The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 205(12):903–909, DEC 2017
DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000000756
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PMID: 29099405
Issn Print: 0022-3018
Publication Date: 2017/12/01
The Stigma of Mental Illness as a Barrier to Self Labeling as Having a Mental Illness
Susanne Stolzenburg;Simone Freitag;Sara Evans-Lacko;Holger Muehlan;Silke Schmidt;Georg Schomerus;
+ Author Information
*Department of Psychiatry, University Medicine Greifswald; †Department Health and Prevention, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; and ‡Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate whether personal stigma decreases self-identification as having a mental illness in individuals with untreated mental health problems. We interviewed 207 persons with a currently untreated mental health problem as confirmed by a structured diagnostic interview. Measures included symptom appraisal, self-identification as having a mental illness (SELFI), self-labeling (open-ended question on the nature of their problem) stigma-related variables (explicit and implicit), as well as sociodemographics, current symptom severity, and previous treatment. Support for discrimination and implicit stigmatizing attitude were both associated with lower likelihood of self-identification. More social distance and support for discrimination were associated with less self-labeling. Previous treatment was the strongest predictor of symptom appraisal, SELFI, and self-labeling. Destigmatizing mental illness could increase awareness of personal mental health problems, potentially leading to lower rates of untreated mental illness.
