Social perceptions, views, and attitudes have a very real effect on the impetus for those who experience mental health related concerns to seek care. According to Psychology Today, “[t]here are still attitudes within most societies that view symptoms of psychopathology as threatening and uncomfortable, and these attitudes frequently foster stigma and discrimination towards people with mental health problems.”
Types of mental health stigma can fall under social stigma and self stigma. Social stigma occurs when an individual who is brave enough to admit they have a mental health problem receives various types of discrimination or societal backlash. Perceived stigma occurs when the individual internalizes perceptions of discrimination or shame, which inhibits that individual from seeking care.
In 2013, nearly 55 percent of practicing physicians were 55 years or older, and about 70 percent of all active psychiatrists were 50 years older. Combine this picture of an ageing and close to retirement subset of the psychiatric workforce with the social stigma surrounding seeking help for mental health issues, and you have a perfect storm of a lack of education surrounding mental health, barriers to access to care, and a shortage of mental health professionals.
To help combat stigma and encourage your patients to seek help for their mental healthcare issues, it is important that they understand the basics of psychology and their care options.
Barton Associates created a basic psychology quiz with the help of our Editorial Board Member, Melissa DeCapua, DNP, PMHNP, to help start the movement towards education.
How well do you know the basics of psychology? Take our quiz and find out!
Note: For correct answers to the quiz, see below.
Responding to the mental healthcare crisis is one of the greatest challenges facing the healthcare system today. Barton Associates is always here to help your facility find the best mental health providers to meet and overcome the barriers to care your community faces. Find out more at Bartonassociates.com.
Repeat Disclaimer! (Do Not Cheat)
- True
- False: Bipolar disorder affects more than 5 million American adults according to the National Institute of Mental Health and does affect children.
- True
- True
- False: One of the most common misconceptions about schizophrenia is that it is “split personality,” which is completely false. The word “schizo” does mean “split,” but Eugen Bleuler, who coined the term schizophrenia in the 1920s, was describing the rupture in the person’s thinking process and emotional response.
- True
- True
- True
- False: The lifetime incidence of suicide is patients with schizophrenia is about 10% compared with less than 1% of the general population
- True
