Mentally ill patients are often faced with the challenge if stigmatization and that affects their self-esteem and the way they interact with the society. Most of them end up feeling uncomfortable in the very social spaces they occupy and would rather they stayed alone or kept to themselves. But again society is not to take all the blame because mentally ill patients send signals that make society form a negative opinion about them, and that furthers their stigmatization (Byrne, 2000). Thus, the cause of stigmatization against mentally ill patients is sparked by the attitudes and character traits of these patients as well as the attitude and perceptions of the wider society. Stereotyping, therefore, plays a critical role in the stigmatization of mentally ill patients.
In the article The Mark of Madness: Stigma, Serious Mental Illness, and Social Work, Scheyett talks about the effects stigmatization has on mentally ill patients (2005). According to the article, society is an impediment to the full recovery of mentally ill patients because many of these patients are affected by the attitudes and perceptions society forms about them. Whatever the tools of socialization such as the media says or portrays about them helps form a perception of them (Dingfelder, 2009). The mentally ill patients are not shielded from these portrayals and experience firsthand what society thinks about them. In most cases, whatever that is said about them paints a negative image of them, and they will be socialized to think that is true. There are different types of mental illnesses, and the symptoms of one differ from the other. By generalizing the symptoms exhibited by one person to represent a wider group is in itself unfair (Scheyett, 2005). Thus, society plays a negative role in forming negative perceptions about the mentally ill persons.
Stigmatization of mentally ill patients has further affected the social work services directed at them. Social workers who are working in this area often approach different patients with the perception that they are dangerous and can harm them (Scheyett, 2005). That in a way affects the quality of the help given to these patients. At the same time, these patients have been socialized not to trust anyone who goes out to help them because they are always aware of how the person perceives them no matter who the person is (Dingfelder, 2009). It is a proven fact that many mentally ill patients live in fear and will lose their personalities because they are made to believe that they are different from the rest of the society (Byrne, 2000, Dingfelder, 2009).
Society’s interpretation of mental health and the illnesses people suffer from is what leads to the stigmatization of mentally ill persons. The patients themselves will form an opinion about themselves based on the way society treats them (Dingfelder, 2009), they will hurt in silence because they are made aware that they are dangerous and different from the rest (Byrne, 2000); and also slowly sink into depression and more problems due to low self esteem (Scheyett. 2005). The alienation of mental illness patients hinders the recovery process of mentally ill patients because these patients are constantly reminded of their inadequacies. Society’s portrayal of them does affect their personalities, and that will eventually slow down their recovery. Sadly, the wider society does not seem to realize the role they are playing in furthering this process because this is something that has been ongoing for a long time (Dingfelder, 2009).
References
Byrne, P. (2000). Stigma of Mental Illness and Ways of Diminishing It. Advances in psychiatric Treatment. 6: 65- 72. Web. http://www.heart intl.net/HEART/100507/StigmaofMental.htm
Dingfelder, S. F. (2009). Stigma. Alive and Well. American psychological Association. Web. Retrieved on 25th February 2016 http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/06/stigma.aspx
Scheyett, A. (2005). The Mark of Madness: Stigma, Serious mental Illness and Social Work. Social Work in Mental Health. Vol. 3, Issue 4. (79- 97). Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis
