Mental Heath: Stigma and Discrimination

‘People with mental health problems say that the social stigma attached to mental ill health and the discrimination they experience can make their difficulties worse and make it harder to recover.’

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In the era of growing technology, even though machines are replacing the work humans do, the levels of stress are increasing and Mental Illness is becoming common. It affects millions of people all around the world, and their friends, families, work colleagues and society in general. 450 million people world-wide have a mental health problem. The lives of people with mental health conditions are often plagued by Stigma as well as Discrimination.

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According to researches conducted worldwide, nearly nine out of ten people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination have a negative effect on their lives. In relation to social stigma, studies have suggested that stigmatising attitudes towards people with mental health problems are widespread and commonly held (Crisp, Gelder, Rix, Meltzer et al., 2000; Bryne, 1997; Heginbotham, 1998). In a survey of over 1700 adults in the UK, Crisp et al. (2000) found that (1) the most commonly held belief was that people with mental health problems were dangerous – especially those with schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug dependence, (2) people believed that some mental health problems such as eating disorders and substance abuse were self inflicted, and (3) respondents believed that people with mental health problems were generally hard to talk to.

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Stigma is the negative stereotype and discrimination is the behaviour that results from this negative stereotype. Stigma is a reality for many people with a mental illness, and they report that how others judge them is one of their greatest barriers to a complete and satisfying life. Often, individuals with a mental illness are faced with multiple, intersecting layers of discrimination as a result of their mental illness and their identity. For example, a woman with a mental illness may experience discrimination due to sexism as well as her illness, and a racialized individual may experience discrimination due to racism in addition to their mental illness. In addition, living with discrimination can have a negative impact on mental health.
Many people’s problems are made worse by the stigma and discrimination they experience – from society, but also from families, friends and employers. For example, Moses (2010) found that stigma directed at adolescents with mental health problems came from family members, peers, and teachers. 46% of these adolescents described experiencing stigmatization by family members in the form of unwarranted assumptions (e.g. the sufferer was being manipulative), distrust, avoidance, pity and gossip, 62% experienced stigma from peers which often led to friendship losses and social rejection (Connolly, Geller, Marton & Kutcher (1992), and 35% reported stigma perpetrated by teachers and school staff, who expressed fear, dislike, avoidance, and under-estimation of abilities.

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I personally believe that, stigma and discrimination prevalent in the society at large is because many people believe the people with suffering from mental health problems are dangerous as well as likely to be violent, whereas the truth is that they are more at a risk of harming themselves than harming others. Stigma and Discrimination interfere and delay people with mental health problems from getting help or undergoing treatment and their recovery. People suffering from mental ill health often experience social isolation, unemployment as well as poor housing. Stigma and discrimination can therefore trap people in a cycle of unending misery while dealing with their illness. Stigma and stereotype is often seemed to be exacerbated by the media as they often link or portray people suffering from mental health issues as criminal, dangerous, disabled and unable to live a normal life, which is far from the truth.

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We all know someone, a family member, a friend, a colleague or a neighbour who is suffering from mental health concerns. It is time we stop stigmatising and discriminating them. Instead we can help them become more secure by understanding and providing support. Everyone has a full right to a fair chance at life, and if some people are fighting for theirs then we as individuals ought to help them stand up rather than push them and be on our way.

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Tell me would you not want people to understand and support you when you are dealing with problems at some phase of your life? Would your life become easier if people thought of you as a threat and judged you? What would you really want want them to do? The answer to what you would want them to do is what you should be doing as well. Every one person can make a big difference in someone’s life. So what are we really waiting for? Let’s all be the candle that fills up at least one persons life with light. We constitute the society and only we can make a difference to it. Give love and happiness and you would never want to look back.

Following are some links where you can read more about Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination.

mentalhealth.org.uk
mentalhealth.wa.gov.au
psychologytoday.com
https://ontario.cmha.ca