'Like a friend going round': reducing the stigma attached to mental healthcare in rural communities

The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comTraditionally, stigma is seen as something that is the fault of the mental health system, and that involves an individual suffering social disapprobation and reduced life chances as a result of having been given a diagnostic label and an identity as a patient as a result of their contact with psychiatric institutions. The present study, based on focus group discussions conducted with users and mental healthcare workers in a rural setting, suggests that this classic conception of stigma does not readily apply to care in the community. First, workers described themselves as actively trying to challenge stigma at an institutional level, as well as being apt to change their own practice to reduce the stigmatizing effect of mental healthcare on their clients and make their presence less conspicuous. The ideal was to be ˜like a friend going round". However, this view included a somewhat passive notion of clients. By contrast, the present investigation showe! d that clients described themselves in much more active terms as being aware of possible sources of stigma and being inclined to challenge negative attitudes themselves. Future mental healthcare practice could draw upon professionals stock of knowledge as to how their practice could lead to less stigma and could build upon clients's own strengths to achieve stigma reduction