Mental health conditions are common, and more treatments are available than ever to help people cope, recover, and thrive. However, stigma can prevent or delay people from seeking care or cause them to discontinue treatment.1
Stigma refers to negative attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes people may hold towards those who experience mental health conditions.
Although there is more understanding and acceptance today about mental health conditions, many individuals and communities still hold negative attitudes or beliefs about those living with mental health conditions.2
Mental health stigma can take many forms
Structural stigma, involving laws, regulations, and policies that can limit the rights of those with mental health conditions.3
Public stigma, which include negative attitudes and beliefs from individuals or from larger groups towards people with mental health conditions, or their families or health care providers that care for them.3
Self-stigma, which comes from within the person with a mental health condition.3 People living with a mental health condition may believe they are flawed or blame themselves for having the condition.4
When stigma leads to discrimination, people living with mental health conditions may be treated negatively.5 For example, people may experience being excluded by others in their social groups due to their mental health conditions.2
Reducing stigma may look like:
Policies and practices that support people with a mental health condition, reducing barriers they face in settings like workplaces and health care. Supportive policies and practices can help people find and keep a job, secure safe housing, access quality health care services, obtain quality education, among other benefits.5
Journalists, communicators, and others in the media working to educate the public responsibly about mental health.6 This includes taking care to portray those with mental health conditions accurately with nuance and context, and avoiding perpetuating negative, harmful stereotypes.
Treating those living with a mental health condition with understanding, empathy, and acceptance, so that no one feels the need to hide their condition. Having personal, direct contact with people living with mental health conditions have been shown to combat negative stereotypes and reduce stigma.6
Having open conversations around mental health. This includes using non-stigmatizing language when talking about mental health. Opinion leaders and those with wide platforms can also use their influence and reach to talk about their own mental health struggles and experiences.6