Stigma

“Stigma and discrimination, throughout history, have exposed people with mental health conditions to its oftendevastating consequences and has built an unwelcoming society where structures and behaviours forced people with mental health conditions to defend their humanity and value.”

- Charlene Sunkel, Founder and CEO of the Global Mental Health Peer Network and one of the authors of the aforementioned Lancet Commission.

The media is a powerful role player when it comes to perpetuating stigma, especially when they reinforce negative stereotypes that can bring harm to persons with a mental illness. These portrayals have often been negative, inaccurate or violent representations Take the film, Joker, for example. A 2020 study found that viewing the film "was associated with higher levels of prejudice toward those with mental illness." The authors also suggested that "Joker may exacerbate self-stigma for those with a mental illness, leading to delays in help seeking." (American Psychiatric Association 2020).

Stigma is incredibly harmful, but it does not have to be inevitable

Evidence from high-and low-income countries suggests that anti-stigma interventions can change public attitudes for the better (WHO, 2022) The Lancet Commission (Thornicroft et al. 2022) reports that the most effective anti-stigma programmes involve people with lived experience as coproducers in all aspects of development, when target groups are consulted on programme content and delivery, and when programmes are sustained over the long term