Research Article

Strategies to Fight Stigma toward People with Mental Disorders: Perspectives from Different Stakeholders

Table 1

Categories of strategies used to reduce prejudice and stigma.

Categories
All
( )
%Rank

Educating/teaching
I try to make people around me aware of prejudice whenever I get the chance by explaining what mental health problems are. (Clinician/professional)42%1

Normalizing
I think that people who receive a diagnosis are like everyone else and they shouldn’t be treated differently. (Clinician/professional)32%2

Working on recovery
I help them to keep faith […], I work with their strengths and their potentialities. I think with them, rather than taking charge of them or trying to save them. (Coordinator)19%3

Working on social inclusion
I work with mental health clients, I help them to “mingle” in society through various activities. (Clinician/professional)15%4

Listening/caring
…listening to them, welcoming them. (User of mental health services)
I place importance on what the person with the diagnosis thinks and expresses. (Coordinator)
11%5

Sharing/encouraging disclosure
I share my story of mental illness. (User of mental health services)
Encouraging and supporting people with mental illness to disclose and share their experiences. (Director/manager)
9%6

Accepting/respecting
I try not to judge these people. (User of mental health services)
Respecting their point of view, opinions on their needs and services received. (Clinician/professional)
8%7

Reframing words
I insist that they not be called fools during meetings with others. (Clinician/professional)7%8

Giving successful examples
This can be done by showing specific examples of people who have come out of the hospital and were able to live a normal life, like anyone else. (Clinician/professional)7%9

Doing introspective work
You have to be willing to address these issues, to confront yourself, with respect to people with disabilities, to let go of ideas or imagination linked to ignorance. (Clinician/professional)6%10

Meeting/coming close to
I am close to people with mental health problems and these people are my friends. (Parent/friend)3%11

Defending rights
I campaign for the defence of mental health rights. (User of mental health services)3%12

Acting on an organizational level
I am creating new recovery programs, representation at the health agency … (Clinician/professional)2%13

Being natural
I stay natural with everyone. (User of mental health services)2%14

Paying attention to language
I remove inadequate vocabulary: - user; services user. Person first! (Clinician/professional)1%15