The Social Marginalization of People Living with a Mentally Ill Label–Family, Friends, and Work

This paper is based on qualitative research among people diagnosed with a mental illness who voluntarily attend health center. Such individuals are given degrading “mentally ill” label, which transforms them into “new” person. study showed that—due to their label—research participants often socially marginalized—not only in the public but also private sphere. As members of an “organized deviant group” (the center), they follow “deviant career” and find job outside regular market. Their marginalization not caused by problems (by impairment), disabled through social reactions these problems. Psychiatry biological model disease cannot, therefore, help without cooperation science approaches dealing marginalization.