Stigma in People with Psychiatric Problems: A Grounded Theory Study (original) (raw)

Consequences of Stigma in the Life of People with Mental Disorders: A Qualitative Research

Background: The stigma of mental disorder has destructive impacts on emotions, feelings, personal relationships, parenting, education, occupation, and house management of people with mental disorders. Understanding and awareness of the stigma consequences are important for the establishment and development of constructive relationships with people suffering from mental disorders as well as their care and treatment. This qualitative research aimed to explain the attitudes of people with mental disorder, the treatment team, and the patients’ families towards the consequences of stigma in the life of people with mental disorder. Methods: This study was conducted using a qualitative approach and content analysis method. Sixteen people (patients with mental disorder, their family members, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse, social worker, legal expert) were selected from 3 psychiatric centers in Tehran by using targeted sampling method and were interviewed using semi-structured interviews until the data were saturated. Results: Content analysis of the interviews showed that people with mental disorder experience the consequences of stigma as fear of stigma, self-blame, searching for a cause for the disorder, denial, avoiding psychiatric treatment, rejection, discrimination, and relapse. Conclusion: The findings of this research can help the psychiatric team to make effective and targeted treatment decisions. Performing interventions to reduce stigma of mental disorder in society seems to be necessary.

Black Shadow of Stigma: Lived Experiences of Patients with Psychiatric Disorders on the Consequences of Stigma

Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 2017

Background: According to the World Health Organization, one in four people experience a psychiatric disorder throughout his/her life. For centuries, psychiatric patients have been sent to psychiatric hospitals that often stigmatized and located out of the community. Moreover, these patients are stigmatized by the hospital staff because they are not aware of patients' experiences in this domain. This humiliating attitude leads to low self-esteem, isolation, and frustration, and prevents patients from seeking treatment. Aim: This study aimed to explain the lived experiences of patients with psychiatric disorders on the consequences of stigma in mental health centers. Methods: This hermeneutic phenomenological study is a part of a larger study undertaken for partial fulfillment of the requirement for PhD dissertation in nursing. The main study was conducted on 12 psychiatric patients during 2014-2015. They were selected based on purposeful sampling method. Data were collected using unstructured interviews and analyzed by an interpretative method. Results: Psychiatric hospital as an unsafe place is one of the main themes of the phenomenon under study in the original project. It consists of two sub-themes (i.e., an egregious hospital and cold-hearted white collars) each of which is supported by a number of common meanings. Implications for Practice: The results of this study can shape the interventions and policies to combat and prevent the spread of stigma through health centers about people with psychiatric disorders.

A qualitative study: experiences of stigma by people with mental health problems

Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice, 2018

Objectives: Prior research has examined various components involved in the impact of public and internalized stigma on people with mental health problems. However, studies have not previously investigated the subjective experiences of mental health stigma by those affected in a non-statutory treatment-seeking population. Design: An in-depth qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis to investigate the experiences of stigma in people with mental health problems. Methods: Eligible participants were recruited through a local mental health charity in the North West of England. The topic of stigma was examined using two focus groups of thirteen people with experience of mental health problems and stigma. Results: Two main themes and five subthemes were identified. Participants believed that (1) the 'hierarchy of labels' has a profound cyclical impact on several levels of society: people who experience mental health problems, their friends and family, and institutional stigma. Furthermore, participants suggested (2) ways in which they have developed psychological resilience towards mental health stigma. Conclusions: It is essential to utilize the views and experiences gained in this study to aid understanding and, therefore, develop ways to reduce the negative impact of public and internal stigma. Practitioner points: People referred to their mental health diagnosis as a label and associated that label with stigmatizing views. Promote awareness and develop improved strategies (e.g., training) to tackle the cyclical impact of the 'hierarchy of labels' on people with mental health problems, their friends and family, and institutional stigma. Ensure the implementation of clinical guidelines in providing peer support to help people to combat feeling stigmatized. Talking about mental health in psychological therapy or health care professional training helped people to take control and develop psychological resilience.

