Mental distress and “self-stigma” in the context of support provision: exploring attributions of self-stigma as sanism
| Published date | 17 December 2019 |
| Date | 17 December 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-09-2019-0028 |
| Pages | 41-48 |
| Author | Victoria Armstrong,Toby Brandon |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Mental distress and “self-stigma”in the
context of support provision: exploring
attributions of self-stigma as sanism
Victoria Armstrong and Toby Brandon
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to discuss the findings from a detailedqualitative PhD study exploring
experiences of stigma and discrimination in the lives of people in receipt of “mental health support”at two
voluntary sector organisations in the North East of England.
Design/methodology/approach –Empirical material was collected during two periods of three-month long
ethnographic periods of fieldwork from July to December of 2013 at two organisations providing
support to their members who experience or have experienced mental distress. Along with field notestaken
during and after periods of participant observation, the empirical material also included 30 interviews with
staff (n ¼10) and members (n ¼20) across both organisations, along with a series of three focus groups at
each organisation.
Findings –Staff at the organisations did not demonstrate obvious stigmatising or discriminatory attitudes or
behaviours. However, they did attribute “self-stigma”to particular attitudes and behaviours of some of the
members they support, referring to how they “made excuses”,“did not try”and/or “avoided situations”.
Originality/value –This paper argues that these attributions resulted from the misrecognition of members’
reactions to experiences of discrimination. The empirical material also suggests that these attributions of
self-stigma may be indicative of the material limitations of the support environment, the consequent
frustrations of well-intentioned staff, and, overall, as symptoms of neoliberalism.Drawing upon a Mad Studies
approach and focussing on self-stigma and its attribution in contemporary mental health support, this paper
provides a new perspective, which considers how stigma is linked to discrimination by rethinking what is
thought of as “self-stigma”.
Keywords Discrimination, Stigma, Self-stigma, Sanism, Mad Studies
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Existing literature relating to mental health stigma, which relies on medical and/or psychiatric
models of mental distress, indicates a distinction, but also a relationship, between “public
stigma”and “self-stigma”(e.g. Corrigan and Watson, 2002a, b; Rusch et al., 2005). In summary,
public stigma is considered to encompass reactions of the general public towards a group based
on stigma about that group and/or predicated upon stereotypes, whilst “self-stigma”refers to
individuals turning the discriminatory attitudes of stigmatisers against themselves. Corrigan et al.
(2009) explain that self-stigma arises when people are aware of a stereotype, agree with it, and
apply it to themselves which results in a “why try?”attitude manifesting itself in the individual
concerned. However, Corrigan et al. (2006, 2009) also suggest that this attitude may be
ameliorated by services, which can empower people and develop their personal identity (Watson
et al., 2007, p. 1317). Previous research has explored the negative effect of self-stigma
on the self-esteem of people experiencing mental distress, which often leads to individuals
feeling reluctant to pursue work or other opportunities; not because of illness, but because of
“self-discrimination”(Rusch et al., 2005, p. 531). Thus, tackling self-stigma and feelings of shame
Victoria Armstrong is based at
Disability North, Newcastle
upon Tyne, UK.
Toby Brandon is based at
Northumbria University,
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
DOI 10.1108/MHSI-09-2019-0028 VOL. 24 NO. 1 2020, pp. 41-48, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
PAG E 41
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