[UK] Prisoners of stigma

Millions of people with mental illness are unable to do everyday things like going shopping, making new friends or applying for jobs, according to a survey conducted by the British mental health charity Rethink.

The survey of more than 3,000 people with mental disorders reveals that this includes people you expect to love you unconditionally, your family, (36%), closely followed by employers (35%), neighbors (31%), friends (25%) and family doctors (23%).

At the other end of the discriminators' league table, children (5%), teachers (8%), retailers (10%), and public transport workers (10%) are revealed as the groups who are most accepting of people with mental health problems.

The findings, which will shape a high-profile £18 million mental health anti-stigma campaign, reveal that:

• Nearly nine out of 10 people with mental health problems have been affected by stigma and discrimination, with two thirds saying they have stopped doing things because of the stigma they face. Stigma stops people with mental health problems from doing everyday things such as applying for jobs, making new friends, and going out to pubs and shops. It can even prevent people from reporting a crime.



• People with mental health problems want the anti-stigma campaign to target schools and the media to change attitudes and reduce prejudice.



• Carers of people with mental health problems also stop doing things because of the stigma and discrimination that they face.

Paul Corry, Rethink's director of public affairs, says: "Our research clearly shows that stigma and discrimination are ruining people's lives. People with mental health problems have enough on their plates without facing additional pressure caused by other people's archaic and bigoted opinions.

Janey Antoniou, who has schizophrenia, recalls one example of the stigma she encountered: "I had a neighbor who used to run inside when she saw me because she had once seen me taken to the hospital by the police in my dressing gown. The fact that I'd walked down the road with a briefcase thousands of times seemed irrelevant."

"The Moving People anti-stigma campaign will lay firm foundations for ending mental health discrimination in the UK, but long term it is essential that the government ploughs hefty resources into tackling the problem, as has been done in Scotland and New Zealand. As an employer, the government could also lead by example and employ more people with mental health problems within its departments, and encourage other public sector bodies to do the same," said Mr Corry.

The 'Moving People' anti-stigma campaign will be launched in January 2009 with funding from the Big Lottery Fund and Comic Relief and will be evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College, London.

Full survey results/additional information... ()