Also, impairment of the relationship between the patient and the service provider and premature termination of treatment are among the consequences. Study results demonstrated that self-stigma is less frequent in the Romanian community compared to Malta, Croatia, and Lithuania, but higher than in the Swedish community . Winkler et al. found that stigma in Eastern European countries appears to be greater than in other European nations. Stigma remains a major obstacle to receiving psychiatric care in various cultures. By 2020, mental and behavioral health problems accounted for 15% of the global disease burden, surpassing the estimate of 12% . Non-peer-reviewed literature, studies not focused on stigma, non-human studies, non-English publications, and duplicate data were excluded.

The Global Mental Health Peer Network aims to empower people living with mental health conditions to break down stigma in their communities and countries by providing them with a peer community and training opportunities. Living with a mental health condition like schizophrenia or depression is difficult, but for many people living with mental health conditions, the negative perceptions and behaviours that arise in others and yourself are even worse. Judgments by other people often come from not understanding mental health conditions. Sadly, many people have negative attitudes and beliefs about people who have mental illness. Through education and understanding, we can eliminate the stigma around mental illness, and there is support available to people who are currently experiencing stigma.

What does mental health stigma look like?

In a more positive trend, fewer adults are worried about retaliation if they take time off or seek care for their mental health. A 2022 national poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found that mental health stigma is still a major challenge in the workplace. An editorial in the Lancet notes that the impacts of stigma are pervasive, affecting political enthusiasm, charitable fundraising and availability, support for local services and underfunding of research for mental health relative to other health conditions. For example, in some Asian cultures, seeking professional help for mental illness may be counter to cultural values of strong family, emotional restraint and avoiding shame. More than half of people with mental illness don’t receive help for their disorders. As the next step, an appropriate effort must be made to increase the awareness of society regarding the rights of mental health patients.

• Stigma around mental illness is especially an issue in some diverse racial and ethnic communities, and it can be a major barrier to people from those cultures accessing mental health services.
• Those with mental health conditions may be labeled, stereotyped, or discriminated against as a result.
• The fear of being labeled, ostracized, or misunderstood due to their condition often deters individuals from seeking help promptly.
• Mental health stigma refers to negative beliefs people may hold about those with mental illness, which can lead to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.
• Individuals with mental health issues might face discrimination in various aspects of life, including the workplace, where they might encounter bias in hiring, job retention, and career advancement.

According to Ritzer (2021, p. 162), “stigma is a person’s characteristic that others find, define, and often label as unusual, unpleasant, or deviant.” Labeling others separates people based on actual or perceived differences. The toolkit is undergoing expert consultation, being most recently presented to participants of the “Workshop on leadership and service transformation in mental health” in Brussels, Belgium on 22–23 May 2024.

“The best positive psychology resource out there! Dispelling myths can help reduce stigma, creating an environment of inclusiveness. One way to combat prejudice and subsequent stigma is to learn more about the targeted group. Terms used in gest or casual conversion can create or add to stigmatization.

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Cultural competence involves understanding and respecting cultural differences, tailoring treatment to meet diverse populations’ unique needs, and integrating cultural factors into treatment planning. People with lived experiences of mental health disorders who share their stories, can normalize mental health issues and challenge stigma. Awareness campaigns can be instrumental in dismantling misconceptions and fostering understanding of mental health disorders. Practices that raise awareness of culture-bound syndromes offer a deeper, richer perspective on cultural influences on mental health. That is to say, culture-bound syndromes refer to unique mental health conditions closely tied to specific cultures or ethnic groups.

It was when I started speaking to fellow peers that I began to realize that stigma is probably the biggest barrier for us to really gain our life back and thrive.” Graham entered through his work as a psychiatrist and researcher, recognizing that what separated psychiatry from other areas of medicine was the problem of stigma. He admits this is a dramatic example, but it helps define the stakes – stigma can be an issue of life or death. “Let’s imagine that a person who has depression develops severe pain in their stomach. Learn what you can do about this stigma.

