnosis, or label, sometimes links the patient to stereotypes, or negative ideas, about people with a mental illness. However, stigma can also begin even before a diagnosis, when the affected person begins to display signs and symptoms of an illness. These signs and symptoms (such as talking to oneself or having unusual beliefs) may link the person to negative ideas about those with a mental illness. The stereotypes that society holds about people with mental illnesses are usually wrong. Examples of such ideas are that a person with a mental illness is dangerous, not very intelligent, and unable to work. Other false ideas are that the person has no self-control and will never recover. Stereotypes can cause others to view people with mental illnesses as different and less human. Not understanding these disorders, others may look down upon or think less of those with a mental illness. As a result, patients and their families may feel that they are less important, or they may feel discriminated against. They also may feel that the stereotypes about those with a mental illness are in some way true.