Stigma and Mental Disorders

Stigma is recognised as a major obstacle to recovery and integration of people with mental health problems. In this chapter the definitions of cognitive, emotional and social aspects of stigma will be presented, as well as origins, main representations and coping strategies. The research on stigma is presented, beginning with Gofmann's work (Chapter History) and followed by contemporary research and critical overview. This work follows the International Study of Discrimination and Stigma Outcomes (INDIGO) led by professor Graham Thornicroft (UK), which was a cross-sectional survey in 27 countries, in centres affiliated to the INDIGO Research Network, by use of face-to-face interviews with 732 participants with schizophrenia. This research was followed by the creation of Antistigma European Network, with further research goals and a strong mission to overcome or at least reduce the consequences of mental disorder stigma in Europe. Each country participated in this projects produced additionally locally specific answers and solutions. Some of them are listed below-these are comments on stigma made by patients with schizophrenia in Slovenia. Each country involved in these research projects also produced locally specific answers and solutions to the stigmatization and particularly to discrimination problems. The intent of this publication is, besides giving an overview of stigma research, to provide some additional insight into real life experience of people with severe mental illness.