STIGMATIZATION OF MENTAL ILLNESSES

– IT’S NOT AS UNCOMMON AS YOU MIGHT

THINK.
(Essence: we’re here to further inform and educate)

Lead in: When you talk to someone who has the flu or a person with a
broken leg, would you tell them to “Stop being dramatic” or that they “look
fine” and they’re just “faking it”? No, right? Well, then why are the same
things being said to people with invisible illnesses daily? This leads us to a
social phenomenon called “public stigma”.

Definition: Social or public stigma is the unjustified prejudice and

discrimination against an individual or a group based on characteristics that
distinguish them from other people.

Yes, today, we’re focusing on the stigmatization of mental illnesses.

Causes: So, what exactly causes this phenomenon? Generally, social

stigma stems from a lack of understanding of mental illnesses. This lack of
understanding is caused by a) ignorance and b) misinformation
Eventually, it will develop into negative beliefs toward people with mental
illnesses.
For instance, let’s take a look at how the media inaccurately portrayed
people with mental illnesses, in this case, a person with DID (Split – vid)
-> Acting aside, the film demonizes DID sufferers. They are portrayed as
wanting to harm other people. They are violent, evil, aggressive, and
unstable.
Effects: So, what are the impacts?
Well, 9 out of 10 people with a mental health problem say that stigma or
discrimination negatively impacts them – according to a survey conducted
by the Mental Health Foundation.

Effects on the mentally ill can include:

- worsening of symptoms.
 Research from the National Institutes of Health has shown that
perceived and experienced social stigma may also play a role in
heightening suicidal ideation among people with mental health conditions.
- internalization (absorption of negative attitudes regarding their own
illnesses)
- feelings of shame, or hopelessness.
 To illustrate, only 7% of people in developed countries think that it’s
possible to overcome mental illness – in an article by PubMed
- isolation.
- reluctance to share one’s feelings or ask for help/get treatment.
 For instance, around half of American workers are uncomfortable talking
about their mental health in the workplace. Over one-third worry about job
consequences if they seek care – according to American Psychiatric
Association.
- lack of understanding by family, friends, or others
- reduced chance of finding a job; being in a steady, long-term
relationship, having decent housing, etc.
Combat: (personally/outsider)
Last but not the least, how do we combat stigma?
- On a small scale, firstly:
+ education. This includes educating people on the nature of mental
illnesses, their causes, and methods of treatment. It also involves
addressing societal attitudes and biases toward people with mental
illnesses.
 In fact, communities that used the “Make It OK” campaigns saw
decreases in stigma between 2017 and 2019. There was:
- a 5% increase in people who felt comfortable talking to someone about
their mental illness.
- a 7% increase in people who would tell their friends if they had a mental
illness.
- a 4% decrease in the number of people who were reluctant to receive
help

+ accurate representation of mental illness: (Skam France)

- On a larger scale, the government should prioritize mental health care

and provide adequate resources and support to mental health
professionals.

In reality, if you take a look around, the stigma concerning mental illness
has been decreasing, albeit slowly. But a win is a win. If we continue to
challenge and combat the stigmatization of mental illness, who knows, one
day, people may all get the treatment they deserve and won’t have to live in
doubt and fear anymore.

THANK YOU