Topic > Issues of social stigma, patient labeling and discrimination

IndexDiscrimination in healthcare servicesControversial impact of patient labelingSocial stigma and self-stigmatisationConclusionReferencesMental health problems are common in the UK and affect thousands of individuals, co-workers, families and colleagues general public. The most common mental health problems include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Individuals with mental health problems face numerous types of discrimination, labeling and social stigma. Therefore, this essay focuses on people with health conditions and will begin by defining stigma, discrimination, and labeling. Additionally, this essay will look at the impact they have on people with health problems. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Discrimination in Health Services Discrimination is the prejudicial or unfair treatment of individuals based on characteristics such as age, disability, gender, race, or sexual orientation. Discrimination is a form of intentional separation. It means separating a person because of their gender, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, gender reassignment, pregnancy and motherhood, marriage and civil partnership and separating them from a public norm and treating them differently from other people. Internalized discrimination or self-discrimination is the process by which individuals with mental health problems direct society's stereotypes about mental illness against themselves. They believe that they will be socially discarded and therefore assume that they are not appreciated and loved. Being discriminated against has considerable effects on confidence and self-esteem. This can intensify isolation from the public and increase social withdrawal and feelings of exclusion. Maggiore et al. stated that people with mental health problems are often subjected to derision or ridicule and portrayed in the media as incompetent, impulsive and violent. Furthermore, it turns out that the myth surrounding the violence has not been discarded, despite evidence to the contrary. Parle says service users with mental health problems often experience social discrimination in the community, such as being attacked verbally and physically by neighbors and strangers, being barred from pubs and shops, or having their properties vandalised; service users with psychotic illnesses or addictions tend to experience this more than those with non-psychotic illnesses. Furthermore, Lyons et al. findings include cases where they are spoken to as if they were children or stupid, with condescending attitudes and, on some occasions, questions will not be directed at service users but rather at those accompanying them. Dinosaurs et al. reported that patients felt a range of emotions about their encounter with discrimination, including embarrassment, guilt, isolation, anxiety, fear, anger, unhappiness, and especially grief. Patients also encountered discrimination when accessing health services. Lyon et al. found health workers to be dismissive of service users; this can lead to reluctance to return for further visits, which can have a detrimental impact on physical health. This is particularly important, as evidence indicates that people with mental illness are at greater risk of physical health problems, including respiratory diseases, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as a greater risk of premature death according to the Social Exclusion Unit . Controversial Impact of Labeling ipatientsThe word “etiquette” refers to a person whose behavior or actions are at odds with social norms and what is acceptable in society. These people become labeled and develop a stigma attached and once the label has taken shape, this can have an overall effect on the person's behavior. Yuill etal. argued that labeling a person means placing them in a certain class based on their appearance or what people have heard about them, judging them or forming an opinion about them before getting to know them. According to Richards and Ford, being labeled “mentally ill” can have a considerable impact on various aspects of a person's life. Collins et al. believed that mental health problem or mental disorder is an illness that goes against development and usual everyday functioning, however it is difficult to classify as individuals express themselves in various ways. Labeling can lead to patient rejection and being seen as different from others. This can have a negative impact on the person's health and well-being, for example by making them feel worthless and causing them to isolate themselves from other people. Further support for the negative impact of being labeled as having a mental health problem indicates that people are looked at and judged in various ways, without considering the severity of the illness. This is confirmed by Angermeyer and Matschinger's study which found that labeling a person with a mental health problem has an effect on people's attitudes towards them. The study also found that people see a person with schizophrenia as a dangerous person and this further initiates a negative impact on the patient as people react emotionally to them and tend to socially distance themselves from them. Although evidence has shown that labeling can have a negative impact on those diagnosed with a mental health problem, opposing evidence reveals that labeling can have a positive impact on the person. Critics say that being labeled as having a mental health problem can help the person come to terms with their illness, cope with the problem and get professional help. Gazzaniga et al. concluded that many patients do not feel stigmatized and negatively affected by the label “mental patient,” rather they support the treatment they receive from healthcare professionals. This can help patients feel safe as they receive support from healthcare professionals and promote rapid recovery. The treatment received could reduce the symptoms involved such as panic attack, therefore helping them in different aspects of their life; for example, engaging more actively with the public, increasing one's self-esteem and subduing bad feelings. Social stigma and self-stigmatization Stigma is when a person views an individual negatively because of attributes or characteristics such as a disability or impairment. a mental illness, cultural background or skin color. Stigma occurs when society labels an individual as less desirable or tainted. Stigma occurs when an individual defines a person by their illness rather than who that person is as an individual. For example, a person might be labeled “psychotic” rather than “someone suffering from psychosis.” Stigma is made up of three components; ignorance (lack of knowledge), prejudice (negative attitudes), and discrimination (people behaving in ways that disadvantage the stigmatized individual. The two main types of stigma occur with mental health issues, self-stigma and social stigma. Social stigma that it is also known as stigma, 11(3), 353-363.