INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

AMIU 114 ASSIGNMENT

CAT 1
Cynthia Mary Wambui Kimiri
Reg no. SHS/BCH/5653-2/2024
Analyze the concept of stigma surrounding mental health disorders, its impact on individuals
with psychological disorders, impact on the society and initiatives that have been implemented
to reduce mental health stigma in society.
The term paper should address the following areas:
Question 1.
1. Define and explain the concept of stigma as it relates to mental health disorders.
 What is stigma? A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or
person. Stigma is a process by which the reaction of others spoils normal identity.
 What is stigma in relation to mental illness? Stigma refers to a cluster of negative
attitudes and beliefs that motivate the general public to fear, reject, avoid and
discriminate against people with mental illnesses.
 ERVING GOFFMAN (1963), Suggested that stigma had two major components: public
one (reaction of general public to people with mental illness) and self-stigma (prejudice
that people with mental illness tend to turn towards themselves.
2. Discuss how stigma affects individuals with psychological disorders.
The society belief’s that people with mental illnesses are dangerous and unpredictable, less
competent, unable to work, should be institutionalized, can never get better.
• Mental illness and addiction are common, but only 1/3 of those needing treatment seek it due to
fear of discrimination
• The drop-out rate for psychiatric treatment is high because people do not want to be seen
attending psychiatric clinics.
• People with mental illness often hold the same beliefs as society at large and blame themselves
for their illness
• The major way people cope with stigma is to withhold information from those who could help
them
• Consumers expect to be rejected by the community and, therefore, are reluctant to engage with
others
• The effects of stigma and its resultant social withdrawal may have a greater impact on an
individual than the illness
• Family members are also harmed by stigma and may be blamed for causing or contributing to
the illness
• Community attitudes can negatively affect recovery rate
• Mental health professionals are also often stigmatized, holding a diminished status in the eyes
of other health care professionals and making recruitment challenging
• People with mental illness are less likely to be appropriately diagnosed and treated for co-
morbid medical conditions
• Institutions, governments, and policy makers contribute to stigma by systematically under-
funding mental health services
• Discrimination towards people with mental illness leads to diminished employment
opportunities, lack of career advancement, and hostility in the workplace
• Stigma contributes to the persistent under-funding of research and treatment services
• The elderly experience the double stigma of being old and mentally ill and are less likely to
seek help; their illnesses may not be detected because of the belief that anxiety and depression
are a normal part of aging
• Other groups also experience a double or triple stigma – LGBT, people of color, women
3. Examine the broader societal implications of mental health stigma.
 According to Goffman there are three forms of social stigma:
1. Overt or external deformations, such as scars, physical manifestations of anorexia
nervosa, leprosy (leprosy stigma), or of a physical disability or social disability, such as
obesity.
2. Deviations in personal traits, including mental ill-ness, drug addiction, alcoholism, and
criminal back-ground are stigmatized in this way.
3. “Tribal stigmas” are traits, imagined or real, of ethnic group, nationality, or of religion
that is deemed to be a deviation from the prevailing nor-mative ethnicity, nationality or
religion.
How does culture implicate social stigma and mental illness ?
• Mental illness compounded by immigration experience, conditions leading to
immigration, poverty, lack of health insurance, language difficulties, loss of support
system,lack of access to traditional healers.
• Stigma extends to families, Fear of not being able to marry
 • Psychiatric illnesses are considered curse from God, punishment for sins in past lives,
or manifestations of evil spirits.
• The cultures that patients come from shape their mental health and affect the kinds of
mental health services they use. Likewise, the cultures of the clinicians and the service
system affect diagnosis, treatment, and the organization and financing of services.
How does media implicate social stigma and mental illness?
• Newspapers and TV stations can print or broadcast statements about those with
mental illness that would not be tolerated if they were said about any other minority
group. Stigma insinuates itself into policy decisions, access to care, health insurance,
employment discrimination, and in research allocation and priorities.
4. Describe initiatives that have been implemented to reduce mental health stigma in Kenya.
1. Mental health awareness, the government also made the month of May as the month
to acknowledge mental health . in this the following occurs:
•People learn more about mental illness stigma and discrimination
• Speak up about mental illness stigma
• Listen to people who have experienced mental illness
• Avoid prejudging those with mental illness on the basis of media and
societal stereotypes
• Learn more about mental illness
2. The government also established institutions for mental health problems and also
Provide support for organizations that fight mental illness stigma.
3. National Mental Health policy.
The following principles guided the development of the National Mental Health Policy and
should guide its implementation

1. Mental health is an integral part of health

2. Mental health and socio-economic development
3. Mental health is a human right.
4. Equity
5. People-centered approach to mental health interventions
6. Participatory approach to delivery of interventions
7. Multi-Sectoral approach to maximizing achievement of mental health goals.
8. Efficiency in application of health technologies
9. Social accountability
 10. Life Course Approach
5. Propose evidence-based strategies that could be employed to reduce mental health stigma and
improve outcomes for individuals with psychological disorders.
 There is no simple or single strategy to eliminate the stigma associated with mental
illness, but some positive steps can be taken. Remember the acronym “WALLS” to help
reduce stigma.

Watch your language Make sure you are not using language or comments that stigmatize people with
mental illness.

Ask questions A lot can be learned by asking questions of a mental health professional like a
counsellor or doctor, or a person who has lived experience with a mental illness.

Learn more Great resources are available online to help educate you on different mental illnesses.
Increased education means fewer misunderstandings and less stigma.

Listen to experiences Once you have learned a bit about mental illness, consider asking someone you
know about their experience with mental illness.

Speak out Help reduce stigma by speaking out when others stigmatize people with
mental illnesses or spread misconceptions