Why is mental illness stigmatised

Read Our Privacy Policy. More than half of people with mental illness don't receive help for their disorders. Often, people avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood. That's because stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illness is still very much a problem.

Stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illness can be subtle or it can be obvious—but no matter the magnitude, it can lead to harm. People with mental illness are marginalized and discriminated against in various ways, but understanding what that looks like and how to address and eradicate it can help. Stigma often comes from lack of understanding or fear. Inaccurate or misleading media representations of mental illness contribute to both those factors.

A review of studies on stigma shows that while the public may accept the medical or genetic nature of a mental health disorder and the need for treatment, many people still have a negative view of those with mental illness. Stigma not only directly affects individuals with mental illness but also the loved ones who support them, often including their family members. Stigma around mental illness 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.

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. Among some groups, including the African American community's, distrust of the mental healthcare system can also be a barrier to seeking help.

See more on mental health in Diverse Populations. Media representations of people with mental illness can influence perceptions and stigma, and they have often been negative, inaccurate or violent representations. A study published in April looked at a recent example, the popular film Joker , which portrays the lead character as a person with mental illness who becomes extremely violent.

The study found that viewing the film "was associated with higher levels of prejudice toward those with mental illness. The stigma of mental illness is universal. A study on stigma concluded "there is no country, society or culture where people with mental illness have the same societal value as people without mental illness. Stigma and discrimination can contribute to worsening symptoms and reduced likelihood of getting treatment.

A recent extensive review of research found that self-stigma leads to negative effects on recovery among people diagnosed with severe mental illnesses. Effects can include:.

A study involving more than individuals with mental illness over a period of two years found that greater self-stigma was associated with poorer recovery from mental illness after one and two years. 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.

A national poll from the American Psychiatric Association APA found that mental health stigma is still a major challenge in the workplace. About half of workers were concerned about discussing mental health issues at their jobs. More than one in three were concerned about retaliation or being fired if they sought mental health care. Only about only about one in five workers were completely comfortable talking about mental health issues. A stigma is a negative and often unfair social attitude attached to a person or group, often placing shame on them for a perceived deficiency or difference to their existence.

Individuals or groups can apply stigma to those who live a certain way, have certain cultural beliefs or make lifestyle choices, or to people living with health conditions, such as mental illnesses. Mental health stigma refers to societal disapproval, or when society places shame on people who live with a mental illness or seek help for emotional distress, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or PTSD.

The pressure of mental health stigma can come from family, friends, coworkers, and society on a broader level. Groups can also politicize stigma. It can prevent people living with mental illness from getting help, fitting into society, and leading happy and comfortable lives. Mental health stigma can come from stereotypes , which are simplified or generalized beliefs or representations of entire groups of people that are often inaccurate, negative, and offensive.

They allow a person to make quick judgments about others based on a few defining characteristics, which they then apply to anyone in that group. For instance, people living with depression are often stereotyped as lazy, while some judge those with anxiety as cowardly. None of these characterizations are valid, and all of them are misinformed, cause pain, and prevent people from getting the help they need. An often politicized stereotype about people with mental illness is that they are violent or dangerous.

However, a small minority of people living with mental illness commit violent acts. They are actually 10 times more likely to be victims of a crime , making them a vulnerable population we should be protecting instead of fearing.

Stigma against mental illness can come from several sources, such as personal, social, and family beliefs, and from the mental health condition itself, which may cause a person to act outside what is considered the social or cultural norm.

A lack of awareness, education, perception, and a fear of people with mental illness can all lead to increased stigma. According to the Mental Health Foundation, nearly 9 out of 10 people with a mental illness feel stigma and discrimination negatively impact their lives.

They also state that those with a mental health issue are among the least likely of any group with a long-term health condition or disability to find work, be in long-term relationships, live in good housing, and be socially included in mainstream society.

Stigma against a person living with a mental health condition can make their symptoms worse and make it hard to recover. A person may also be less likely to seek help if they live with stigma. Stigma may not be obvious or be expressed in large gestures. It can come in the words people use to describe a mental health condition or people living with mental illness.

This can involve hurtful, offensive, or dismissive language, which can be upsetting for people to hear. This can cause them to feel alone and that no-one understands what they are going through.

Public education to increase knowledge around mental illness is paramount, since the majority of stigma comes from a lack of understanding and misplaced fear.

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Products and services. Mental health: Overcoming the stigma of mental illness False beliefs about mental illness can cause significant problems. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information.

Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references StigmaFree me. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Accessed April 25,