The stigma of mental illness is first and foremost a social justice issue!

~ Patrick W. Corrigan

Patrick W. Corrigan Discrimination Mental Health Stigma Mental Illness Mental Illness Stigma Prejudice Social Injustice Social Justice Stigma

Self-stigma refers to the state in which a person with mental illness has come to internalize the negative attitudes about mental illness and turns them against him- or herself.

~ Patrick W. Corrigan

Patrick W. Corrigan Labelling Mental Health Stigma Mental Illness Mental Illness Stigma Self Stigma

Results of two independent factor analyses of the survey responses of more than 2000 English and American citizens parallel these findings (19,33):- fear and exclusion: persons with severe mental illness should be feared and, therefore, be kept out of most communities;- authoritarianism: persons with severe mental illness are irresponsible, so life decisions should be made by others;- benevolence: persons with severe mental illness are childlike and need to be cared for.World Psychiatry. 2002 Feb; 1(1): 16–20.PMCID: PMC1489832Understanding the impact of stigma on people with mental illnessPATRICK W CORRIGAN and AMY C WATSON

~ Patrick W. Corrigan

Patrick W. Corrigan Authoritarianism Benevolence Bias Blame Dangerousness Discrimination Exclusion Fear Mental Disorder Mental Health Mental Health Stigma Mental Illness Prejudice Rejection Severe Mental Illness Stigma

Several themes describe misconceptions about mental illness and corresponding stigmatizing attitudes. Media analyses of film and print have identified three: people with mental illness are homicidal maniacs who need to be feared; they have childlike perceptions of the world that should be marveled; or they are responsible for their illness because they have weak character (29-32).World Psychiatry. 2002 Feb; 1(1): 16–20.PMCID: PMC1489832Understanding the impact of stigma on people with mental illnessPATRICK W CORRIGAN and AMY C WATSON

~ Patrick W. Corrigan

Patrick W. Corrigan Bias Blame Childlike Dangerousness Discrimination Fear Media Bias Media Distortion Media Manipulation Mental Disorder Mental Health Mental Health Stigma Mental Illness Mental Patient Prejudice Psychiatric Community Sensationalism Stereotyped Stereotyped Prejudices Stereotypes Stigma Stigmatization

Although stigmatizing attitudes are not limited to mental illness, the public seems to disapprove persons with psychiatric disabilities significantly more than persons with related conditions such as physical illness (34-36). Severe mental illness has been likened to drug addiction, prostitution, and criminality (37,38). Unlike physical disabilities, persons with mental illness are perceived by the public to be in control of their disabilities and responsible for causing them (34,36). Furthermore, research respondents are less likely to pity persons with mental illness, instead reacting to psychiatric disability with anger and believing that help is not deserved (35,36,39).World Psychiatry. 2002 Feb; 1(1): 16–20.PMCID: PMC1489832Understanding the impact of stigma on people with mental illnessPATRICK W CORRIGAN and AMY C WATSON

~ Patrick W. Corrigan

Patrick W. Corrigan Bias Blame Blamed Disabilities Disability Quotes Disabled Disabled Veterans Discrimination Fear Mental Health Stigma Stereotyped Prejudices Stigma Stigmatization Stigmatized