Mental Health Stigma

According to Mind, 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem at some point each year. The data also suggests that we’re feeling lonelier, which is costing the nation £300 billion a year in England alone.

One of the many things this tells us, is that the mental health stigma is very much alive. Mental health stigma (or mental illness stigma) is a term used to describe negative attitudes towards poor mental health. This can lead to things like discrimination and isolation – further exacerbating the issue.

In the workplace, this can be especially problematic. In this article, we’ll explore how mental health stigma has changed over time, how it affects people’s mental health, how to address mental illness stigma and how an employee assistance program can help address many of the issues associated with it.

What is stigma?

Stigma refers to a negative association with a subject (like mental health). This is often the result of poor portrayal and misleading media information, which unfortunately feeds an unfair narrative. It can even come from wider society, employers and even our close ones. It’s also possible to internalise stigma by believing negative messages and stereotypes about oneself.

In addition to mental health, there are other characteristics that are often stigmatised:

• Physical appearance – such as weight and height

• Race

• Sexual orientation

• Social class – such as working class, middle class etc

• Gender

Types of stigma

Healthline categorises stigma in the following types

Public stigma – stigma that pops up in wider society because of mass media

• Self-stigma - also known as internalised stigma, this is when public stigma is believed in oneself and causes feelings of shame

• Perceived stigma – this is where you believe others will judge you negatively for having a certain trait that is often stigmatised

• Label avoidance – distancing oneself from a stigmatised group, and may even reject the idea of seeking support for an issue that is stigmatised

• Structural stigma – when a system in an organisation puts policies in place that inadvertently (on purpose or otherwise), puts you at a disadvantage

• Health practitioner stigma – when a health practitioner such as a counsellor or GP believes race, gender or other stereotype will interfere with providing proper care

• Associative stigma – or “stigma by proxy”, is being connected to someone with a stigmatised trait, and receiving criticism for it in some way

How does stigma affect mental health?

Stigma affects our mental health by making people feel ashamed of who they are, or for feeling how they do. It can also make people feel unsupported, particularly if they suffer from a chronic condition and do not have a support network.

These feelings can worsen over time and lead to issues such as:

• Discrimination – from friends, family and in the workplace

• Fear – of trusting others or being bullied

• Self-stigma – which can lead to worsening mental health over time

• Poor self esteem

• Self-isolation

Some home environments also stigmatise mental illness, making it harder for an individual to know where to get help, let alone ask for it.

How has mental health stigma changed over time?

One of the UK’s most prolific anti-stigma mental health campaigns go back to 2007, when the Time to Change campaign launched, which consisted of blogs, TV adverts and other forms of media raised awareness.

But well before then, parliament had brought the issue to light.

The UK government has made several commitments to reducing the mental health stigma. For example, its “No Health Without Mental Health” strategy, published in 2011, set out to mainstream mental health in society. This looked at areas such as talking therapies (including their impact on equality and assessments) and delivering better mental health outcomes.

Looking closely behind closed doors, a number of MPs in 2012 spoke up about their personal experiences with mental health problems. This led MP Gavin Barwell to "remove the last significant form of discrimination in law in our society". This was in reference to The Private Member's Bill, a repealed discriminatory legislation that prevented people with mental health problems from sitting on a jury, being a company director or being an MP.

The Bill passed through the Commons and Lords with Government and Opposition support, and received Royal Assent on 28 February 2013.

Mental health destigmatisation in the UK today

Unfortunately, mental health stigma is still prevalent. Let’s Rethink – a campaign launched by Rethink Mental Illness uncovered YouGov data surrounding mental health stigmatisation, to raise awareness of the everyday discrimination and stigma faced by those affected by mental illness. The data found that:

Over a third (38%) of UK adults wouldn’t feel comfortable in the presence of someone they believe is experiencing severe mental illness.

3 in 5 UK adults wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing a diagnosis of severe mental illness with colleagues.

With resources needed more than ever for people to tackle poor mental health, the charity released a free downloadable guide as part of their campaign to help those experiencing stigma.

Stigma is shrinking – but more can be done

Research led by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and commissioned by Mind found that for the first time in 10 years, attitudes towards mental health are declining.

Whilst there was some positive movement, there are still some areas for concern.

When asked if people with mental health problems could fully recover, 59% of people agreed, down from 67% in 2019. In addition, only 60% agreed to knowing how to give advice to a friend to get professional help – down from 66%.

How to address stigma in mental health

Building a culture of openness is one of the most effective ways to destigmatise mental health issues. Here are some ways you can support this strategy to address stigma in mental health.

Do your research

If you’re an employer, you have a duty of care to your employees. Taking time to understand mental illness, including those that may be disclosed by your staff, is one of the first steps to destigmatising it in your workplace.

Educate yourself and others

Prejudice and stigma can often be ingrained through society, the media and our own upbringing. It’s up to us to re-educate ourselves and those around us to reduce judgemental thinking and poor attitudes.

Encourage advocacy

Many of us experience poor mental health at some point, and some may have a chronic condition which requires additional support. Whether you’re in a leadership position or not, by advocating for those who need support, you can destigmatise mental illness around you. This can be as simple as calling out poor behaviour in a calm and professional way when it arises in conversations.

Get an employee assistance programme (EAP)

An EAP can support you and your employees who may be dealing with poor mental health. It also shows you’re an employer that truly cares and encourages a supportive working culture. From temporary to long-term support, in or out of work, an EAP that can establish contact 24/7 can make all the difference.

Related article: How does an EAP work?

Empower your employees

Everyone has their own unique strengths. See how you can adapt an employee’s working pattern to suit. Whether that’s providing a flexible working mode, additional time to get to work, regular meetings – there’s a lot you can do to ensure they feel accommodated. Ask the question and offer solutions to help them feel empowered to make choices that will help them.

Employee Assistance Programme

The Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) has helped millions of people across the UK with their mental health both in and out of work. With trained, fully qualified and BACP or NCPS accredited counsellors, employees can receive support with their mental health 24/7, 365 days a year.

Our counsellors can help tackle time management issues, improve work-life balance, and provide both short and long-term treatment plans. Everyone’s struggles are different, which is why all patients are proposed a treatment plan on a case-by-case basis.

Want to provide mental health support in your organisation? Contact us to find out more about how we can support your staff’s mental health and wellbeing.

Conclusion

Beating the mental health stigma is how we can, as a society, take mental health as seriously as physical health. Whilst the government, charities and institutions continue to research and destigmatise mental illness, the stigma is still very much prominent.

Ultimately, if people feel like they can’t turn to someone for support, the stigma only grows. Be the change by ensuring your employees have someone they can have regular contact with, and continued support is the key to ensuring mental health stigma, particularly in the workplace, is no longer commonplace.