Stigma In Mental Health: Meaning, Effects And Ways To Reduce It

Types Of Stigma In Mental Health

The purpose of this article is to explore and present what mental health stigma means and how it affects people suffering from mental health problems. Modern societies are poised to meet the needs of people as, over time, a staggering number of people suffer from mental health problems. However, stigma, discrimination and prejudice remain at the core of the problems facing people with mental illness (Henderson and Gronholm 2018). Most people with mental health problems do not receive adequate support for their illness. People with mental health problems often delay or avoid seeking professional help because they fear being abused or losing their livelihood by being fired from their jobs. Regardless of the level of prejudice against mental health, whether subtle or overt, it can be harmful.

Stigma about mental health problems stems from a lack of knowledge or understanding, or fear. Inaccurate and false misconceptions about mental illness can lead to stigma and discrimination. A 2016 study published in the journal Vigo, The Lancet, found that while the general population accepts the genetic or medical nature of mental illness and the need for treatment, most of the population suffers from mental illness. He continues to have a negative image of him. There are different types of stigma, including public stigma, self-stigma, and intuitive stigma. Public stigma, as the name suggests, is the discriminatory and biased attitudes and behavior of others towards mental disorders.

Self-bias occurs in people who have mental health problems, act negatively, and internalize shame towards themselves (Tzouvara, Papadopoulos, Randhawa 2018). Institutional bias is a more systemic problem that influences government policies and private institutions to intentionally or intentionally limit opportunities for people with mental illness. For example, fewer mental health facilities and less funding for mental health research. Mental health stigma affects both individuals and their families and loved ones. Access to health services can be a problem and a barrier for ethnic and racial communities. For example, many communities in Asia believe in strong family morals, avoidance of shame, and restraint of emotions, making it difficult to seek help from mental health professionals.

The shame, exclusion and exclusion faced by people with mental illness sometimes weighs more than the illness itself, and the stigma, stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness can exacerbate symptoms and lead to seeking professional help. reduce sexuality. Effects of stigma include decreased self-esteem, reduced hope, difficulty forming social relationships, increased symptoms of illness, decreased likelihood of adherence to treatment, and difficulties at work. Self-bias also contributes to poor recovery.

The effects of stigma also include reluctance to seek professional help and treatment, and people facing stigma can have difficulty adhering to treatment (Schnyder et al., 2017). ). People with mental illness who face stigma and discrimination are not only socially excluded, but in some cases lack empathy and understanding by their friends, family, colleagues and loved ones, and are vulnerable to self-harm. sexuality increases. Schools, jobs, and social activities are reduced, and housing can be difficult to find. Bullying and harassment are also negative effects of stigma on people with mental illness.

The Negative Effects Of Stigma On Mental Health

A 2019 national survey by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found that stigma related to mental health is a major concern and challenge for people in the workplace. More than half of workers expressed concerns about discussing mental illness with their employers. About one in three expressed concern about the high likelihood of being fired as a result of what they would face if they sought professional help (Brouwers 2020). Only one of her five of her employees felt safe talking about mental health issues. Millennials are more comfortable talking about mental health than baby boomers, at 62% for him compared to boomers. 32%The best way to overcome this challenge is to work with someone who has a mental illness.

When someone with mental health issues speaks up, it can affect those they love. Having a friend or acquaintance with a mental illness can help reduce the stigma and stigma associated with the disorder. Many celebrities, including celebrities, have publicly shared stories about their mental health issues, and the discussion has gained prominence in everyday and regular conversations. Younger generations look to these personal stories for guidance and information (Kim and Jia 2020).

Most of the younger generation living with the symptoms of a mental disorder or mental illness refer to the experiences of others through podcasts, blogs and videos to get information about their illness. Social media is therefore a powerful platform for public relations and campaigns to effectively combat stigma and discrimination. Social media campaigns not only reduce stigma, but also raise awareness and help people better understand the symptoms of distress.

As individuals in society, we can address issues of stigma by, for example, speaking openly about mental health, sharing personal experiences on social media, and responding to negative and misjudgmental comments by providing facts. It is important to help deal with It’s also important to pay attention to the words that are used, especially since words matter. Promoting equality between mental and physical health and drawing comparisons between the two; for instance,any physical illness like diabetes or cancer requires medical help;similarly, mental illness requires professional help as well. Showing compassion choosing empowerment,and normalising mental illness treatment also helps reduces the effects of stigma.

Many companies are coming up with ways to promote mental health awareness and making efforts to decrease the stigma surrounding mental illness.Some ways in which companies and organisations are working towards reducing stigma and promoting awareness arecustomising programs that can add to the existing strengths and culture of the company, making the workplace a healthy environment, training employees to recognise emotional distress among their peers and taking prompt action in making referrals, and by welcoming the need for assistance and accommodations.

Increasing public knowledge and education regarding mental health disorders is crucial since most stigmas arise from misplaced fear and lack of knowledge regarding the subject (Elraz, H., 2018). It is essential to review reliable information sources about mental health and mental illness and become well-informed instead of showing prejudiced behaviour when a co-worker or a family member is diagnosed.

People with mental disorders should participate in health care and can also seek help if their disability makes it difficult to cope with everyday tasks such as accessing housing, health care and employment. An attorney or trained professional can help handle medical appointments, labor disputes, housing and financial claims. It is also important that people struggling with mental health problems do not isolate themselves from family and friends and seek professional help. People suffering from mental illness should not identify with their illness. This only creates more self-doubt and shame. Instead of saying, “I am schizophrenic,” we should say, “I am schizophrenic.” Mental illness is an illness like any other physical illness, not synonymous with the person who suffers from it.

Conclusion

From this we can conclude that stigma is a complex challenge difficult to overcome. However, the above steps may provide guidance for those who suffer from stigma related to mental illness. Everyone in society has a role to play in reducing stigma around mental health. Continuing education is needed today to better understand the lives of people with mental illness. Educating yourself also helps dispel myths and prejudices you may have. Understanding, compassion and education are equally important in removing the stigma surrounding mental health.

References

American Psychiatric Association, 2019. About Half of Workers Are Concerned about Discussing Mental Health Issues in the Workplace; A Third Worry about Consequences if They Seek Help. Psychiatry.org. Available at: https://www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/about-half-of-workers-are-concerned-about-discussing-mental-health-issues-in-the-workplace-a-third-worry-about-consequences-if-they-seek-help [Accessed 7 April 2022].

Brouwers, E.P., 2020. Social stigma is an underestimated contributing factor to unemployment in people with mental illness or mental health issues: position paper and future directions. BMC psychology, 8(1), pp.1-7.

Elraz, H., 2018. Identity, mental health and work: How employees with mental health conditions recount stigma and the pejorative discourse of mental illness. Human Relations, 71(5), pp.722-741.

Henderson, C. and Gronholm, P.C., 2018. Mental health related stigma as a ‘wicked problem’: the need to address stigma and consider the consequences. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(6), p.1158.

Kim, D. and Jia, F., 2020. “Ever wondered what schizophrenia was?”: Students’ digital storytelling about mental disorders. Journal of Curriculum Studies Research, 2(2), pp.144-169.

Schnyder, N., Panczak, R., Groth, N. and Schultze-Lutter, F., 2017. Association between mental health-related stigma and active help-seeking: systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 210(4), pp.261-268.

Tzouvara, V., Papadopoulos, C. and Randhawa, G., 2018. Self-stigma experiences among older adults with mental health problems residing in long-term care facilities: A qualitative study. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 39(5), pp.403-410.

Vigo, D., 2016. The health crisis of mental health stigma. The Lancet, 387(10023), p.1027.