Running head: Stigma Surrounding mental illness

Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness

Blake W. Dean
Dalton State College

Stigma Surrounding mental illness

Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness

Mental illness is an issue surrounded with stigmatic behaviors and attitudes. Whether
promoted through media, entertainment or personal prejudices, these stigmas greatly impact
those suffering with mental illness by adding to the already present symptoms. To reduce
stigmatic behaviors, it is important to understand what stigmas exist and try to identify them in
the context of the individuals life. There are two different kinds of stigma, self and societal.
Both of these types of stigma have similar effects on the self-esteem and self-image of a mentally
ill person. Sometimes these stigmatic perceptions of mental illness have no factual base but
simply exist because of what is shown through popular culture. Being educated in what is true
and what is false about mental illness is the key to identifying stigma and how to reduce it.

Impact of Stigma on the Mentally Ill

Often times when popular culture, the media or individuals make degrading comments or
add to the negative opinion and uniformed view of the mentally ill, the people suffering because
of them are left out of the equation. The impact that stigma has on the mentally is sometimes
insurmountable. As Patrick Corrigan (2002) says, the impact is twofold. Public and self
stigma both play dramatic roles in the lives of people suffering from mental illness. Corrigan
defines public stigma as the reaction that the general population has to people with mental
illness. He defines self-stigma as, the prejudice which people with mental illness turn against
themselves (Understanding the impact, para. 2). Adding to the already present symptoms
and struggles of their illness with insecurity and prejudices only has negative consequences for
the person with the illness.

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Self Stigma

One prevalent type of stigma is one that is not often discussed by those suffering from
mental illness is self stigma. Thomas Britt (2007) defines self-stigma as the internalization of
how the public portrays people with mental illness and the belief in that portrayal (p.157). David
Mechanics (1994) hypothesis was that those with mental illness may take the stigma that is
presented in their world and add it to their self-identity, causing their self-esteem to lower
significantly. Like societal stigma, self-stigma can also inhibit mentally ill people
from seeking treatment (p.155-164). Cooper (2003) found in his study, that those who are
mentally ill will be less willing to seek treatment if they believe that they are the cause of their
disorder. This lowered self-esteem and degrading view of self comes from the stigmatic attitude
and view they have upon their own mental illness (p. 339-341). While this kind of stigma comes
from within oneself, it is caused by the stigma that runs rampant in popular culture.

Violence Paired with Mental Illness

There are varying types of existing stigmatic ideas towards mental illness. One of these
stigmatic mindsets is that people with mental illness have the tendency to be more violent than
those without mental illness. Applebaum (2000) says that in the Macarthur Violence Risk
Assessment Study, one of the non-content-related dimensions of delusions assessed by the
MacArthur- Maudsley Delusions Assessment Schedule was significantly related to violence at
any follow-up evaluation. Self-reported duration of delusions similarly had no relationship to
subsequent violence at any follow-up assessment (p. 568). This study showed clearly that
mental illness by itself does not directly influence violent behaviors, but when variables are
added violence can occur. If it has been proven that mental illness alone does not promote

Stigma Surrounding mental illness

violent behaviors, where does this stereotype for mentally ill people come from? Why is this
idea that mentally ill people have violent tendencies still prevalent, when science has proven
otherwise? One theory is that much of this comes from the media that is produced and
consumed. For example, in Alfred Hitchcocks award-winning motion picture Psycho (1960),
the main character Norman Bates is an isolated man, who has multiple personalities and he
commits multiple murders. This representation of a mental illness paired with violence simply
promotes the publics idea that violent actions are always in correlation with mental illness.

Cultural Stigma Towards Mental Illness

Another factor that can add to stigma is culture. Many studies have been done
researching the effect, ones culture has on the stigmatic behaviors surrounding mental illness.
Amy Y. Zhang (1998), Lonnie Snowden and Stanley Sue studied 161 Asian or Pacific Islander
Americans and1332 Caucasian Americans at random to study ethnic differences in discussing
mental illness and willingness to seek treatment. In their study they found that only 12% of the
selected Asian Americans discuss mental illnesses with a relative; compared to 25% of
Caucasian Americans. Also, 4% of the Asian Americans that were studied were willing to seek
treatment from a psychiatrist; compared to 26% Caucasian Americans (p. 322). Whaley (1997)
created a study that also looked at race, ethnicity and attitudes towards mental ill people. In his
study, he found that, Asian and Hispanic Americans felt more threatened by mentally ill people
than whites did. Also, he learned that interaction with the mentally ill helped lessen the negative
views for white Americans, it did not for other ethnicities such as African Americans and
American Indians (p.1328-1329).

Stigma Surrounding mental illness

How Stigma is Being Battled

Although stigma towards mental illness is still quite active, there are many organizations
battling negative views and stereotypes head on. First, the National Institute of Mental Health is
currently running a campaign called, Real Men. Real Depression.. This is an education
campaign where they provide materials to over 420 local organizations, like the University of
Michigan to help depression prevention and help those who are suffering seek treatment
(Kersting para. 2-3). Another organization working to fight against stigma is the National
Alliance on Mental Illness. Currently they are hosting a Stigma Free Pledge drive on their
website. This asks for your name and some personal information and simply asks that
you pledge to refuse to live stigmatically and be open to the realities of mental illnesses. The
NAMI gives three steps to becoming Stigma Free. Step One is to Educate yourself and others;
By understanding mental health issues one will be able to dispel incorrect ideas about mental
health. Step Two is to see the person, not the illness. Step Three is to take action on mental
health issues by pushing for better legislation to improve lives for everyone (How You).
Finally, there is a continuance of research being done on what causes stigmas to exist and how
one can battle against the stigmatic tendencies of popular culture.

What Can Still Be Done to Reduce Stigma

While many are doing great work to lessen the stigmatized view of mental illness, there is
still much that can be done. Peter Byrne (2000) has many ideas, however he recognizes that
education must come first and foremost, not only to those outside the psychology profession, but
also to those inside. To begin teaching and discussing the present stigmas and how they can be
changed. To promote social inclusion and reduce discrimination. Byrne also suggests that the

Stigma Surrounding mental illness

nature of discrimination will be altered as the ways that the mentally ill are discriminated
against are challenged intelligently and successfully. To identify prejudice in every context, is
how prejudice will be changed and eventually ended (Stigma of mental illness para. 1-27).

Conclusion
Information is key to understanding mental illness and avoiding stigmatic tendencies.
Gathering information about the different kinds of stigma, the lack of correlation between mental
illnesses and violence, and how one can make effective change are all helpful. Understanding
the impact, it can have on victims of mental illness can assist in identifying stereotypes,
prejudices and stigmatic behavior. It is also important to highlight the achievements of
organizations that are making effective change and walk alongside them, while looking ahead to
see what else can be done. Learning the research that has been done on stigma is staggering,
however gives great understanding in the role that the media, culture and self-esteem play in
promoting or destroying that stigma.

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