An estimated half the population will suffer from some form of mental illness at some point in their lives with depression, alcohol abuse and phobias being more common and bipolar disorders, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders among others occurring less commonly.
“Many people with these conditions are likely to suffer from stigma which can result in discrimination and hinders access to care,” says Dr. Serah Karanja, a University of Nairobi resident psychiatrist based in Mathare Mental Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. Stigma is a set of negative attitudes or beliefs that a society holds against people with certain conditions such as mental illness.
The Kenya Mental Health Policy, 2015, recognizes that people with mental illnesses have their human rights abused as a result of stigma and discrimination leading to denial in economic, cultural and social rights such as rights to work, education, reproductive rights, civil and political rights. They may also be subjected to inhumane physical conditions, physical and sexual abuse and neglect.
Negative effects of stigma
As a result of stigma, many people with mental illness avoid or delay accessing healthcare which can lead to worsening of their conditions. “Often people with mental illnesses and their families delay seeking treatment because they do not want to be seen going to mental hospitals as people may start treating them differently. Others fail to sustain treatment since such illnesses often require long term follow-up.”
Stigma can lead to low self esteem. “As an effect of public stigmatizing one can start stigmatizing themselves where the victims feel they are not as good as other people and that there is something wrong with them leading to low self esteem.”
“Others react with anger towards the attitude the society has towards people with mental illness.” Such anger is harmful since, “it can make people believe they are being discriminated against when in reality they are not. Thus people can turn the anger towards themselves leading to low self esteem and withdraw from society yet others become angry towards the public leading to beliefs that the public is against them hence always on the guard.”
Stigma can also lead to, “low quality of life since one may not be able to get a good job as employers may avoid employing people with certain conditions and landlords may refuse to give housing.”
Causes
Some causes of stigma include cultural beliefs where, “historically we tend to think mental illness is a shameful thing to have and consider people with such being lesser people than the rest of the society.”
Fear of victims of mental illness significantly contributes to stigma. “Persons with mental illnesses are feared due to the odd behaviors they portray and sometimes they can be violent. These fears contribute to stigma,” she says.
High levels of ignorance in our society also lead to stigma. “People do not well understand mental illnesses hence do not want to be near such people.”
Prevention
Stigma can be prevented or reduced by, “educating the public so that people understand what mental illness is all about,” says Dr Serah. “People can also protest against any forms of discrimination against people with mental illness. Recently, the media broadcasted images of people jumping over a wall out of Mathare Mental Hospital during a health workers’ strike and advised the public to be on the watch out. Such kind of discrimination should be protested against since it negatively portrays people with mental illnesses.”
Exposure to persons with mental illnesses can reduce stigma. “These people should not be locked up far away. If they are in hospital, once they get better they should be left to interact with community so that the public can see they are just like any other person. Equally allowing those who have recovered from mental illness to tell their positive stories through the media such as maintaining a good job, getting good grades, and contributing effectively towards the community can significantly reduce the negative attitudes,” says Dr. Serah Karanja