The Philosophy of Stigma
Stigma stems from two main sources: ignorance, and fear. The two factors foster negativity in attitudes, or "the individual's organization of psychological processes, as inferred from his behavior (Newcomb in Gould and Kolb 40-41). Such negative behaviors not only harm stigmatized individuals, but serve to fortify prejudice.
Prejudice is also caused by a fear of the unknown; "the tenacious refusal to know and to trust the other...breeds prejudice" (Ackerman 27). When spread amongst of many, eventually forming a like-minded, like-prejudiced group, stigma manifests. Prejudice in it and of itself is difficult to break, "...once prejudice serves a psychological function for a person, he clings tenaciously to it and to its basic tenets unquestioningly" (Crocettl, Spiro, Siassi 29). When the foundation the prejudice was founded on is proved to an individual, it is difficult for them to let it go. A generic example in terms of mental illness would be an individual who experiences a schizophrenic's psychotic episode in a negative way, and thus becomes prejudiced against schizophrenics. Sharing their experiences with others in the community can spread the prejudice, create stigma against the schizophrenic, and isolate them.
Prejudice is also caused by a fear of the unknown; "the tenacious refusal to know and to trust the other...breeds prejudice" (Ackerman 27). When spread amongst of many, eventually forming a like-minded, like-prejudiced group, stigma manifests. Prejudice in it and of itself is difficult to break, "...once prejudice serves a psychological function for a person, he clings tenaciously to it and to its basic tenets unquestioningly" (Crocettl, Spiro, Siassi 29). When the foundation the prejudice was founded on is proved to an individual, it is difficult for them to let it go. A generic example in terms of mental illness would be an individual who experiences a schizophrenic's psychotic episode in a negative way, and thus becomes prejudiced against schizophrenics. Sharing their experiences with others in the community can spread the prejudice, create stigma against the schizophrenic, and isolate them.
Shame is also a large part in stigma. When people use stereotypes and prejudice to perpetuate stigma against the mentally ill, they become ashamed of their illness because it makes them different--and not in a good way, "Mental illness, despite centuries of learning and the 'Decade of the Brain,' is still perceived as an indulgence, a sign of weakness" (Byrne). Shame is a path to secrecy, and secrecy will obstruct individuals from accepting their illness and getting treatment. What's more, often family members are also ashamed as well, and try to prevent others, professionals included, from discovering the presence of mental illness in the family. This is not what families should be doing for their mentally ill members; as people who should be the most exposed to and most understanding of mental illness, they have a duty to make an effort towards eliminating stigma and promoting respect for mental illness.
But how would they go about doing this? Byrne suggests the use of politically correct terms. The presence of defined terms seems to have helped dispel prejudice from social movements dealing with other factors such as race, sexuality, and gender. Drawing a parallel to LGBTQ rights, Byrne proposes the promotion of the term "psychophobic" for those who discriminate against and hold prejudice against the mentally ill. As Byrne also points out, mental illness stigma has existed long before the development of psychiatry, which only began in the mid-19th century, yet it still manages to manifest to an alarming degree in today's society. The development of successful treatment had eased the prejudices, but the dissemination of prejudice and stigma has somewhat stunted progress.
But how would they go about doing this? Byrne suggests the use of politically correct terms. The presence of defined terms seems to have helped dispel prejudice from social movements dealing with other factors such as race, sexuality, and gender. Drawing a parallel to LGBTQ rights, Byrne proposes the promotion of the term "psychophobic" for those who discriminate against and hold prejudice against the mentally ill. As Byrne also points out, mental illness stigma has existed long before the development of psychiatry, which only began in the mid-19th century, yet it still manages to manifest to an alarming degree in today's society. The development of successful treatment had eased the prejudices, but the dissemination of prejudice and stigma has somewhat stunted progress.
Source: Contemporary Attitudes Towards Mental Illness by Crocettl, Spiro, and Siassi, Stigma of mental illness and way of distinguishing it by Peter Byrne