Family Members’ Perspectives on Mental Illness Stigma: A Community Study

Abstract

Background: The literature on mental illnesses demonstrates the complex vulnerabilities that individuals with mental disorders face in their daily interactions with the public, given the frequent stigma associated with mental health problems. We focused on family members’ perspectives on mental illness stigma and ways to reduce it. Methods: We employed a narrative inquiry to understand participants’ views on mental illness stigma and ways to ameliorate it from the perspective of 15 immediate family members of persons with mental illness. Data analysis was guided by Braun and Clarke's technique for thematic analysis. Results: The narrative accounts of participants were categorized using two broad themes: mental illness stigma in action and addressing stigma as a society. Participants’ reflections on mental illness stigma were based on their professional experiences, conversations within their families, and their awareness of the stigma associated with mental illness within the broader social realm, as well as recent campaigns toward reducing the stigma of mental illness. They described stigma as a ‘mark of shame’ that translates into discriminatory behaviors and actions toward persons with mental illness, and called for structural reforms to curb this stigma. The promotion of positive mental health and mental illness awareness is necessary for reducing all forms of mental illness-related stigma. Conclusion: Participants advocated the need for equal attention to both preventive and therapeutic healthcare delivery, particularly within the mental health system. Moving forward, policies, interventions, and well-coordinated programs towards reducing social mental illness stigma are key to ensuring inclusiveness at both the family and societal levels.