Morrell 1
Brock Morrell
Mr. Zach Hilpert
UNIV 112 TTH 5:30-6:45
May 1st, 2015
An End to Stigma
Each year, almost 20% of Americans suffer from some form of mental illness. This
includes depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many
others. That being said, there is an overwhelming stigma due to a critical representation of
mental disorders. Individuals with mental illness have a difficult time trying to be a part of
society with symptoms including hallucinations, mood and personality changes, delusions as
well as many others that inhibit their ability to achieve an independent lifestyle. Critics have
negative associations with mental disorders as a result of either lacking understanding or being
misinformed on the subject altogether. As a result of discrimination, those with mental health
problems face unnecessary difficulties in their daily lives in addition to the struggle of living
with a mental illness. It is unjust and unfair that people in our society are treated as second-class
citizens due to something that is not their fault. Society’s negative reaction to their mental illness
only increases the difficulty that they face. The stigmatization of those with mental illnesses
must be prevented in order to stop disenfranchisement and progress as a society.
Stigma on mental illness could be attributed to its’ long and oftentimes terrifying history.
Until the early 20th century, there were very few developments in the field of psychology.
Clinical psychologist Steven Hinshaw explains stigma through a historical context in his novel
Mark of Shame: Stigma of Mental Illness and an Agenda for Change. Treatment in the middleages consisted of a process called ‘triphening’ which involved carving a hole in the skull, as it
was believed this would release a demon possessing the individual. The attribution of mental
illness to demons or possession was the most common explanation until developments in
Morrell 2
neuroscience. Hinshaw points to the dominant philosophical concept of dualism- the idea that the
mind and body are separate entities- and its’ relation to the term “mental disorder”. Hinshaw
states that “it explicitly communicates that a ‘mental’ disturbance is separate from ‘physical’
illnesses or processes, with several implications” (54). These implications are that since the
illness is not physical, it is not real and therefore the individual is at fault for their own affliction.
This is an assumption that has not disappeared over time but has persisted and accounts for much
of the stigmatizing attitudes surrounding mental health. On the other end of the spectrum is the
biological causation, which comes with its’ own negative implications. The idea that mental
health problems are derived from a genetic make-up could “turn people with mental illness into
'almost a different species'” (Rüsch et al.). Both the dualistic and biological approaches seem to
have an underlying problem that leads to negative implications, which is that they are too
absolute and over-simplifying a complex issue.
Graham C.L. Davey, a professor of psychology at the University of Sussex and expert in
anxiety, details the two types of mental health stigma in his article published on Psychology
Today. The first is social stigma which he defines as “prejudicial attitudes and discriminating
behaviour directed towards individuals with mental health problems as a result of the psychiatric
label they have been given”. The effect this has on the individual targeted by stigmatizing
behavior is called self-stigma. Davey defines this as “the internalizing by the mental health
sufferer of their perceptions of discrimination”. By internalizing discrimination the individual
may believe the stereotypes projected upon them, experience feelings of shame, and be less
likely to seek out treatment for their mental health problems. An important aspect of stigma and
its’ impact is the labelling of those with mental health problems. This is one way that mental
illness differs from physical, in that someone with schizophrenia is referred to as a schizophrenic
Morrell 3
(or more pejoratively ‘schizo’) while someone with cancer simply has cancer; this is a factor of
stigma that promotes the idea that those with mental illnesses are different and should be treated
as such (Rüsch et al.). Although this sort of language is very common, even among professionals
in the field of mental health, it can be damaging and have unintended consequences.
Stigma can be found in all aspects of our society, and surprisingly enough this includes
the medical field. In her letter in the journal Social Work, Melissa A. Hensley opens with a
critique of the “overly biomedical approach” regarding mental health stigma stating that it “leads
to the public perception of individuals…as helpless and unable to integrate into community life”
(188). She then points out the stigmatizing attitudes within her field of clinical social work which
result in “inappropriate placement of clients into restrictive housing situations…, negative and
victim-blaming language in assessments and treatment plans, and a variety of other distasteful
practice behaviors.” She goes on to criticize other social workers for mocking the behavioral
problems of clients in casual conversation. The fact that even the people who are supposed to aid
those struggling with their mental health behave in such a demeaning way is not fair to those
seeking treatment. Those struggling should have access to treatment without being disrespected
by people who should be looking for the patient’s best interest.
