Perceived Stress and Internalized Stigma among Patients with Mental Disorders in Al Ahsa Governorate – Saudi Arabia

Abstract

BackgroundWHO reported that mental disorders is rising all over the world and its burden is significantly impact the individuals’ health, even the social and economic status of countries. Mental illness continues to be stigmatized in Arab countries because people in these countries hold negative attitudes toward mental illnesses. Stigma stress is one of the most stressful factors facing patients with mental illness and their families. Perceived stigma by patients with mental illness is associated with different consequences such as feeling of shame, being non-compliant to medications, being socially withdrawn. This study aims to assess perceived stress and internalized stigma among patients with mental disorders in Al-Ahsa governorate – Saudi Arabia. The total number of the subject was 125 patients with mental disorders. The study revealed that there is a significant positive relationship between patients’ perceived stress and their feelings of internalized stigma. Understanding how stigma develops and how it interacts with other psychological processes is very important so, it is recommended to develop interventions to reduce internalized stigma to improve the well-being of patients with mental disorders.