Running Head: Mental Health Stigma

Mental Health Stigma : A Review of Literature

Bianca Arciniega

University of Texas at El Paso

Mental Health Stigma

Abstract

Mental Health Stigma has been happening for awhile, with only some advocacy
done about it. Mental Health stigma is showing discrimination to people with mental health
issues.

Mental Health Stigma

The discussion about mental health stigma has been brought up a lot, especially
now with a lot of debates going on about mental health as a whole. The stigma around mental
health has been around for many years and has cause controversy throughout. Mental health
stigma is the discrimination and judgment of someone with mental health illness. Problems with
the stigma are people that do have a mental health issue are afraid to get help because of the
judgement issued on them by society and even friends.

Question of Definition:
What is mental health stigma?
Question of Fact:
What is the problem with mental health stigma?
Question of Quality:
What will happen if the stigma continues?
Question of Policy:
What action should be taken to stop the mental health stigma?

PHASE 2:
Question of Definition:
What is the problem with mental health class?
Question of Fact:
What are some facts to show the problems surrounding the stigma around mental health?

Mental Health Stigma

Question of Quality:
What happens if we do not fix the problem of the stigma surrounding mental health?
Question of Policy:
What is the best solution to stop the problem with the stigma of mental health?

What is the problem with mental health stigma?

Mental health stigma leads to insurances not covering all bases for mental health
care, as well as discrimination or no help from families. The stigma surrounding it lessens the
chance of people getting the help they need because they either cannot afford it or feel like their
is something wrong about them. People with mental health issues are not psycho, it is just a
chemical imbalance in the brain. Something many people in human have to live with and take
medication for it. People in this country who do have mental health illnesses, are looked down
upon because many people believe they are the ones to go crazy and kill people. Many people
throw around the word bi-polar like nothing, someone will say to someone else, Oh, youre
being really bi-polar. Using the term in a bad way, makes someone with actual bipolar disorder
feel unworthy, and weird.
Many people without these issues, believe there is no problem. They believe the things
being said is not a stigma rather than just a phrase. What they don't know is how many people
it is actually hurting. People do not see stigma as being something bad because since its edged
into our society, most people are just used to it and think it is okay to keep the stigma going.
What they don't see is the people the stigma affects and how it affects them.

Mental Health Stigma

This diagram shows the statistics of how people with mental health illness feel like when
they get discriminated against.

http://metro.co.uk/2014/02/06/time-to-talk-day-shaking-off-the-stigma-of-mental-health4265834/
In a recent survey, 6 out of 6 people admitted that mental health stigma is a problem.
They also said that if they did have a mental illness, they would be afraid to tell someone about it

because of being discriminated against.

Mental Health Stigma

References

Mohammed-Collins, R., & Harriss, A. (2015). Ending the stigma of mental ill health.
Occupational Health, 67(11), 27-30.
Sickel, A. E., Nabors, N. A., & Seacat, J. D. (2014). Mental health stigma update: A review of
consequences. Advances In Mental Health, 12(3), 202-215. doi:10.5172/jamh.
2014.12.3.202
Keene, D. E., Cowan, S. K., & Castro Baker, A. (2015). RESEARCH AND PRACTICE. "When
You're in a Crisis Like That, You Don't Want People to Know": Mortgage Strain,
Stigma, and Mental Health. American Journal Of Public Health, 105(5),
1008-1012. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014.302400