The trouble with the stigma around mental illness

Let’s be clear. The stigma around mental illness can destroy people’s lives and have deadly consequences.

Stigma is a negative attitude someone holds about a person, or a group, for a particular reason. It comes from a lack of understanding, and people often fear what they don’t understand. 

1 in 4 people experience a mental health issue in the UK every year and 551,000 people in England are diagnosed with severe mental illness. 

Despite being so common:

• 90% of people living with severe mental illness I still feel that there isn’t enough awareness about what it means to live with a mental illness*.
• 88% of people living with severe mental illness report that stigma and discrimination is still widespread*.
• Three in five people living with severe mental illness said that worries about the perceptions of others stopped them seeking treatment*.

Stigma can come from society, employers, the media, and even our friends and family. It can be embedded in policies and processes which prevent people with SMI getting the support they need. People living with severe mental illness can believe the stigma, which can cause shame, reduce hope, and worsen symptoms.

The impact of stigma 

Stigma can impact the parts of a person's life that are critical in helping them to manage their illness:

Social security 

People living with severe mental illness who cannot work need access to financial support. Our research shows how much harder the process is for people with mental health issues compared to those with physical health issues.  

There are many reports of people living with severe mental illness not being believed and stop receiving their social security payments. This stigma by the Department of Work and Pensions contributes to the worsening of mental health, serious harm, and death of people living with severe mental illness. Rethink Mental Illness has been campaigning to improve how people are treated by the Department of Work and Pensions since 2021.

Housing 

People living with severe mental illness have higher rates of homelessness than the general population. Almost a third of people with a diagnosed condition say they have experienced stigma from neighbours or flatmates. Sadly, landlords may refuse prospective renters if they disclose mental illness, and they may be at higher risk of eviction. 

Employment 

People living with severe mental illness have much lower rates of employment compared to the general community. 300,000 people lose their jobs every year at around double the rate of those without a mental health condition. This is more people than the entire population of Bradford. Stigma can also prevent people from being hired or given appropriate support to do their job.

Breaking the cycle 

Stigma about SMI is everybody’s business. Tackling stigma is everybody’s responsibility. 

The Labour government has stated that understanding the root causes of why people with mental health problems are out of work will help them to achieve their number one mission: Kickstart Economic Growth.  

The government’s fifth mission: Build an NHS Fit for the Future, includes a commitment to reduce suicide rates, to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history, and to give mental health the same attention as physical health.  

The effects of stigma must be investigated for these missions to be achieved. A cross-government plan would enable stigmatising and contradictory policies and procedures to be identified and addressed.  

Dedicated and determined government action to reduce stigma about mental illness could help people living with severe mental illness to return to and maintain employment, live healthier lives for longer, live in safe and appropriate housing, and receive empathic and effective treatment when they need it.