Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Family members of people with mental illness harmed by stigma   Item in CMHA-Ontario's Mental Health Notes - "Parents, spouses, siblings and children of people with mental illness all experience stigma, based on stereotypes that place blame on them for some form of failure associated with their ill relative, according to an article in the Journal of Mental Health. As a result, family members frequently suffer from social avoidance, including loss of friendships, and other harmful effects. The report is based on a review of literature about the impact of stigma on family members of people with mental illness. The authors describe the complexity of the phenomenon, and compare the public stigma toward parents, spouses, siblings and children of people with mental illness, highlighting the stereotypes each group commonly experiences."