Stigma , Discrimination& Mental Illness

Order of Presentation

• Introduction
• Definition
• History of stigma mental health
• Dimensions
• Signs of stigma mental health
• Types of stigma mental health
• Impact of stigma mental health
• Tips to combat stigma in mental health
• Role of Psychiatric Social Worker
 Introduction

• Stigma involves negative attitudes or discrimination against someone

based on a distinguishing characteristic such as a mental illness, health

condition, or disability, gender, sexuality, race, religion, and culture.

• Understanding and breaking the stigma is a fundamental step to

improving mental health services and policies.

 Definition

Stigma is “an attribute that is deeply discrediting” that reduces

someone “from a whole and usual person to a tainted,
discounted one” - Gofman, 1963

Stigma is a mark of shame, disgrace or disapproval, which

results in an individual being shunned or rejected by others.

- WHO
 Discrimination

• Discrimination, the intended or accomplished differential

treatment of persons or social groups for reasons of certain
generalized traits. 

• Discrimination is the behavioural consequence of prejudice and

stigma (Corrigan & Penn, 1998).

• Discrimination is when a person is treated unfairly because the

person has a certain characteristic.
 Reasons

• Stereotypes: Society can have stereotyped views about mental

ill health. People believe that people with mental health
problems are dangerous and violent.

• The media: Media portray people with mental health

problems as dangerous, criminal, evil, or very disabled and
unable to live normal.
History of Mental Illness Stigma & Discrimination

• Initially mental illness was regarded as a punishment from

God.

• Sufferers were thought to be possessed by the devil and were

burned at the stake, or thrown in madhouses where they were
chained to the walls or their beds.

• In Neolithic times people chipped a hole in the person's skull

to release the evil spirits.
• During the Enlightenment, institutions were established to help
sufferers of mental illness.

• The book Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled

Identity, published in 1963 by the American sociologist Erwin
Goffman, laid the foundation and described how stigmatized
persons deal with the challenge.
Different dimensions

(Ahmedani B. K. (2011) )
 Signs of Stigma

• Media depictions where the villain is often a character with a

mental illness

• Tagging persons with mental illness by crazy, evil, violent,

etc.

• Some Halloween costumes that depict people with mental

illness as violent and dangerous
 Types

Self-
Social Structural Professional
perceived
stigma stigma stigma
Stigma
 Impact of Stigma

• Poor understanding among family and friends

• Failing to seek medical attention
• Worse psychological well-being
• Recovery delayed
• Increased feelings of shame and self-doubt
• Social rejection, avoidance, and isolation
• Deteriorating socio economic aspects
• Quality of life become reduced
• Increases the morbidity rate
 Effect of stigma

Loss of
confidence

Failing to seek
Missed
medical
opportunities
attention

Rejection Low self esteem

Financial Loss of job/lack

problems of employment
 Tips to Combat Stigma

• Remember that many people experience mental illness:

If you have a mental illness, know that you are not alone.

• Join a support group: where you can talk to others who have had
similar experiences.

• Get treatment: If you are a person with mental illness, seek out
for treatment rather than isolating yourself. 

• Participate in information and education campaigns.

• Speak out against stigma.

Role of Psychiatric Social Worker

Mental
health
Education
literacy
campaign

Promotin
Protest g contact
and based
advocacy interventi
on
 Conclusion

• Every individual has a role in reducing the mental health stigma.

By educating, People can help to break up the common myths
and stereotypes both in themselves and others.

• Education, speaking out, mental professionals leading the

frontline in combating stigma can reduce the stigma and
discrimination around mental illness.
 References

• Ahmedani, B. K. (2011). Mental health stigma: society, individuals, and the profession. Journal of
social work values and ethics, 8(2), 4-1.PMID: 22211117; PMCID: PMC3248273.

• Corrigan, P. W., & Watson, A. C. (2002). Understanding the impact of stigma on people with
mental illness. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association
(WPA), 1(1), 16–20.

• Rössler W. (2016). The stigma of mental disorders: A millennia-long history of social exclusion
and prejudices. EMBO reports, 17(9), 1250–1253.

• Subu, M. A., Wati, D. F., Netrida, N., Priscilla, V., Dias, J. M., Abraham, M. S., ... & Al-Yateem, N.
(2021). Types of stigma experienced by patients with mental illness and mental health nurses in
Indonesia: a qualitative content analysis. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 15(1), 1-
12.