The frequencies of discrimination reported by respondents to surveys about stigma range from 17% to 31% in a physical health-care setting and from 16% to 44% in a mental health-care setting. Some studies have shown that mental health professionals may have more negative views than the general public on stereotypes, restriction of the individual’s rights, and social distance. People suffering from mental disorders and/or substance use disorders have to face either an avoidant attitude by healthcare professionals or prejudices about their adherence to medications, and about the “psychological” nature of their physical symptoms. Stigmatizing attitudes are widespread not only within health services in general but also in mental health facilities, with detrimental effects on the quality of health care received by the clients. Conversely, an inverse relationship has been found between stigmatizing attitudes and recovery orientation, in the sense that recovery oriented individuals may have less negative attitudes about people suffering from mental disorders. Stigma is probably one of the most important barriers to help-seeking and to personal recovery.

Self-stigma refers to the negative attitudes which those subjects turn against themselves, and it may have an effect on their personal experience with others and on their willingness to seek help. Public stigma reflects the attitudes and beliefs held by the general population and it could affect the daily interactions between the public and the individual suffering from mental disorders. According to social cognition theory, stigma is a multidimensional construct encompassing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral elements, and including the two dimensions of public stigma and self-stigma.

Mental illness traits sims 4