What is it about?
The word "stigma" dates back to ancient Greece. It refers to a mark of dishonour that devalues the stigmatized person. Mental illnesses, along with some physical ones (AIDs, Leprosy) are stigmatized. Our goal in conducting this analysis was to describe the patterns of mental health stigma in the Canadian population.
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Why is it important?
Stigma stops people from seeking help. Feelings of shame or embarrassment cause people to hide their mental health problems. Efforts are under way to combat stigma in Canada, but it is important to know how much of it is out there and who is most affected. This will help in the planning of interventions and monitoring long-term progress.
Perspectives
There were three very interesting findings. First, among those who sought treatment for mental health issues, about 1 in 4 perceived stigma. Stigma is a common problem but thankfully not a universal one. Second, people with mood and anxiety disorders reported almost as much stigma as people with Schizophrenia - contrary to expectation. Finally, even though many theorists believe that diagnostic labelling is a key step in the formation of stigma we found that even people who did not report a diagnosis were stigmatized, approximately to the same extent as those with a diagnosis. Signs of more severe mental health issues, with or without a diagnosis, were associated with greater perceptions of stigma - suggesting that the perception of stigmatization is influenced by a persons level of mental health as well as, more obviously, by the behaviour of others.
Professor Scott B Patten
University of Calgary
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Perceived Stigma among Recipients of Mental Health Care in the General Canadian Population, The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, August 2016, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0706743716639928.
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