Attitudes and Perceptions

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Attitudes and Perceptions

• Module Two

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Stigma

• Anything that ostracizes a person from normal
  society deviant looks or behavior, linked with
  decreased life chances
• (Link Phelan 2001)

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Stigma

• Ancient Greek practice of burning or cutting a
  brand or tattoo
• A mark of shame or disgrace used to identify
  slaves, thieves and traitors

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The Persistence of Stigma

• 88 believe mentally ill people are dangerous and
  violent
• 40 believe mentally ill have low IQ or are
  developmentally handicapped
• 32 believe mentally ill cannot function
• 24 believe mentally ill have no willpower, are
  weak lazy
• 20 believe mentally ill are unpredictable
• 20 believe mentally ill should shape up
• CMHA Ontario survey of general population (CMHA
  1994)

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Why Does Stigma Surround Mental Illness?

• Aggressive, dangerous and unpredictable movie
  characters assumed to be mentally ill
• Stereotypes and labels repeated
• Media focus on violence
• Discriminatory language ie. psycho, lunatic
• Jokes

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Effects of Stigma

• Community exclusion
• Fear and rejection
• Denial of adequate housing, loans, health
  insurance and jobs
• Loss of self-esteem
• Difficulty making friends
• Unwilling to seek help
• Their family members experience stigma too

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Stigma - Youth

• Violent
• Seeking attention
• Drain on society
• Not taken seriously

• Outcasts
• Act strangely
• Weird clothes
• To be avoided

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Stigma People with a Mental Illness

• Violent
• Seeking attention
• Drain on society
• Not taken seriously

• Outcasts
• Act strangely
• Weird clothes
• To be avoided

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Debunking the Myths

• 1st Year University Students surveyed in the
  U.S.A. (Torrey, 1995)
• 2/3 believe multiple personalities is symptom of
  schizophrenia
• General Public Poll
• 55 dont believe mental illness exists
• 1 acknowledged mental illness as a major health
  concern

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Stigma in Calgary

• 47 believe people with schizophrenia have a
  split personality
• 17 believe people with schizophrenia are
  dangerous
• 47 would be disturbed about sharing a room with
  someone with schizophrenia
• World Psychiatric Association Calgary survey
• (Stuart Arboleda-Florez, 2001)

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The Myth of Violence

• Few people with mental illness are violent
• More at risk for being target of violence
• TV characters (Gerbner, 1993)
• 20 of mentally ill are murderers compared to 5
  normal
• 70 mentally ill are violent compared to 40
  normal
• Former mental patients no higher rate of violence
  than others (control group) (Steadman et al, 1998)

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To Beat Stigma

• Accept it as a REAL illness
• Stop blaming
• Dont simplify it
• Be aware of your language
• Open discussion/learn
• Seek help