Stigma is a mark of disgrace and shame. This is a research book about the
impact of stigma on the lives of people affected by mental illness. How can
we help people from being victimized by the prejudice and discrimination
that arises from stigma? Stigma has a harmful impact on people with mental
illness and their family.
In this first chapter we can find the distinction between public stigma (ways
in which the general public reacts to a group based on stigma about that
group) and self stigma (the reactions which individuals turn against
themselves because they are a member of a stigmatized group). There are
stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination. Most people know the stereotype
“the mentally ill is dangerous” Agreeing with the stereotype is where
prejudice comes in and results in discrimination. Prejudice that yields anger
can lead to hostile behavior like physically harming a member of a minority
group. Angry prejudice may lead to withholding help or replacing healthcare
with services provided by the criminal justice system. Fear leads to
avoidance so many employers do not want to hire people with mental
illness.
1- Stigma has a harmful impact on obtaining good jobs and leasing safe
housing. People with mental illness are frequently unable to obtain good
jobs or find suitable housing because of the prejudice of key members in
their communities; employers and landlords.
2- Stigma interacts with violence issues to cause people with mental illness
to have a deformed experience with the criminal justice system. Attitudes
and beliefs held about mental illness by police officers (police officers are
often the first point of contact with the criminal justice system for a person
with mental illness) may have significant consequences in terms of safety
and quality of life for both the general public and the individual with mental
illness.
Institutional Policies and Stigma: Generally there is one person (e.g. the
CEO of a company) or a group of people in positions of power with a
prejudicial agenda who promote the agenda by enacting policies that
discriminate against a group.
Social Structures and Stigma: Sociologists have identified structural stigma
that develops historically as the result of the economic and political
injustices wrought by prejudice and discrimination. This concept has mostly
been used to explain racism and sexism. Although there is not clearly a
prejudicial group in power maintaining structural stigma; rather, it is the
product of historical trends in discrimination.