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Cited by 162Mental Health Treatment and AccessSocial and Intergroup PsychologyRacial and Ethnic Identity Research

“Depression is who I am”: mental illness identity, stigma and wellbeing

Cruwys, Tegan, Gunaseelan, Sathiavaani·2016·Journal of Affective Disorders
DOI 10.1016/j.jad.2015.09.012
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Abstract

Background Previous research has found that in the face of discrimination, people tend to identify more strongly with stigmatized groups. Social identification can, in turn, buffer wellbeing against the negative consequences of discrimination. However, this rejection identification model has never been tested in the context of mental illness identity.Methods A survey was conducted with 250 people with diagnosed depression or current symptoms of at least moderate clinical severity.Results Experiencing mental illness stigma was associated with poorer wellbeing. Furthermore, people who had experienced such stigma were more likely to identify as a depressed person. Social identification as depressed magnified, rather than buffered, the relationship between stigma and reduced wellbeing. This relationship was moderated by perceived social norms of the depressed group for engaging in depressive thoughts and behaviors.Conclusions These findings suggest that mental illness stigma is a double-edged sword: as well as the direct harms for wellbeing, by increasing identification with other mental illness sufferers, stigma might expose sufferers to harmful social influence processes.

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  • Some authors have highlighted the social role of diagnostic labels, such as Cruwys and Gunaseelan (111) who found that people diagnosed with depression tended to identify more with their diagnosis when they faced stigma, using the identification with a group as a buffer against discrimination.

    “Some authors have highlighted the social role of diagnostic labels, such as Cruwys and Gunaseelan (111) who found that people diagnosed with depression tended to identify more with their diagnosis when they faced stigma, using the identification with a group as a buffer against discrimination.”

    From Recovery from Severe Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review of Service User and Informal Caregiver Perspectives (2021) · cites this paper as [111]

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Authors
Cruwys, T., & Gunaseelan, S.
Affiliations
The University of Queensland (AU)
Corresponding author
Cruwys, Tegan
ORCID
Cruwys, Tegan
Venue
Journal of Affective Disorders
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-01
Volume
189
Pages
36-42
ISSN
0165-0327 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jad.2015.09.012
OpenAlex
W1875970793
Cited by
162
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 6
FWCI
12.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Affective Disorders (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
Keywords
mental health stigma, depression, social identification, well-being, discrimination, social norms, social influence
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Queensland, Social Adjustment, Social Identification, Stereotyping, Social Stigma

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