Considerations on the Stigma of Mental Illness by Julio Arboleda-Flórez

[HuckleB]

Considerations on the Stigma of Mental Illness
http://www.cpa-apc.org/Publications/Archives/CJP/2003/november/guesteditorial.asp

"Stigma, prejudice, and discrimination are closely related and tightly interwoven social constructs. These constructs affect many, based on age, religion, ethnic origin, or socio- economic status. However, a person can potentially move out of these groups, if not physically—as in age or ethnic background—then by moving up the social ladder, which makes the affected person less of a target. Conversely, stigma, prejudice, and discrimination against those with mental illness cut across all classes and social groups, and, to the extent that many mental conditions are chronic and incapacitating, those affected can hardly migrate out of the grip of negative social attitudes. The result is social annihilation that constricts the lives of those with mental illness, preventing them from fully reengaging in their communities and participating in the social activities of their groups of reference.

The general public most frequently makes contact with mental illness through the media or the movies. Unfortunately, the media often depict patients as unpredictable, violent, and dangerous (1), and movies usually follow the popular “psycho- killer” plot (2) long exploited by the cinematographic industry. Associating mental illness with violence helps to perpetuate stigmatizing and discriminatory practices against mentally ill persons; it is only one of many negative stereotypes and common prejudicial attitudes about them.

...

Prejudice often stems from ignorance or unwillingness to find the truth. For example, a study conducted by the Ontario Division of the Canadian Mental Health Association in 1993–1994 found that the most prevalent misconceptions about mental illness include the belief that mental patients are dangerous and violent (88%); that they have a low IQ or are developmentally handicapped (40%); that they cannot function, hold a job, or have anything to contribute (32%); that they lack willpower or are weak and lazy (24%); that they are unpredictable (20%); and finally, that they are to be blamed for their own condition and should just “shape up” (20%) (17). Similarly, a survey among first-year university students in the US found that almost two-thirds believed “multiple personalities” to be a common symptom of schizophrenia, and a poll among the general public found that 55% did not believe that mental illness exists, with only 1% acknowledging that mental illness is a major health problem (18). Some of these myths also surfaced in a study conducted in Calgary during the pilot phase of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) project Open the Doors (19). Respondents to this study believed that persons with schizophrenia cannot work in regular jobs (72%), have a split personality (47%), and are dangerous to the public because of violent behaviour (14%) (20).

...

Sensational media reports (24,25) reinforce beliefs instilled by movies that depict mental health patients as “uncontrollable killers.” Relatives of the mentally ill assert that the way they are depicted in movies is the most important contributor to stigmatization (26). Movies have stigmatized not only those with mental illness but also psychiatrists, often extending negative stereotypes to portray them as libidinous lechers, eccentric buffoons, and evil-minded, vindictive, and repressive agents of the social system—and in the case of female psychiatrists, as loveless and sexually unfulfilled (27)."

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For further reading on the papers brought up in this editorial, see:

Stigma and the Daily News: Evaluation of a Newspaper Intervention
http://www.cpa-apc.org/Publications/Archives/CJP/2003/november/stuart.asp

Interventions to Reduce the Stigma Associated With Severe Mental Illness
http://www.cpa-apc.org/Publications/Archives/CJP/2003/november/gaebel.asp

Determinants of the Public’s Preference for Social Distance From People With Schizophrenia
http://www.cpa-apc.org/Publications/Archives/CJP/2003/november/angermeyer.asp

[Old and In the Way]

1. If this is a continuance of the Bush 'looney tunes' thread,

you ought to seperate the illness from the political discussion. The Presidency is our most public office and this person has the capability of destroying the world....so discussions directly relating to his mental health are very germane to the electorate's choice in November.

[HuckleB]

2. Actually, my points and discussion had nothing to do with Bush.

The only entanglement of those issues came from defensive posters who were outrightly and very offensively stigmatizing those with mental illness, as they tried to defend their defenseless stances. My posts had nothing to do with Bush whatsoever.

That thread made it very clear that this information needs to get out at DU. That is why I started this thread. Please don't allow the enmeshed defenses of those who would stigmatize others to somehow turn this thread into anything about Bush.

[depakid]

8. Did you know that Winston Churchill

suffered from bipolar disorder? So did Abraham Lincoln.

Bush arguably presents with a much more dangerous pathology, usually described as sociopathy and/or narcissistic personality disorder- but even Bush should be judged by his actions, rather than his condition... or whether he's taken "powerful" anti-depressants or sleep aids.

