#017 - Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health (Prof. Graham Thornicroft)

In today’s episode we discuss the origins of stigma, from the etymology of the word itself to historical depictions of mental asylums. We draw lines of distinction between concepts such as ignorance, prejudice and discrimination and how each of these manifests in the real world.

We explore how the media depicts mental illness, how stigma is actually measured and quantified by researchers, the importance of anti-stigma campaigns such as Time To Change and the ways in which they’ve proved successful.

We touch on the recent trend in anti-stigma campaigns aimed specifically towards men, we ask if discrimination is ever justified, and most importantly Graham gives a few tips on how people with mental health issues can navigate the potential minefield of disclosure.

For show notes and to join the conversation visit: http://myownworstenemy.org/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Follow Danny on Twitter: http://twitter.com/dannydwhittaker