On the Self-Stigma of Mental Illness: Stages, Disclosure, and Strategies for Change
Open accessAbstract
People with mental illness have long experienced prejudice and discrimination. Researchers have been able to study this phenomenon as stigma and have begun to examine ways of reducing this stigma. Public stigma is the most prominent form observed and studied, as it represents the prejudice and discrimination directed at a group by the larger population. Self-stigma occurs when people internalize these public attitudes and suffer numerous negative consequences as a result. In our article, we more fully define the concept of self-stigma and describe the negative consequences of self-stigma for people with mental illness. We also examine the advantages and disadvantages of disclosure in reducing the impact of stigma. In addition, we argue that a key to challenging self-stigma is to promote personal empowerment. Lastly, we discuss individual- and societal-level methods for reducing self-stigma, programs led by peers as well as those led by social service providers.
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The higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms in the chronic illness subsample are in line with the stage model of self-stigma.
“The levels of anxiety and depression symptoms being higher in the chronic illness subsample are findings that are in line with the stage model of self-stigma (Corrigan and Rao 2012), which states that the development from stigma to harm (in the form of psychological distress) takes time and develops through several stages.”
From Illness Stigma and Shame in People With Chronic Illnesses vs. SARS‐CoV‐2 Survivors: Associations With Psychological Distress Through Psychological Flexibility and Self‐Compassion. (2024) · cites this paper as Corrigan and Rao 2012
The 'A Stage Model of Self-Stigma' section describes successive stages and says harm occurs only after a person applies stigma to themselves. It identifies that harm chiefly as reduced self-esteem and self-efficacy, however, and cautions that depression may have other causes; it does not establish anxiety and depression symptoms as the model's predicted harm. No page number is available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe stage model of self-stigma states that the development from stigma to harm (in the form of psychological distress) takes time and develops through several stages.
“which states that the development from stigma to harm (in the form of psychological distress) takes time and develops through several stages.”
From Illness Stigma and Shame in People With Chronic Illnesses vs. SARS‐CoV‐2 Survivors: Associations With Psychological Distress Through Psychological Flexibility and Self‐Compassion. (2024) · cites this paper as Corrigan and Rao 2012
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- Authors
- Corrigan, P. W., & Rao, D.
- Affiliations
- Illinois Institute of Technology (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- Corresponding author
- Corrigan, Patrick W
- Venue
- The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2012-08
- Volume
- 57
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 464-469
- ISSN
- 0706-7437 (ISSN-L)
- 1497-0015
- PMC
- PMC3610943
- OpenAlex
- W1696303630
- Cited by
- 1,208
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 109 · 2025: 135 · 2024: 163 · 2023: 133 · 2022: 156 · 2021: 114 · 2020: 93 · 2019: 71 · 2018: 61 · 2017: 60 · 2016: 43 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 3.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- U.S. Public Health Service (NIMH 08598-01)
- National Institute of Mental Health (K23MH084551, P20MH085981)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychology and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mental Health and Patient Involvement
- Keywords
- self-stigma, mental illness, public stigma, stigma reduction, disclosure, self-empowerment, peer-led intervention, social service providers, prejudice and discrimination
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Mental Disorders, Humans, Internal-External Control, Power, Psychological, Prejudice, Self Concept, Self Disclosure, Self-Help Groups, Social Adjustment, Stereotyping, Social Stigma
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