2 . Theme / Strategic Objective 2 : Reducing Stigma
Stigma reduces people ’ s willingness to get care and can suboptimize the impact of care . People with behavioral health challenges and facing the prospect of care often feel fear , anger , prejudice , and even exclusion based on perceptions or stigma .
There are three broad categories of stigma . First , “ self-stigma ” includes the individual ’ s preconceived notions about “ mental health patients ” or self-image issues . A second type of stigma involves “ community stigma ,” or attitudes and actions of people who interact or respond to the individual needing care – care givers , family members , employers , teachers , public safety leaders , and others . Third , “ institutional stigma ” is more systemic , involving policies of government and private organizations that intentionally or unintentionally limit opportunities for people with mental illness . 19 This can include health insurers .
Stigma in any form , as well as the response of providers , teachers , family members or others serving as the first point of contact for individuals with needs , can encourage or discourage the access to care and its ability to help people seeking care .
Some of the impacts of stigma include the following : 20
• Reduced social support and treatment seeking .
• Reduced investment in behavioral health care services and lower funding for treatment facilities .
• Lower health insurance reimbursement rates .
• Negative image of mental illness and the associated impact on employment , housing issues , social opportunities , and other important components of a healthy lifestyle .
• Higher incidence of suicide and more acute behavioral health problems .
• Greater system cost of care .
• Reduced performance in school ( children ) and at work ( adults ) due to untreated needs .
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According to the American Psychiatric Association ( APA ), researchers identify different types of stigma :
• Public stigma involves the negative or discriminatory attitudes that others have about mental illness .
• Self-stigma refers to the negative attitudes , including internalized shame , that people with mental illness have about their own condition .
• Institutional stigma , is more systemic , involving policies of government and private organizations that intentionally or unintentionally limit opportunities for people with mental illness . Examples include lower funding for mental illness research or fewer mental health services relative to other health care . Available at
https :// www . psychiatry . org / patients-families / stigma-and-discrimination
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