Stigma and self-stigma in patients with anxiety disorders

BACKGROUND: Numerous myths and prejudices about mental disorders are still present in society. Psychiatric patients are stereotypically seen as irrational, dangerous, and hostile which leads to social distance and limited life chances. METHOD: The literature about stigma and self-stigmatization from 1977 to 2012 was reviewed. Articles were found in Pubmed and PsychInfo when using the key words: anxiety disorder, stigma, self-stigmatization. The topic was also searched in psychiatric textbooks. The aim of review was to find the information about impact of the stigma and self-stigma on the diagnosis, help-seeking, and treatment of patients with anxiety disorders. RESULTS: The unequal approach negatively affects diagnostics, treatment, and reintegration of patients back into society and leads to a heightened risk of stigma internalization. Although most of the researches has focused on severe mental illneses, such as psychoses or major depression, stigma does not avoid people suffering from minor psychiatric disorders either. Patients with anxiety disorders might be especially prone to negative consequences of self-stigma. They often fear the disapproval from others, have lower self-esteem and self-confidence, and are less hopeful. Such attitudes towards self-concept frequently lead to a treatment delayment and thus to a chronification of anxiety disorders. It seems crucial to identify personality traits contributing to the development of self-stigma and to find the ways to destigmatize psychiatric patients. A possible solution might be putting a greater emphasis on health education of general population.