Perceived Psychosocial Impact of Stigma on Patients Being Treated at Accra Psychiatric Hospital

Abstract

Individuals diagnosed with mental illness encounter stigma and discrimination under various circumstances and these negatively affect them. Even though support systems and attitudes of the general public act as sources of stigma, perceptions held by the patients also influence their sensitivity to the experiences they encounter. The purpose of this study was to describe the role of personal factors in bringing about stigma.It also explored the public attitudes toward individuals diagnosed with mental illness. The study described coping mechanisms used by individuals with mental illness in relation to their stigma experiences, as well as to identify ways of reducing the stigma against them. The effects of stigma on people diagnosed with mental illness were also described. The research adopted a descriptive-exploratory method using semi-structured interview guide to elicit subjective responses from out-patients at the Accra psychiatric hospital. The investigator purposively sampled and interviewed 12 out-patients coming for review. All the interviews were conducted in English. Thematic content analysis was applied in analyzing the data. Even though the results revealed different public behaviors such as social isolation, discrimination, mocking, labeling and gossips, as disturbing, the participants were also found to stigmatize themselves. They used various mechanisms in dealing with stigma including secrecy, withdrawal, relaxation techniques, confrontation, interaction with people, ignoring the stigmatizing agent, and in-group comparisons. The impact of the stigma experiences on participants was diverse. These include devaluing, loss of their partners in the form of separation, and divorce, exclusion, unemployment and the loss of self esteem. The participants mentioned public education, enacting laws that seek to protect and promote patient rights as well as government support, social support and inclusion as measures that could help reduce mental illness stigma in the community. To completely understand stigma associated with mental illness, the views of the patients in decision making is key. It is worth noting that despite the labels attached to them by society, no matter how they appear, they harbor ideas that would help them live independent lives such as training for good jobs, adequate salaries, taking part in social activities in the community, decent shelter, and effective and affordable healthcare. Patients would therefore need support from all sectors including families, friends, employers, the Ministry of health and its subsidiary the Ghana health service, and the general public in order to be able to overcome stigma and the effects associated with it.