Unlike illnesses like cancer or diabetes, patients may believe that they are somehow responsible for having a psychiatric disorder. As a result, the acknowledgment that one has a mental illness can be associated with a loss of self-esteem as well as the belief that others will be less accepting of the ill person. The stigma associated with mental illness may also lead to real discrimination in finding work or sustaining relationships. In addition, families may resist accepting that members have mental illness since they believe that this reflects poorly on them. These notions are, of course, false.
Psychiatric disorders are brain illnesses that arise through no fault of the patient or the family.
The Surgeon General's report also outlines other manifestations of stigma that can interfere with patient's receiving proper treatment. Restrictions in the insurance of treatment for psychiatric disorders represent a serious obstacle for individuals who are seeking treatment. It is based on the false belief that illnesses of the brain that are manifest in psychiatric symptoms should be treated differently from illnesses in other organ systems. Fortunately, progress is being made in all of the above areas. The treatment article by Joel Braslow illustrates one source of the stigma associated with psychiatric treatment.