[HuckleB]

3. TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO FIGHT STIGMA

TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO FIGHT STIGMA
http://www.naminys.org/factsheets.htm

"3. WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE. Most of us, including mental health professionals and mental health consumers, use terms and expressions related to mental illness that may perpetuate stigma. We use psychiatric labels to disparage, such as when we complain about aggressive drivers and call them "nuts" and "lunatics." We also depersonalize sufferers of mental illness by referring to them generically as "the mentally ill" or as "a schizophrenic." We can avoid contributing to stigma by avoiding such language and by using People First language to refer to individuals with psychiatric disorders.

4. MONITOR MEDIA AND REPORT STIGMATIZING MATERIAL to any of a number of organizations. The National Stigma Clearinghouse, the National Mental Health Association, and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill protest such material by contacting the people -- authors, editors, movie producers, advertisers -- responsible for the material.

5. RESPOND TO STIGMATIZING MATERIAL IN THE MEDIA. Write, call, or e-mail stigmatizers yourself, expressing your concerns and providing more accurate information that they can use. The organizations mentioned above can help you figure out who to contact."

[teryang]

4. This is an important subject

I'm glad you posted it.

I think attitudes are changing, especially with the demographics of an aging population.

I don't find it unusual for people, especially mature Americans, to discuss mental health issues and share their attitudes, experiences and perceptions in a more open minded way.

I think older Americans are more realistic about mental health because it is a common place issue to which one has to adapt vocationally, socially, and especially with regard to care, that comes with the aging process. If you, your loved ones or co-workers don't face mental health issues directly at present, at some point on life's continuum they will present themselves. And when they do, the tendencies of stigma, avoidance or denial tend to make matters even more challenging than they need to be.

[HuckleB]

5. Kick.

[Osama_Bin_Winnin]

6. But we still shouldn't let a madman be President.

[HuckleB]

9. That has nothing to do with this thread.

[depakid]

7. Prejudice often stems from ignorance

and also from fear.

Unfortunately, people are often incapable of distinguishing among different kinds of mental illnesses and disorders- they lump them all into one category, and fill their heads with images of self-medicating street people or violent, delusional characters portayed in popular culture. The reality is that almost everyone knows or works with someone who's brain doesn't work like theirs, and who could be (and possibly is) diagnosed under some category of DSM IV.

I hear people throw around the term bipolar here a lot, but I doubt many people really know much about it. Having lived with it and worked with people with bipolar disorder on a daily basis, I can tell you that it's nothing like it's portayed. The majority of bipolar people are extremely curious, highly intelligent, creative and have a deep capacity for empathy and feeling. Kinder, more caring individuals you'll never meet. No surprise then, that you won't find many Republicans in the bipolar community (and yes, there is indeed such a thing).

So everyone should be careful who they're judging. For example, by far the two most brilliant professors in my department are bipolar. It's not hard for me to tell- I how the moods work.

I've known bipolar people who are at the top of their fields in many professions- from the arts to the hard sciences to law. Some need meds all of the time, some only seasonally, others take a more holistic approach and that seems to work for them just fine. As with so many things, no one size fits all. But we all have something in common- and that's the stigma that we feel- and the very legitimate concern that if anyone knew how our minds worked, we'd be misjudged and discriminated against.

It's a very lonely feeling, and despite what seems to be the prevailing sentiment, it's no more justified in our case than it is with respect to a diabetic- or a person of color.

[HuckleB]

10. A wonderful post. EVERYONE! Please read the post above this one!

Thank you so much for sharing. Incredibly well put.

I've spent some time thinking about this issue since last week, and I can't get away from the comparison of people living with mental illness and the gay and lesbian community. So many in both groups fear being "outed" to the community at large, or at least to a working world of colleagues, or perhaps to family members. I suspect that some in the GLBT community will have issues with my comparison, especially considering the mental health community's history of diagnosing them as being ill for simply being who they are. But, even there, one sees just how powerful and stigmatizing a mental health diagnosis is compared to heart disease, cancer or diabetes. Clearly, no diagnosis of illness should have ever been made in regard to our GLBT friends and neighbors. Such actions were misguided, prejudicial, and give a black eye to the health care community in general. Still, its the stigma that gives a great deal of the power and emotion to the history of those wrongful diagnostic outcomes. Ah, crap. I know I'm going to get in trouble for this post, and, perhaps, rightly so. I'm not sure if I can make my point without offense, which may make me a bloody hypocrite, and, of course, we all are to some extent.

I'll stop before I get anymore behind.

Again, thanks for such a wonderful post.

Salud!