Hunter Shumate
PSY-150
Ms. Hudson
15 February, 2017
NAMI Presentation Paper The NAMI presentation that took place on February 2, 2017 had a really intriguing effect on me. NAMI stands for “National Alliance on Mental Illness”. NAMI provides the In Our Own Voice presentations, which are offered with the goal “to change attitudes, preconceived notions and stereotypes” about mental illness (NAMI North Carolina: North Carolina’s Voice on Mental Illness, n.d.). I am one to hold a stigma against those with mental disorders. The New Oxford American Dictionary says that, stigma is “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person” (Stevenson & Lindberg, 2011). Even after the presentation, I still do to some extent. The presentation did open my eyes to the fact that people with certain mental disorders can get the treatment they need to live some-what “normal” lives.
The presenters that arrived to class that day each disclosed that they had bipolar disorder, which “is characterized by debilitating episodes of mania (severe high moods), depression (severe low moods) and mixed states which contain elements of both high and low experiences” (NAMI, n.d.). Doran, is a perfect example of being able to live an almost normal life with a mental disorder. Doran’s case of bi-polar disease seemed to be a severe one as well. His time in Japan seemed to be what laid the foundation for his
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(n.d.). NAMI North Carolina: North Carolina's voice on mental illness [Brochure]. Raleigh, NC: Author.
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). In our own voice: A free presentation by people living mental illness [Brochure]. NAMI.
Stevenson, A., & Lindberg, C. (Eds.). (2011). Stigma [Def. 1]. In New Oxford American dictionary (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved February 8, 2016, from
Corrigan, P. a. (2002). Understanding the Impact of Stigma on people with Mental Illness. World Psychiatry , 1 (1), 16-20.
In the article, Changing Stigmatizing Perceptions and Recollections about Mental Illness: The Effects of NAMI’s In Our
While stigma may not necessarily be a cause of a person’s mental disorder, it can certainly contribute to the complication and perpetuation of their illness. The effect of stigma goes well beyond just the patient and provides a commentary on society’s overall level of intolerance of those who are considered different from the majority. By recognizing the level of stigma that exists, perhaps we can alter that behavior and gravitate towards a more productive attitude towards mental illness.
While reading Erving Goffman’s book, “Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity”, Goffman give a couple definition and concept to the idea of a stigma, which is a deeply disgrace feature in an individual, although this is largely dependent on groups. Through the grouping and reference that society establishes, expectations are
Stigma is a term of Greek origin that refers to something bad or unusual about a person with regards to social norms. It is so profound that it overpowers any positive social feedback regarding the way in which the individual adheres to other social norms, essentially spoiling an individuals identity (Goffman 1963).
(Byrne). Stigma is best defined by PhD, Kristalyn Salters Pedneault, a psychologist who focuses on psychological trauma, who states, “Stigma is a perceived negative attribute that causes someone to devalue or think less of the whole person,” (Gluck). In other words, stigma is being conscious of a quality which makes someone feel flawed and disgraced. Sigma can also be viewed as prejudice, hate, and discrimination against oneself, or how others may perceive them. Stigma is everywhere, regardless if someone has a mental disorder.
Stigma has been said to be “a feeling of being negatively differentiated owing to a particular condition, group membership or state in life”(Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012, p. 458). There are typically two types of mental illness stigma that are discussed. Public stigma, also known as societal stigma, is the stigma associated with the prejudicial attitudes the public holds towards those people who suffer from mental illness (Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012; Corrigan, Markowitz, Watson, Rowan & Kubiak, 2003). Self-stigma, also known as internalized stigma, is the loss of self-esteem, withdrawal, and personal shame that some with mental illness will experience. Self-stigma is usually developed when those who suffer from mental illness associate the negative stereotypes the public holds with themselves (Chronister, Chou, & Lieo, 2013; Corrigan et al., 2003).
“Stigma and Social Identity,” is one of the chapters from a book called “Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity” written by Erving Goffman that discuss in depth about stigma. Firstly, in this chapter, Goffman discuss about the origins of the word ‘stigma’ from the Greeks and Christian perspective that tend to define stigma as bodily evidence of unusualness. Nowadays, the word stigma is use to label disgrace rather than the bodily evidence of it. There are three types of stigmas; physical defects, blemishes of individual character and tribal stigmata of race, color and religion. All of these stigmas can deteriorate the claims of ‘normality’.
The history of mental illness or associated disorders is one that I believe cannot be said to say that we have learned from our mistakes. While the saying “learn from the past, or we are doomed to repeat it” is one which seems to rarely apply in any political / social standpoint, so too does it rarely apply in mental illness stigmatisms. However despite the millennia which have passed for humans on this planet, we still know very little about certain mental disorders. While substantial progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of most illnesses, there are still a few practices, stereotypes, and behaviors associated to mental depravities.
The word stigma has been re-defined all throughout history. The Greeks first originated the term stigma, they referred to it as “bodily signs designed to expose something unusual and bad about the moral status of the signifier.” Such bodily signs include a cuts or burns, such things insinuated said person was a slave, a criminal, or a traitor, and if you had a pimple you were unclean. Later on the term took up yet another meaning. Christians used stigma to define both bodily signs of “holy grace” and physical abnormalities. In modern times, this term can be less physical and more social related. As Goffman explained in his essay, first impressions are everything in today’s society. One issue regarding stigma in the media deals with controlling
Goffman (1963) argues that stigma not only affects the experiences of those in possession of the stigmatizing characteristic (the own), it also tends to spread to close family members and to others with whom the bearer of negative difference associates (the wise) (Green, S., Davis, C., Karshmer, E., Marsh, P., & Straight, B, 2005)
Stigma is a point of disgrace that breaks a person apart from normal people. When a person is labelled by their past karma they are seen as a part of a stereotyped group.
Erving Goffman defined stigma as “the situation of the individual who is disqualified from full social acceptance” and “an undesired differentness from what we had anticipated” (Goffman, 1963). According to Thornicroft, Rose, Kassam, and Sartorius (2007), stigma comprises ignorance (lack of knowledge), prejudice (stigmatizing attitudes), and discrimination (being treated unfairly, a behavior concept). The Haghighat (2001) model of public stigma represents people’s social and psychological reactions to someone perceived to have a stigmatized condition. According to this model, stigmatization has three components: cognitive (based on stereotypes such as “schizophrenics are violent”), affective (fear and anxiety), and behavioral (avoidance and discrimination). (p. 251)
Stigma can be defined as a mark of shame or ignominy that sets individuals apart from others. Goffman notes “Society establishes the means of categorizing persons and the complement of attributes felt to be ordinary and natural for members of each of these categories”. (Goffman) Given, when a person is labeled by said illness, disorder, or deviancy they are seen as a part of a stereotyped group and as a result are stigmatized by the “normals”. Moreover, the routines of social interactions in society allow us to create normative expectations and demands for the way ones in said society are expected to
Within the past two decades there’s been a revival in efforts to reduce stigmatization attached to mental illnesses. It was concluded that if mental illnesses were perceived better as ‘real’ diseases by the public that stigma would go down greatly. Reports proposed the idea that better scientific understanding of mental illnesses by the general public could greatly reduce stigma. Stigma is intensely rooted in social and cultural norms it’s patterns devalue and dehumanize groups of individuals within society (in this case mentally ill people). Stigma constructs barriers for individuals, barriers that limit a person’s abilities to have equal opportunities for employment, safe housing, health care and social relationships.Efforts to reduce stigma in recent years have