A Life without Stigma
Re-visiting stigma in mental illness
Mental
illness. The term is associated with many conflicting images and
beliefs. What do you think of when you hear the term ‘mental illness’? Would
this differ if it were used to describe a stranger, a work colleague, a
celebrity, a friend, or a family member?
“Stigma
against mental illness is common. Its impact is serious”.
By definition, stigma refers to a mark of disgrace associated with a particular
circumstance, quality or person. Synonyms of stigma include shame, disgrace and
dishonour. Stigma in mental illness manifests from uninformed and negative
attitudes towards people with mental illness held by people in the general
community.
Due
to these perceptions, people with mental illness may find that they are treated
differently. People with mental illness may be discriminated against,
stereotyped, or feel isolated from others. Stigma is a significant barrier to
the quality of life for many people. The fear of discrimination causes those
with mental illness to avoid seeking help or resources, leaving their mental illness
untreated, and may result in homelessness and unemployment.
Thus,
stigma can present as a perpetuating cycle, causing external negative attitudes
to be embodied by the people who experience them.
Why is mental illness associated with sigma?
Thornicroft
and colleagues2 describe stigma as a concept
consisting of three elements: problems of knowledge (ignorance), problems of
attitude (prejudice) and problems of behaviour (discrimination).
Others,
such as Link and Phelan3, have
conceptualised stigma as four interrelated elements including:
à The
identification and labelling of human differences;
à The
formation of an association between the label and negative attributes;
à The
labelled person is categorised in a way that separates ‘us’ from ‘them’; and
à The
labelled person experiences loss of status and discrimination.
The
stigmatisation of individuals with mental illness is dependent on society.
Stigma towards mental illness is a socially derived concept that results in
unequal access to social, economic and political power.
What is mental illness stigma?
Mental
illness stigma is the result of negative opinions, judgements or stereotypes
about individuals who have a mental illness. A common example of stigma is when
someone with a mental illness is described as ‘dangerous’, ‘crazy’ or
‘incompetent’. Such descriptions are inaccurate and misinformed.
Though
inaccurate, stigma can result in people with mental illness experiencing
discrimination, and denied opportunities for work or housing. People with
mental illness may also be bullied in their school or workplace. People may
also experience negative attitudes or beliefs towards mental illness from their
family and friends.
The
media, as well as the internet, also plays a significant role in reinforcing
mental illness stigma. The portrayal of people with mental illness in a
negative way reinforces these negative stereotypes. A typical example of where
the media reinforces negative stereotypes is a news report of a violent event
that references a person who has a mental illness. This promotes the myth that
all people with a mental illness are dangerous.
In
fact, research has demonstrated that people with mental illness are more likely
to be a victim than a perpetrator of violence. Such depictions ignore the
diversity of mental illness and the ways in which mental illness can impact
individual lives.
Reducing mental illness stigma
You
may be wondering if there is anything you can do to reduce the impact of mental
illness stigma. Yes there is! A key perpetuating factor that reinforces the
association between negative attitudes and mental illness is ignorance. A first
step towards reducing stigma of mental illness is developing an understanding
of what someone with mental illness may be going through. Consider asking the
person directly of their experience, or conduct your own research. There are
many stories shared online from people with mental illness.
If
you are experiencing mental illness yourself, consider drawing on your own
experience (if comfortable to do so) to challenge and break down another’s
beliefs. When you are exposed to negative stereotypes in conversation or in the
media, you can actively quell these myths and educate those around you against
harmful and inaccurate stereotyping.
The
language we use is also a key factor in the maintenance of negative stereotypes
and attitudes. Be wary of the words you use when describing yourself and other
people. Try to avoid insensitive and hurtful words, for example, ‘nutter’,
‘crazy’ and ‘psycho’. Also avoid using mental illness in vain to describe your
emotions or labelling your behaviours. For example, it is common to describe
behaviours which are highly organised as ‘OCD’ behaviours. This detracts from
the seriousness of those actually suffering from a debilitating illness like
OCD. Another strategy is to use person-first language and to avoid labelling a
person by their mental illness. For example, rather than ‘they are bipolar’,
you could say ‘this is a person with bipolar’. Person-first language does not
define a person based on the disorder they may have, instead it emphasises that
they are a person first.
“A life without stigma”
Action
is needed by all of us to eradicate stigma associated with mental illness, so
that people affected by mental illness are treated as equal members within our
society.
For
more information in relation to mental illness stigma, please take a look at
the report, “A life without stigma”, published by SANE Australia.
Where to get support if you are experiencing mental
illness:
If
you are experiencing mental illness or stigma associated with mental illness
yourself, or you know someone who is, please consider reaching out to:
à Mental health professionals, such as psychologists,
counsellors or psychiatrists.
à Local community health centres.
à Local community mental health centres.
à If you want to report stigma, visit the SANE Australia
website and fill out an online report form or call 1800 10 SANE (7263).
Written by Danielle, ADAVIC Volunteer