Stigma experienced by persons under psychiatric care

The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences, 2008

Mental health-related stigma causes suffering and interferes with care and social inclusion. This study explored stigma as experienced by mental health service users. Particular attention is given to their use of coping mechanisms. Interviews were held with 167 adults undergoing outpatient psychiatric treatment; two-thirds of them had previously been hospitalized. Examples of frequency of stigma-related situations included the following: Over half of service users expect people to refuse to have a person with a mental disorder as a co-worker or neighbor, or to engage in other types of social contact. A sizeable group acknowledged that they feared or had experienced rejection. A third of respondents reported they feared or had experienced inappropriate treatment by their doctor. Service users utilize several coping mechanisms to deal with stigma, among them: education, withdrawal, secrecy, and positive distinctiveness. Although we studied a convenience sample of service users, our fi...

Explanation of the Lived Experiences of Patients with Psychiatric Disorders on the Consequences of Stigma in Mental Health Centers

2019

Background: According to the World Health Organization, one in four people experience a psychiatric disorder throughout his/her life. For centuries, psychiatric patients have been sent to psychiatric hospitals that often stigmatized and located out of the community. Moreover, these patients are stigmatized by the hospital staff because they are not aware of patients� experiences in this domain. This humiliating attitude leads to low self-esteem, isolation, and frustration, and prevents patients from seeking treatment. Aim: This study aimed to explain the lived experiences of patients with psychiatric disorders on the consequences of stigma in mental health centers. Methods: This hermeneutic phenomenological study is a part of a larger study undertaken for partial fulfillment of the requirement for PhD dissertation in nursing. The main study was conducted on 12 psychiatric patients during 2014-2015. They were selected based on purposeful sampling method. Data were collected using u...

Stigma: the feelings and experiences of 46 people with mental illness: Qualitative study

The British Journal of Psychiatry, 2004

Background Stigma defines people in terms of some distinguishing characteristic and devalues them as a consequence. Aims To describe the relationship of stigma with mental illness, psychiatric diagnosis, treatment and its consequences of stigma for the individual. Method Narrative interviews were conducted by trained users of the local mental health services; 46 patients were recruited from community and day mental health services in North London. Results Stigma was a pervasive concern to almost all participants. People with psychosis or drug dependence were most likely to report feelings and experiences of stigma and were most affected by them. Those with depression, anxiety and personality disorders were more affected by patronising attitudes and feelings of stigma even if they had not experienced any overt discrimination. However, experiences were not universally negative. Conclusions Stigma may influence how a psychiatric diagnosis is accepted, whether treatment will be adhered ...

Internalized Stigma States of Patients with Psychiatric Disease

IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 2016

Stigma is the discredit, disparagement, generally dispraise of a person in such a way that will discriminate him against others. Internalization of stigma in society can cause serious damage to the individuals. It is thought that especially analysis of the psychiatry patients' internalized stigma levels and making suitable attempts in the direction of the results will be useful. The sample of this descriptive study consisted of 91 voluntarily participant out patients, who registered and got medication at Community Health Center and Mental Health and Illnesses Hospital in a city in Turkey. Participants were comprised of patients suffering from schizophrenia, feeling disorder, alcohol-drug addiction, and anxiety problems. It was found that total point average of ISMI was 66.0±15.06, alienation subscale from subgroups was 13.61±5.30, stereotype endorsement subscale was 15.21±5.10, perceived discrimination subscale was 11.48±3.60; social withdrawal subscale was 13.06±3.86; and stigma resistance subscale was 12.61±2.88. As a result, mental health workers should regard internalized stigma as a negative effect on the treatment of mentally ill individuals and should be addressed accordingly in order to increase the life quality of the patients. Repeating the study with a broader sampling number is recommended along with the stratification of patients with respect to psychiatric diagnosis.

Stigma: the feelings and experiences of 46 people with mental illness: Qualitative study BJP February 2004 184: 176-181; doi: 10.1192/bjp. 184.2. 176

The British Journal of Psychiatry, 2004

Parse personalistic recreational temporal priority of conduct disorder with a lateralisation index of the stressor of awakening and graded activity in Languedoc-Roussillon, measure survival statistics with Icelandic antidepressants, then study compulsory admissions, violence exposure and overt discrimination. This is not a particularly memorable or instructive sentence but it contains what I regard as some of the essential words from all 14 papers in this month's issue. I am sure readers could do considerably better. Enclosed between Leon Eisenberg's smashing ...