Suchergebnisse

Reducing stigma associated with mental health concerns is a key objective of suicide prevention policies. Although the primary aim of these efforts is to promote help-seeking, the problem of stigma does not necessarily end when a person crosses the threshold to treatment. Internalized stigma can affect meanings attached to experiencing a problem or needing help, adding to the burden of mental health difficulties. Perceived stigma by others can inhibit positive social connections and exacerbate social isolation. This article draws on cognitive and relational-cultural theories to discuss psychological and interpersonal consequences of mental illness stigma for depressed and suicidal young adults. Clinical approaches to addressing stigma are illustrated with a case vignette of a 19-year-old male college student.

Mental illness stigma has been identified by national policy makers as an important barrier to help seeking for mental health. Using a random sample of 5,555 students from a diverse set of 13 universities, we conducted one of the first empirical studies of the association of help-seeking behavior with both perceived public stigma and people's own stigmatizing attitudes (personal stigma). There were three main findings: (a) Perceived public stigma was considerably higher than personal stigma; (b) personal stigma was higher among students with any of the following characteristics: male, younger, Asian, international, more religious, or from a poor family; and (c) personal stigma was significantly and negatively associated with measures of help seeking (perceived need and use of psychotropic medication, therapy, and nonclinical sources of support), whereas perceived stigma was not significantly associated with help seeking. These findings can help inform efforts to reduce the role of stigma as a barrier to help seeking.