In psychology, stigmatization is the hanging on the patient of the stigma of a "psychobolic". Indeed, for many centuries, people with mental disorders have been isolated, persecuted, destroyed. The fear of being in such a situation has remained at the genetic level today. Stigmatization is today a very important issue in the field of mental illness.
What is it?
Every fourth or fifth inhabitant of the planet suffers from mental disorders. And every second person is likely to get these ailments. Depression is in second place after cardiovascular disease. By 2002, depressive conditions may be leading the list of diseases. Reason is the most precious thing that a person can lose, so you need to reconsider the views on mentally ill people.
Causes of Stigma
- Negative picture of mental illness. Such patients are credited with aggressiveness, imbalance, unpredictability, danger, the ability to commit a crime.
- Belief in myths and following negative cultural traditions. A mental disorder is perceived as a punishment from above.
- Lack of public awareness of the characteristics of mental disorders.
- Negative reporting of such patients and their families in the media.
- There was a stereotype that people with a mentally ill are weak, unable to cope with their desires and whims.
- Fear of patients at the subconscious level, supported by stereotypes and traditions.
- Forced treatment in Soviet times and errors in determining the diagnosis. Outdated treatments and medications.
- Lack of decent conditions in psychiatric hospitals.
- Poor financing of clinics, lack of public and state support.
Stigmatization of mental patients is a social problem
Stigmatization in psychiatry is the separation of the individual from other people by the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis. This phenomenon can be traced in the attitude of doctors to their patients. Very often there is self-stigmatization of patients. All this leads to discrimination: they begin to be prejudiced against such individuals, they are deprived of their rights and help. Stigmatization of mental patients is a very serious problem. It is difficult for such people to get a job, they do not want to be accepted into certain social groups, and difficulties arise in getting married.
Stigmatization of mental illness is an obstacle to the normal social and psychological functioning of a person. This is a constant negative situation that arises in different areas of the patient’s life, imposing on him the role of an outcast. In psychology, they are only making a diagnosis, but little attention is paid to the fight against this condition.
How is it manifested?
Stigmatization can occur from family members, neighbors, medical staff, and others. Professionals can disrespectfully, formally, with demonstrative condescension to treat patients, refer to the patient for “you”, regardless of age. The relatives of such a person begin to be overly controlled.
There are three stages of self-stigmatization in the family:
- First, everyone tries to hide the fact of a relative's illness by limiting the social contacts of the sufferer.
- If the patient begins to behave unusually, family members cannot hide information about his problem. There comes a critical moment for adaptation at home.
- The last stage is the final isolation of the whole family, opposing oneself to others, assuming the role of an “outcast”.
Emotions experienced by a mentally ill person
- A strong sense of fear. It seems to the patient that he does not have enough information about what is happening to him.
- An irresistible feeling of shame. The patient does not feel like everyone else.
- Helplessness. Everything that used to be easy for him now is difficult to do: you have to strain your memory, distraction occurs, and the reaction slows down.
- Departure and despair. As a result of all this, people with mental disorders themselves leave communication, ahead of society. Patients begin to avoid doctors, do not know who to trust, where to seek help.
Degrees of attitude of others
- Condescendingly refers to people who express absurd and delusional ideas.
- Great stigmatization is shown to family members of a mentally unhealthy person.
- At the next step are individuals with non-standard behavior, speech, and appearance.
- Stigma intensifies towards socially excluded patients.
- Society eschews people who were treated in a psychiatric hospital.
Mental illness and response
- Epilepsy. Patients with this disease are treated kindly, sympathize and understand.
- Depression and neurosis. The society does not have a sufficiently serious attitude to such ailments. Many underestimate the current state of depressed people and do not consider them sick.
- Dementia. They treat him tolerantly and condescendingly.
- Schizophrenia. Most of this disease is negative.
- Senile dementia. Older people are most often respected, but limited in their actions.
No one is immune from mental illness.
It’s worth recalling once again that stigmatization is labeling like “abnormal” or “crazy”. But not much is needed to get a mental breakdown. Many from school years remember Chekhov's story "Ward number 6," and recently director Karen Shakhnazarov made a film based on this work. It is worth recalling M. F. Dostoevsky, who suffered from schizophrenia, and his stories: "Notes of a madman," "Notes from a madhouse." Many have heard of Kandinsky syndrome, which a well-known psychiatrist was able to describe after he fell ill with this ailment. Unfortunately, stigmatization in psychiatry is often observed today. This is because society is not sufficiently informed about these problems.
How to Destigmatize
- Conduct outreach through the media.
- Thoroughly train medical professionals. They should know and remember that their professional duty is to destigmatize the mentally ill.
- Do not allow the incorrect dissemination of information about such a pathology.
- The emphasis needs to be placed on the personality of the patient, and not on the disease itself. Society should know that a mentally ill person also has feelings, needs, a set of ethical and moral norms.
- Do not allow slang elements such as: "glitch", "madhouse", "psychiatric hospital" when talking with patients.
- Specialists should not disclose information that violates the confidentiality of information about a particular patient.
- The most modern way of informing today is the Internet.
It should be remembered that stigma is a stigma. Therefore, everything possible must be done so that people with such a diagnosis feel as comfortable in society as possible.