Question

What is the impact of stigma on the lives of people with mental illness?​

Answer 1

MANY PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS ARE CHALLENGED DOUBLY...ON ONE HAND , THEY STRUGGLE WITH THE SYMPTOMS AND DISABILITIES THAT RESULT FROM THE DISEASE..ON THE OTHER HAND , THEY ARE CHALLENGED BY THE STEREOTYPES AND PREJUDICE THAT RESULT FROM MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS.... AS A RESULT OF BOTH , PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS ARE ROBBED OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT DEFINE A QUALITY LIFE : GOOD JOBS , SAFE HOUSING , SATISFACTORY HEALTH CARE , AND AFFILIATION WITH A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE...

THE IMPACT OF STIGMA IS TWO FOLD :

PUBLIC STIGMA - IT IS THE REACTION THAT THE GENERAL POPULATION HAS TO PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS...

SELF STIGMA - IT IS THE PREJUDICE WHICH PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS TURN AGAINST THEMSELVES...

BOTH PUBLIC AND SELF STIGMA MAY BE UNDERSTOOD IN TERMS OF THREE COMPONENTS : STEROTYPES , PREJUDICE , AND DISCRIMINATION...

PUBLIC STIGMA :

STEREOTYPE - NEGATIVE BELIEF ABOUT A GROUP (EG. DANGEROUSNESS , INCOMPETENCE , CHARACTER WEAKNESS)

PREJUDICE - AGREEMENT WITH BELIEF AND / OR NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL REACTION (EG. ANGER , FEAR)

DISCRIMINATION - BEHAVIOUR RESPONSE TO PREJUDICE ( EG. AVOIDANCE , WITHHOLD EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES , WITHHOLD HELP )

SELF STIGMA :

STEREOTYPE - NEGATIVE BELIEF ABOUT THE SELF (EG. CHARACTER WEAKNESS , INCOMPETENCE)

PREJUDICE - AGREEMENT WITH BELIEF , NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL REACTION (EG. LOW SELF ESTEEM , LOW SELF EFFICACY )

DISCRIMINATION - BEHAVIOUR RESPONSE TO PREJUDICE (EG. FAILS TO PURSUE WORK AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES)...