Explanation of the Lived Experiences of Patients with Psychiatric Disorders on the Consequences of Stigma in Mental Health Centers

Background: According to the World Health Organization, one in four people experience a psychiatric disorder throughout his/her life. For centuries, psychiatric patients have been sent to psychiatric hospitals that often stigmatized and located out of the community. Moreover, these patients are stigmatized by the hospital staff because they are not aware of patients’ experiences in this domain. This humiliating attitude leads to low self-esteem, isolation, and frustration, and prevents patients from seeking treatment. Aim: This study aimed to explain the lived experiences of patients with psychiatric disorders on the consequences of stigma in mental health centers. Methods: This hermeneutic phenomenological study is a part of a larger study undertaken for partial fulfillment of the requirement for PhD dissertation in nursing. The main study was conducted on 12 psychiatric patients during 2014-2015. They were selected based on purposeful sampling method. Data were collected using unstructured interviews and analyzed by an interpretative method. Results: Psychiatric hospital as an unsafe place is one of the main themes of the phenomenon under study in the original project. It consists of two sub-themes (i.e., an egregious hospital and cold-hearted white collars) each of which is supported by a number of common meanings. Implications for Practice: The results of this study can shape the interventions and policies to combat and prevent the spread of stigma through health centers about people with psychiatric disorders.