Stigma: Definition, Signs, Impact, and Coping

A stigma is a negative attitude or idea about a mental, physical or social characteristic of a person or group of people. This implies that there is social disapproval. Stigmas are a major concern because they can have negative effects such as discrimination.

While there are many different types of social stigmas, mental health stigma tends to be very common. It can be strong and can seriously affect mental and physical health outcomes. Some symptoms of stigma include social isolation or isolation, compromised job and financial security, physical violence, and more.

This article will discuss what stigma is, the signs and types of stigma, the impacts, and how to deal with it.

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signs of stigma

The signs of stigma can be obvious or they can be so subtle that they go unnoticed. For example, a stigma can be presented as a joke that not everyone recognizes as a negative view. Even when stigmas go unrecognized, the effects of stigma can be harmful.

Signs of stigma include:

Using jargon or labels to exclude people or groups of people
Jokes about a physical or mental health condition or race, ethnicity, religion, etc.
Halloween costumes that portray people or groups of people in a negative light.
Assumptions made about a person based on a physical or mental health condition or race, ethnicity, religion, etc.
People from certain groups are repeatedly portrayed in the media in a negative light.
Different treatment that isolates or is harmful due to a mental, physical or social characteristic of a person or group of people
Laws or institutional regulations that isolate or negatively impact certain groups of people

types of stigma

There are three main types of stigma that describe the broad categories of a person’s attributes related to negative thoughts. They include the stigma of mental illness, the stigma of physical deformity, and the stigma of race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, etc. Within these categories, there are additional types of stigmata.

mental health stigma

Mental health stigma is a negative attitude or idea about a mental health characteristic of a person or group of people. It is related to the social disapproval of the person or group based on the mental health characteristic.

Negative beliefs can come from a variety of sources, including the person with that mental health trait. For example, stigmas are often associated with mental illnesses such as depression. This stigma can prevent people with depression from pursuing educational and career goals due to the belief that they are less capable than people without depression.

Types of mental health stigma include:

Social stigma or public stigma: When society or the general public share negative thoughts or beliefs about a person or group of people with a mental health condition
Structural stigma or institutional stigma: Systemic stigma of mental illness at a higher level of government or organization that affects policy or decision-making
Self-perceived stigma or self-stigma: When a person with a mental health condition had negative thoughts or beliefs about themselves based on that mental illness
Stigma of the health professional: When a person’s care is negatively affected by provider stereotypes, thoughts, or associations about mental illness.
Associative stigma or courtesy stigma: A stigma that affects people connected to someone with a mental health condition, such as friends or family.

Stigma associated with physical characteristics, deformities, or conditions

Stigma due to physical deformation is a negative attitude or idea about a characteristic of a person or group of people related to a difference or physical disability. It is related to the social disapproval of the person or group based on the characteristic or physical condition. This can lead to serious negative effects.

Like mental health stigma, there are different types of physical deformity stigma. Examples of this type of stigma include negative associations with deafness Y blindnessor the stigma associated with certain health conditions such as HIV or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Stigma associated with race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, etc.

The stigma associated with race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, etc., is a negative attitude or idea about one of these, or similar, characteristics of a person or group of people. It is related to the social disapproval of the person or group based on the characteristic or characteristics.

Like mental health stigma, there are different types of stigma based on race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, etc. This type of stigma can impact generations and has influenced laws and policies throughout history.

history of stigma

A sociologist named Erving Goffman was a leader in early research on stigma. He is credited with identifying all three types of stigmata, although initially they were slightly different. They were:

mental illness stigma was known as stigma due to character flaws,
Stigma of physical deformation it was known as stigma for physical deformity.
tribal stigma including stigma due to race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, etc.

Ongoing research on the topic has helped identify additional components of stigmas and build an understanding of the negative effects, leading to changes to improve the situation. Unfortunately, stigmas are still common. For example, approximately 54% of people experience self-stigma, which can lead to negative effects such as social isolation.

Impacts of social stigma

Social stigma, or public stigma, is when society or the general public share negative thoughts or beliefs about a person or group of people. For example, a social mental health stigma may be an association between mental illness and danger or the belief that people with mental illness lose control and harm others.

There can be a huge negative impact from social stigma, and not just for people who belong to that group. This can even prevent people with mental health problems from seeking treatment.

Stigma can create a stereotype

This type of stigma and negative effects can harm people with the condition, those close to them such as friends, family, caregivers, community members, and people who share attributes with them but do not have the condition. It is often seen in the form of stereotyping and discrimination of those with the condition and others.

For example, in addition to discriminating against a person with depression, you can also discriminate against someone who is going through a bad time and is sad, but does not have depression. Despite the challenges, there are ways to deal with stigma.

dealing with stigma

It is important for anyone experiencing stigma to understand that they are not alone. Treatment is available for mental health conditions and support is available when facing stigma and discrimination. For example, many employers offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to support employees with work and life concerns, including stigma, discrimination, and issues that negatively affect mental and emotional well-being. .

There are many things that can be done to address mental health stigma, both on a personal level and on a larger scale.

Here are some tips for coping with mental health stigma:

Look for treatment of mental health conditions
Get support from community, school, and workplace resources
Watch for signs of social isolation and communicate with family, friends, and health professionals.
Talk openly about the facts and realities of mental illness.
Understand that mental health conditions are illnesses just like physical health conditions
Be careful with your choice of words to remain sensitive to others.
Raise awareness about language and actions that represent stigmas so they can be changed
Educate others to help remove the stigma of mental illness
Choose to believe and show others that stigmas are not accurate

Summary

A stigma is a negative attitude or idea about a mental, physical or social characteristic of a person or group of people that implies social disapproval. This topic is a great concern for people with mental health problems and for society. It can lead to discrimination and have a negative impact on mental health and general well-being.

The stigma of mental illness, the stigma of physical deformity, and the stigma of race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, etc., are the three main types of stigma. Despite the negative effects of stigma, there are things that can help you cope and overcome these challenges.

A word from Verywell

Stigmas, including mental health stigmas, can be challenging. The negative effects can touch many different areas of wellness and life. If you or someone you know is experiencing stigma, you are not alone. Treatment is available for mental health conditions and help is available for settings where stigma and discrimination may exist. Contact your workplace, school, community resources, or a health professional for support. You are not your mental illness and it is possible to face and overcome these challenges.

Frequent questions

What are examples of stigma?

Some examples of stigma include ideas that people with mental health problems are dangerous, people with physical health problems cannot contribute to society, and people with a specific race, ethnicity, religion, or ideology are less intelligent than others.

What is a stigma in simple terms?

A stigma is a negative attitude about a mental, physical or social characteristic. This can lead to poor treatment of groups of people, deterioration of the mental and physical health of those groups, and other negative effects.

What is a health stigma?

A health stigma can be related to physical health, mental health, or both. It is when someone with a physical or mental health problem is viewed negatively because of that health problem.

What are the three types of stigma?

The three types of stigma are the stigma associated with mental illness, the stigma associated with physical deformity, and the stigma related to race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, etc., as identified by Erving Goffman.

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