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Stigma and discrimination against people with
mental illness have been public health challenges for many years
and continue to be a threat to the well-being and life satisfaction
of people with mental illness.
Stigma and discrimination can lead to social
exclusion thereby inhibiting recovery, rehabilitation and
re-integration into society.
Although there is no generally accepted
specific theory of stigma, it can be defined as ‘an attribute that
is deeply discrediting and that reduces the bearer from a whole and
usual person to a tainted, discounted one’ (Goffman, 1963).
Attitudes held by health professionals,
including those who work in and outside of mental health, can have
positive and negative impacts upon patient quality of
life.
In this module, we look at the impact of
stigma and discrimination on the public and private lives of people
with mental illness. We will also look at what are the active
ingredients for reducing stigma.
We shall ask:
- How does stigma interfere with the quality of life of people
with mental illness?
- What can people including psychiatrists do to reduce
stigma?
Start the
module
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