Stigma is what? Stigmatization in psychiatry

Stigmatization is in psychology putting on the patient a hallmark of "psychiatric". For many centuries people with mental disorders were subjected to isolation, persecution, destruction. Fear of being in such a situation today remained at the genetic level. Stigma is now 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 has a chance to get sick with these ailments. Depression is second only to cardiovascular disease. By 2002, depressive states can lead the list of diseases. Reason is the most precious thing a person can lose, so you need to reconsider the views on mentally ill people.

The causes of stigma

• Negative view of mental illness. Such patients are credited with aggressiveness, imbalance, unpredictability, danger, ability to commit a crime.
• Belief in myths and following negative cultural traditions. Violation of the psyche is perceived as a punishment from above.
• Insufficient awareness of the society about the characteristics of mental disorders.
• Negative presentation of information about such patients and their families in the media.
• There was a stereotype that people with a sick psyche are weak, unable to cope with their desires and moods.
• Fear of patients at the subconscious level, reinforced by stereotypes and traditions.
• Forced treatment in Soviet times and errors in determining the diagnosis. Obsolete methods of treatment and medicines.
• 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 - separation of personality from other people by the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis. This phenomenon can be traced in relation to doctors to their patients. Very often self-stigmatization of patients occurs. All this leads to discrimination: these individuals are beginning to be discriminated against, deprive them of their rights and help. Stigmatization of mental patients is a very serious problem. Such people find it difficult to get a job, they do not want to be accepted into these or those social groups, there are difficulties with getting married.

Stigmatization of mental illnesses is an obstacle to the normal socio-psychological functioning of a person. This is a constant negative situation that occurs in different areas of the patient's life, imposing on him the role of an outcast. In psychology, only a diagnosis is being made, but little attention has been paid to combating such a state.

How is it manifested?

Stigmatization can appear on the part of family members, neighbors, medical personnel, others. Professionals may disrespectfully, formally, with demonstrative indulgence treat patients, refer to the patient for "you", regardless of age. Close to such a person begins to over control.

There are three stages of self-stigmatization in the family:

• At 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 can not 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, the opposition of oneself to others, the acceptance of the role of an "outcast".

Emotions experienced by a mentally unhealthy 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 sense of shame. The patient feels not like everyone else.
• Helplessness. Everything that was previously given to him easily, now it turns out with difficulty: you have to strain memory, there is absent-mindedness, reaction slows down.
• Disunity and despair. Due to all this, people with mental disorders themselves leave from communication, outstripping society. Patients begin to avoid doctors, do not know who to trust, where to seek help.

Degrees of attitudes of others

• Indulgent is society for people who express absurd and delusional ideas.
• Great stigmatization is shown to family members of a mentally unhealthy person.
• On the next step are individuals with non-standard behavior, speech, appearance.
• Stigma increases with socially isolated patients.
• Society shuns people who have been treated in a psychiatric hospital.

Mental diseases and reaction to them

• Epilepsy. Patients with this disease are friendly, sympathetic and understanding.
• Depression and neurosis. To such ailments the society does not have a serious enough attitude. Many underestimate the present state of depressed people and do not consider them sick.
• Dementia. It is tolerant and condescending.
• Schizophrenia. The majority of this disease is negative.
• Senile dementia. Older people are most often respected, but they limit their actions.
  

No one is immune from mental illness

Another thing worth recalling is that stigmatization is labeling "abnormal", "rabid" labels. But not much is needed to get a mental breakdown. Many of the school years remember the story of Chekhov "Chamber number 6", and recently the director Karen Shakhnazarov made a film about this work. It is worth remembering MF Dostoevsky, who suffered from schizophrenia, and his stories: "Notes of a Madman", "Notes from a Madhouse". Many have heard of the Kandinsky syndrome, which a well-known psychiatrist was able to describe after he himself became ill with this ailment. Unfortunately, today stigmatization in psychiatry is often observed. All because society is not sufficiently informed about these problems.

How to conduct destigmatization

• To conduct explanatory work through the mass media.
• Carefully prepare medical professionals. They should know and remember that their professional duty is the destigmatization of the mentally ill.
• Do not misrepresent information about such pathology.
• The emphasis should be on the personality of the patient, and not on the disease itself. The society should know that a mentally ill person also has feelings, needs, a complex of ethical and moral norms.
• Do not allow jargon elements such as "glitch", "madhouse", "psychiatric" when talking to 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 stigmatization is a stigma. Therefore, you need to do everything possible to make people with such a diagnosis feel comfortable in society.