Understanding the Cycle of Chronic Overthinking

To effectively address and reduce stigma in mental healthcare settings, developing culturally sensitive interventions and promoting understanding and acceptance of mental health issues is crucial. Contact-based interventions involve interaction between people with mental illness and members of the public to challenge negative attitudes and beliefs. For instance, a study by Pinfold et al., (2003) showed that public campaigns using direct social contact with people with mental illness could significantly improve public attitudes towards mental health . For instance, a strong cultural emphasis on academic and professional achievement in South Korea contributes to stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness, which may discourage individuals from seeking help . This stigma operates Mental health stigma at various levels, including individuals, families, healthcare providers, and society, and cultural norms, religious beliefs, and social attitudes influence its manifestations and implications.

Mental Health Stigma

This can make women less likely to seek help for mental health issues, further exacerbating their condition and creating a vicious cycle of stigma and untreated mental illness. Women with mental illnesses may therefore face dual discrimination – first for their gender and then for their mental health condition. Research evidence indicates that the experience of stigma related to mental illness can be significantly different for men and women, and these differences can be further influenced by cultural context. Misconceptions often result in people with mental health issues being perceived inaccurately as dangerous, unpredictable, or responsible for their condition. People living with mental health conditions may avoid or discontinue treatment due to fear of being identified as a mental health patient.

False beliefs about mental illness can cause problems for people with mental health conditions. According to the Mental Health Foundation, nearly 9 in 10 people with a mental illness feel stigma and discrimination negatively impact their lives. Similarly, cultures that value stoicism and emotional control may view mental illness as a shameful personal failure or weakness, preventing people from seeking help or admitting they have mental health issues. One experience that does seem to reduce stigma is interacting with people with mental health conditions. These measures collectively contribute to improved awareness, understanding, and acceptance of mental health conditions, thus facilitating early intervention and better management of mental illnesses across diverse cultural contexts.

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People living with mental health conditions who are trained in social contact are often called “experts by experience”. Graham and Charlene worked with 42 other researchers and people with the lived experience of mental health conditions to produce, in 2022, the Lancet Commission on Ending Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health. A diagnosis could follow a person well beyond their interactions with health services, both in the form of negative attitudes or prejudice (“I don’t want to be around this person, they are dangerous”) and misinformation (“You can’t recover from depression”). Stigma is far from just negative attitudes – discriminatory behaviours are equally important to consider – which is why many prefer to use “stigma and discrimination” together. Discrimination may be obvious and direct, such as someone making a negative comment about your mental health condition or treatment. They can also educate others by sharing their stories to promote a wider understanding of mental health conditions.

Why is mental health stigmatized?

Religious belief perpetuating mental health stigma can lead to delayed or avoided treatment as individuals may resort to religious or spiritual interventions . Lastly, at the societal level, these cultural perceptions and beliefs can contribute to the broader social stigma surrounding mental health, leading to discrimination and social exclusion. Stereotyping, deeply embedded in societal attitudes, can foster a culture of fear, rejection, and discrimination against individuals with mental health conditions. Furthermore, some studies reveal that mental health stigma manifests differently across cultures and can be influenced by cultural beliefs, attitudes, and values . Media representations of people with mental illness can influence perceptions and stigma, and they have often been negative, inaccurate or violent representations.

However, people may be able to overcome it by finding an advocate to support them with work issues and financial matters. For example, people may stereotype someone with depression as lazy or someone with anxiety as cowardly. Discover how trauma became a commodity and what that costs our understanding of suffering. When we think of Veterans Day, we often focus on physical service—but the mental struggles that come with service deserve recognition.

• This is concerning because early intervention is critical for managing mental illness and improving outcomes for individuals living with these conditions.
• As we previously mentioned, there is no single tailored intervention to tackle mental health stigma.
• This stigma operates at various levels, including individuals, families, healthcare providers, and society, and cultural norms, religious beliefs, and social attitudes influence its manifestations and implications.

Brief history of mental health stigma

Stigma affects those struggling with mental health, as it We can create a space for those struggling with mental illness to feel accepted, understood, and validated. It contains questions, books, resources, and ideas to change perspectives on mental illness.

Such patients may be perceived as displaying unacceptable social or mental characteristics, which are experienced by those who then stigmatize during social interaction with these individuals . The presence of dysfunctional, irrational, and unfair opinions, emotions, and feelings of an individual or a group of people toward mental health patients generally represents stigmatization. It is well known that stigma significantly delays access to timely and appropriate mental healthcare, which then eventually causes a delay in achieving ideal health outcomes. It relates to social disapproval of the person or group based on the mental health feature. This issue is a significant concern for people with mental health conditions and for society as a whole.