Stigma and self-stigma among people with mental illness: reasons, their implications, emprowerment and battle against discrimination

Stigma se očituje kao neopravdana diskreditacija i diskriminacija osoba temeljem njihovih osobnih obilježja na čiju pojavnost stigmatizirana osoba ne može svjesno utjecati. Kao odgovor na javnu stigmu pogođene osobe nerijetko prihvate predrasude kao legitimne te stigmu internaliziraju što se porazno odražava na njihovo samopouzdanje i kvalitetu života. Ovdje ću ponuditi pregled postojeće literature o javnoj stigmi kao i onoj internaliziranoj – samostigmi te što je društvo činilo, što čini danas a što bi moglo učiniti da olakša život osobama s psihičkim poteškoćama i njihovim bližnjima. Cilj intervencija u društvu trebao bi biti usmjeren zadržavanju ili održavanju zadovoljavajuće kvalitete života osoba s psihičkim bolestima te nastojanjima da ostanu ili ponovno postanu aktivni sudionici u životu zajednice. U borbi sa stigmom potrebno je raditi na osvješćivanju javnosti kroz projekte i programe koji su se do sada pokazali uspješnima a same pacjente educirati i uključiti u tretmane osnaživanja kako bi se vjerojatnost i prisutnost samostigme smanjile koliko je god to moguće.Stigma is manifested as ujutified discreditation and discrimination of a person based on his or her personal characteristics on wich one can not wittingly affect. As an answer to public stigma, affected individuals often accept prejudices as legitimate internalizing that stigma and diminishing his or hers self-confidence and quality of life. Here's a review of literature on stigma, both public and self-stigma, as well as what society did, is doing now or is willing to do in the future to help people with mental illness and their families in maintaning satisfactorily living. The goal of future interventions should be directed towards keeping appropriate level of life quality among people with mental illness by encouraging them to stay active participants in community. In fighting stigma, it is necessary to inform and educate public via projects and programs already shown as succesful. It is important to include mentaly ill persons in programs that will provide them with empowerment. They must be given the chance to improve their self-confidence and self-esteem, and thus reduce probability of self-stigma