What Will It Take to Stop the Stigma?
This is not a rhetorical question. I am bemoaning the fact that a good friend who actually knows better recently stated today that vandalism on a nearby building must have been done by someone who was mentally ill and stopped taking their medication. What? When I confronted her assumption, she immediately apologized and admitted her faux pas. The good news is that she quickly rectified her stereotypic statement. Perhaps that would not have happened 10 years ago. But why do we still have to contend with so much stigma against people with mental health issues?
A recently published review of 44 studies indicates that stigma is still perpetuated by among a large sector of health care providers for individuals with schizophrenia. (Kruse EA and Dodell-Feder D (2025) Schizophrenia spectrum stigma in healthcare: a systematic review. Front. Psychiatry 16:1648957. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1648957) The reviewed studies included medical students, nurses, physicians, psychologists, and community health workers. Overall, the findings indicated that stigma towards individuals with schizophrenia is greatest among practitioners with less exposure and less specialized training while greater familiarity with schizophrenia either through personal/professional contact or specific training with recovery- oriented frameworks reduced avoidance and fears related to stigma. What this means is that it is very important that individuals with symptoms of schizophrenia find the right mental health practitioners. There are many medically and psychologically-trained practitioners who may unintentionally perpetuate negative stereotyping and inadvertently discourage recovery goals.
The importance of having current treatment information and working with recovery as a goal cannot be overstated. Often the first point of contact with a healthcare provider can influence the crucial early stages of treatment. If the provider is uncomfortable, biased in negative ways, or pessimistic about treatment outcomes, no one benefits. If mental health professionals hold hidden or overt prejudices, they may underestimate a person's capabilities, show pity rather than empathy, or act in condescending, patronizing ways. When encountering practitioners who do not believe in the recovery model, many individuals and families hear, “This is as good as it gets” when more can still be accomplished.
Many who have recovered from schizophrenia have no doubt encountered professionals’ biases and stigmas. If this is what you are experiencing and hearing, you may decide to look for someone who has specialized training and isn't ready to give up. Finding informed help can be difficult but not impossible. Or, perhaps the provider will be willing to learn and listen to what you are needing. You may have to be the educator, sharing current recovery information and confronting stigma. That kind of openness can be healthy for all.
To answer, “What will it take?” I say it will still take more work. For families and individuals coping with symptoms of schizophrenia, we know that we are facing a challenging illness that is still misunderstood by many. Recovery is difficult enough, but we also often encounter stigmas resulting in avoidance, fear, and hopelessness that complicates this recovery. Stigmas abound among friends, neighbors, work associates, and even our healthcare providers. Finding support with each other in the form of peer groups and like-minded friends can be helpful and comforting. But actually, sharing our stories with others is a great way to break down the stereotyping and to “fight the stigma.”