It is quite evident that stigma on mental health is prevalent in America, but what can be
done to prevent it? In order to answer this question, specific problems must be targeted. A major
issue is that “People with mental illness face discrimination in education, health care,
employment, housing, and the criminal justice system.” (Long). This discrimination is a result of
many of the factors that have been mentioned. The proper solution for this is to push for
legislation that brings justice to those who have been discriminated against, as this results in
major personal loss. The WHO Resource Book on Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation
Morrell 4
is dedicated to legislature regarding mental health. A possible example given by them regarding
health care policy was that “persons with mental health disorders should have the right to receive
treatment under the same quality and standards as individuals receiving other types of medical
treatments” (Freeman et al. 27). With the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, most insurance
policies are now required to provide equal coverage for both mental and physical health issues.
While this is a step in the right direction, this does not necessarily impact the quality of the care
and this policy does not include Medicare and Medicaid which a large population of Americans
are covered under.
The media is a major source of stereotypical portrayals of mental illness, and in analyses
of film it was found that they are portrayed as “homicidal maniacs who should be feared; they
are rebellious, free spirits; or they have childlike perceptions of the world that should be
marveled” (Rüsch et al.). This sort of image can mislead its’ audience into thinking that it is an
accurate depiction of someone with mental illness, which results in stigmatizing attitudes and
behavior. The solution to misleading portrayals is not legislation prohibiting such media, as that
could threaten freedom of speech, but instead a system of educating the public as a means of
undermining the falsities we are exposed to. In his paper on reducing mental illness stigma,
Heyam F. Dalky of the Community and Mental Health Department at the Jordan University of
Science and Technology refers to a study testing the effectiveness of education-based programs
on stigmatizing behavior of college students. It was found that after being informed of the facts
and falsities of mental illness in addition to having contact with a victim of mental illness
recounting their life’s struggle, students were less likely to endorse the segregation of those with
a mental disorder. Dalky notes that the significant change in behavior could be attributed to the
fact that contact with someone who had a mental illness was included with the educational
Morrell 5
presentation. Through multiple studies it is evident that increasing the effectiveness of education
is possible by including contact, as it “may be an important strategy to decrease stereotypes and
mental health stigma.” (Rüsch). The facilitation of contact can alter how effective it actually is
on reducing stigma. For example, contact will be less effective if it consists only of a formal
lecture as opposed to personal conversation between the person with a mental illness and the
individual. The overall goal of contact is to make the individual realize that people with mental
illness do not conform to negative stereotypes associated with them and this is much more likely
to happen when an individual has the opportunity to speak directly to an individual who has had
to deal with mental illness.
While the solutions to these problems seem to be going in different directions, they are
both trying to reach the same goal and can both be coalesced into one. Legislature explicitly
protecting the rights of those with mental illness and prohibiting discrimination would be crucial
to providing justice and equality. Said legislature could be that much more effective were an
educational program established that incorporates information and contact with individuals who
have suffered from mental health problems. While the law itself provides direct justice to those
wronged by stigma, the established program could diminish existing misinformation within the
public perception and prevent the continuation of stigma. After centuries of being disengaged
from society, it is only fair that now we do the most we can to provide comfort for those who are
already facing hardships in their daily lives.
Morrell 6
Bibliography
Dalky, Heyam F. "Mental Illness Stigma Reduction Interventions." Western Journal of Nursing
Research June 34.4 (2012): 520-47. SAGE Journals. Web. April. 2015.
Davey, Graham C.L. “Mental Health & Stigma.” Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, LLC, 20
Aug. 2013. Web. Mar. 2015.
Freeman, Melvyn, and Soumitra Pathare. WHO Resource Book on Mental Health, Human Rights
and Legislation. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2005. Print.
Hensley, Melissa A. "Mental Illness Stigma." Social Work 51 (2006): 188. Oxford Journals.
Web. Mar. 2015.
Hinshaw, Stephen P. The Mark of Shame: Stigma of Mental Illness and an Agenda for
Change. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Print.
Long, Liza. “Changing Our Tune.” The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 19 Feb. 2015. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.
Rüsch, Nicholas, Matthias C. Angermeyer, and Patrick W. Corrigan. "Mental Illness Stigma:
Concepts, Consequences, and Initiatives to Reduce Stigma." European Psychiatry December
20.8 (2005): 529-39. ScienceDirect. Web. Mar. 2015.