Stigma and discrimination toward psychiatric patients

Abstract

as they are afraid of being stigmatized and labeled. The definition of stigma has been expanded from an individualistic focus to incorporate a set of social processes that link its components under one umbrella concept.5 Stigma is thus defined as occurring when human differences are labeled, leading to stereotyping and cognitively separating ‘us’ from ‘them’. It also causes loss of status and discrimination resulting in reduced life opportunities within the context of a power situation that allows these processes to unfold. The spectrum of emotional reactions that the stigmatizer (e.g. disgust) and the stigmatized (e.g. shame) experience has also been added as a key component to this process.6