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 Trying to understand and counter the effects of stigma in mental illness has been the subject of numerous discussions among psychiatric professionals and advocates alike over the last few decades. Psychiatric Services has devoted this month's issue to the subject of stigma from many different perspectives and approaches.
Adolescents and Stigma
An interesting study looked at adolescents and how they perceive the stigma associated with mental illness and alcohol abuse. The results demonstrated that similar to adults, 'adolescents stigmatized peers who abuse alcohol most severely, followed by those with mental illness.' Again like adults, they were more sympathetic to peers with physical illness. To the youth studied, blame and dangerousness were important variables leading to discrimination, and paradoxically, contact with persons with mental illness led to more discrimination.
The researchers concluded that additional research is needed and information about the perceptions of mental illness such as seen in these adolescents can be important for developing antistigma programs meant to target American teens. "With this kind of information, researchers and advocates can join forces to strategically evaluate these plans for antistigma programs."
Stigma and the Media
Other articles in the Psych Services issue addressed the different aspects of stigma. For example, how do newspaper articles influence stigma? Structural stigma and discrimination occur when an institution like a newspaper, rather than an individual, promulgates stigmatizing messages about mental illness. Researchers looked at current trends in the news media on reporting topics of mental illness.
The Legislature and Stigma
Another article discusses examples of structural stigma that results from state governments' enactment of laws that diminish the opportunities of people with mental illness. While there has been some improvement over the last few years, "legislation frequently confuses "incompetence" with "mental illness" and much more education is needed.
Other Issues
Other artcles include: caregivers and stigma and the effects of caregivers' causal beliefs about depression and their perceptions of stigma on adherence to prescribed medications; medical advance care planning among persons with serious mental illness, specifically, experience, beliefs, values, and concerns about health care proxies as well as end-of-life treatment preferences of persons with serious mental illness.
Finally, there is a review of programs that have been established by the World Psychiatric Association (WPA). Since 1966, the WPA has initiated projects to fight stigma in 20 countries, using social-marketing techniques to enhance their effectiveness.
National Mental Health Awareness Campaign
Report of the Surgeon General
Global Antistigma Programme of the World Psychiatric Association
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