No one should be alone in this. We can help. View New Content

[Lindsay]

Stigma Still Shadows Psychiatric Care


-- A new analysis finds Americans conflicted when it comes to psychiatric drugs: Most think they would work well, but they still wouldn't use them.

While people increasingly understand mental illness, have sympathy for it and appreciate advances in its treatment, the stigma associated with taking antidepressants and psychiatric drugs remains high, according to a new report from researchers at the Indiana Consortium for Mental Health Services Research at Indiana University, Bloomington. The report was funded, in part, by the National Institute of Mental Health.

"Even though people verbalize the notion that they are accepting of psychological disorders of all kinds, there is this residual feeling that a psychological disorder is a character flaw," said Dr. Charles Goodstein, a psychoanalyst and clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine.

This stigma means that, for many, "not using [a psychiatric drug] means they never had such a flaw at all," he said.

In the study, the Indiana team reviewed data from the 1998 Surgeon General's Social Survey of 1,400 Americans. They found that:

* Approximately two-thirds said psychiatric drugs do help people with mental health woes deal with day-to-day anxiety, control their symptoms, and improve family relationships;
* Just 56 percent said they would be willing to take medication to alleviate panic attacks;
* 41 percent would do so if they were diagnosed with depression;
* And only about a third would be willing to take them for personal troubles or stress.

Why the reluctance to take psychiatric drugs, when most would have little qualms about taking a drug to ease a physical malady?

"I think they are afraid of what is going to happen to them, which for most people is undo caution," said sociologist Bernice A. Pescosolido, director of the consortium. "They've been primed by the media about what might happen in the first two weeks, when some people have a risk for suicide." She noted that psychiatric medications must not be taken unless the patient is being monitored closely by a doctor experienced and qualified in their use.

There is reason for concern, added Goodstein.

"Sometimes the drugs are prescribed excessively or for some type of performance enhancement, and they do have side effects," he said. "They should not be taken in casual ways. Too often patients get them from practitioners just because they have samples around."

People may also shy away from psychiatric drugs because they think they will face stigma from others, Pescosolido said. She recounted the story of a friend who, following her divorce, took her fifth grader for therapy. After the boy's doctor prescribed him an antidepressant, he said, "That's it! I can't run for president."

Much depends on whether a patient trusts the doctor who prescribed the drugs, Pescolido said. About seven of 10 Americans reported trusting their own physician, but six of 10 were skeptical of doctors in general, suspecting them of taking unnecessary risks, charging for unnecessary services, performing unnecessary surgeries and not acting in their patients' best interests.

And though many of the new generation SSRI antidepressantsm such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft, are part of long-term therapy, 47 percent of respondents said psychiatric medications should be discontinued once symptoms go away.

"There is a real link in the public mind between mental illness and 'dangerousness,' and that is what is fueling the stigma," said Pescosolido. "Americans have become more sophisticated and knowledgeable about mental illness, and everybody assumed the stigma was going away. We can't accept that."

The report will be published online Tuesday by the Indiana Consortium for Mental Health Services Research.

More information

For more on mental health and mental disorders, visit the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.
02.27.06, 12:00 AM ET
Reviewed Jan 2010

[LoonATiK]

my own mother is bipolar and still carries a stigma towards MI and those with MI. she constantly discourages me from taking my meds.

this is a true evaluation of the situation in this country today.

i think that it is true that most people say they would avoid anti-depressant medication...until they face depression, then they'd be begging for relief, like all of us!

[jimbow15]

Hi,
Unfortunately here in the Uk it is the same problem. If you have a MH issue then getting a job is difficult. We have closed all our institutions down and now we have community care and small community based units.

Funding is an issue, so it lack of any real support once a seriously psychotic client is placed in the community and causes problems because he/she decided not to take their medication!!

Community Outreach Teams, Crisis Interventation Teams and Community Psychiatric Nurses have been cutback so there is now more unsupported clients in the community, and you can guess what happens if one of them kills someone - Headlines all over the press.

So many people are released from Secure Units here with no backup, and can wander around town with no job, no money and have a crisis. Well that is community care for you. And you wonder why the general public have issues with MH community based units near their homes - lack of real support for the clients.

Jim Bow

[lonleysindy]

In Canada we still have different levels of care, doctor visits, out patient, in patient, and of coures 24/7 lock down. I think here people are uneducated and think if they tell there doctor they will be instutionalized forever. Or be referred to as crazy which people have said to me. I just reply ,no crazier then you ,i just decided to get help.

I would prefer taking meds them constantly fighting the feeling that death would be better. I really don't care what people think. Once the meds are figured out I can act "normal" and get a job and carry on with life the same as everyone else.

I think the less people start to care about what others think of them the more understanding and education will be achieved. I tell the people who say I don't need pills what I am like without them and that it is an actuall form of sickness. And by taking my meds I can cope better and become a contributing member of society.

Because of my illness and that I speck openly about it to people I think I am educating my little world and it helps to figure out who my friend are, the ones that will help through the bad times and will be there to enjoy the good time with me.

[Sweet Melissa]

I have to admit that I never tell people my diagnosis of Bipolar 2. I HATE telling my new doctors, in fact, because I feel that they judge me for taking a mood stabilizer. It doesn't seem to matter that I have been stabil for years, have a highly successful career, and am a great mother and wife. I take Lamictal (just like I take Synthroid for my Thyroid condition) and I think of it as a "maintenance" drug. I would NEVER tell anyone at work. I don't want to be judged.

[Sweet Melissa]

Because of my illness and that I speck openly about it to people I think I am educating my little world and it helps to figure out who my friend are, the ones that will help through the bad times and will be there to enjoy the good time with me.

I have to say that I am a little envious that you are able to speak so openly about your illness. I'm embarrassed. As much as I'd like to educate the world, I don't want people to know those details about me.

[MarcusCole]

I agree that there is still very high stigma. Me and my wife just joined a great movement called 'No Kidding, Me Too' after we saw a documentary we found on Amazon by the same name. It's about removing the stigma of mental illness. "Please PM Member for Link" and if you wan to get the documentary it really is very good, especially if you're trying to start a dialogue within a family.

Edited by Trace, 12 August 2010 - 03:55 AM.
Link Removed as per TOS