Stigma of Therapy

Intense, persistent feelings of distress and worry may overwhelm an individual, indicating the presence of anxiety. Apathetic inclinations over time may suggest that someone has depression. Coping with everyday internal struggles of identity or unforeseen traumatic life events such as a medical illness or death of a loved one can contribute to a sense of loneliness and a need for support. In these situations, psychotherapy, also known as “talk therapy” is a common form of treatment for people experiencing mental disorders such as anxiety and depression (What is Therapy?, n.d.). 

Typically, a psychotherapy session consists of a scheduled time to converse one-on-one with experienced and professional therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or licensed counselors about the ongoing difficulties affecting a patient’s mental health (What is Therapy?, n.d.). The need for psychotherapy is warranted considering the recent mental health trends. As of 2019, 51.5 million adults in the United States were diagnosed with “any mental illness” and 23.0 million of that proportion received some form of mental health services (National Institutes of Health, n.d.). A study conducted by Emory University indicated that 3 million more people were being treated for depression in 2015 in comparison to 1998 (Fagan, 2019). Trends indicate that this number is continuing to increase, demonstrating the need for establishing effective mental health treatments, including psychotherapy. 

Psychotherapy's effectiveness has been backed by robust scientific studies, with the American Psychiatry Association reporting that 75% of people who participate in psychotherapy demonstrate improvement in emotions and everyday behavior, allowing for overall better well being, fewer sick days, and enhanced work satisfaction (American Psychiatric Association, n.d.). Despite this, there still exists a stigma surrounding the treatment method in the public eye. Internal community pressures and peoples’ judgments of certain activities may induce  an overall reluctance towards accepting treatment. This is known as the stigma of therapy.

The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, established by President George W. Bush, defines stigma as “a cluster of negative attitudes and beliefs that motivate the general public to fear, reject, avoid, and discriminate against people with mental illnesses” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). Essentially, peoples’ attitudes towards mental illness and receiving therapy depend on a myriad of factors including personal experiences, cultural views, the media, and institutional practices (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). The media tends to portray mental illness through an exaggerated lens, oftentimes presenting a dramatized view that emphasizes an inaccurate representation of those in need of help, especially through movie and television productions (Srivastava et al., 2018). The University of Southern California Annenberg Inclusion Initiative emphasizes how films and television shows dehumanize characters that experience mental illness: 47% of movie characters with mental illness are ridiculed by other characters, 50% of television characters with mental illness were mocked, and 46% of film characters with mental illness displayed violent aggression (USC Annenberg, 2019). Additionally, cultural views play a role in how some people seek out help. Therapy has negative associations in many cultures, which creates a complicated obstacle to overcome when wanting to receive mental health treatment. 

Varying cultures have differing views on mental health, and traditionally, racial and ethnic minorities are less likely than White people to pursue outpatient therapeutic help. For example, many Asian American children feel the need to uphold a perfect, successful persona, so seeking help with mental health issues can cause friction between the values of the child and the family. Latin Americans are more likely to rely on their family as a support system rather than trusting a professional in psychotherapy. However, this may not be as beneficial since family members tend to focus on isolated symptoms such as lack of sleep rather than the root of the cause such as emotions. Many Black individuals have faced years of racism that have made them reluctant to receive care (Modir et al., 2020). Evidence for this can be linked to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study that started in 1932 and continued for 40 years: the members of the so-called clinical study unethically recruited African American men and deliberately misled the participants on the facts of the study (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). 

Furthermore, the socio-cultural conditioning of mental health contributes to the associated embarrassment felt by an individual seeking help (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). A potential method of eradicating the stigma of therapy would be through  community-wide efforts to educate the public on the benefits of psychotherapy and the misconceptions associated with mental illness. A research study focusing on the labels that 14-year-old students in England use to consciously or subconsciously stigmatize mental illness revealed that the majority of labels used were derogatory, followed by themes such as a negative emotional state, physical illness or learning disability, psychiatric categories, violence, and loneliness. When asked to describe someone who experiences mental illness, many students responded with phrases such as “cray,” “psycho,” and “freak” (Rose et al., 2007). These terms should never be associated with a mental illness patient. It is important to keep an open mind and willingness to learn. Cultural traditions can hold someone back in receiving the necessary treatment, but being able to recognize the symptoms and develop mental health educational programs can combat the cultural stigma around mental health–the call for educational programs is especially clear with how young students view mental illness. Realize that if you are experiencing mental health symptoms, there are many other people who are as well. 

It is essential to understand the real-life situations of people experiencing mental health issues. People with untreated mental illness may turn to smoking, binge-eating, and excessive alcohol use in order to cope with their current conditions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). This can lead to a cascade of negative effects, such as the development of chronic diseases and an overall imbalance in happiness. Unhappiness as a result of mental health illness may interfere with relationships with families and friends, cause a decrease in social-wellbeing, and have a deleterious effect on physical health. Additionally, the risk of drug overdose has increased to 70,237 deaths in 2017 and 90% of death by suicide has been associated with untreated mental illness (Ellis, 2019).  

The college environment is known for producing stressful situations for many students. Freshmen transitioning from high school to rigorous college courses, upperclassmen studying higher-level courses and juggling extracurriculars, and seniors applying for graduate school or a stable job all struggle with a perpetual state of stress. The University of Pittsburgh provides counseling services for students in need of mental health services. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, all of the on-campus services are provided on an accessible virtual platform. Some of these programs include, but are not limited to, the Virtual Group Counseling, 24-Hour Crisis Response (call 412-648-7930 x1), Psychiatry Services, and Let’s (tele)Talk. We encourage Pitt students to take advantage of these confidential and personal mental health services when experiencing anxiety, depression, or any other type of mental illness. Therapy is scientifically proven to alleviate stress with short-term and long-term benefits, and attending university-affiliated therapy sessions can always be a great first step. Do not allow the stigma of therapy to dissuade you from reaching out for the help you need.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). What is Psychotherapy? https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/psychotherapy

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Attitudes Toward Mental Illness. https://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/Mental_Health_Reports/pdf/BRFSS_Full%20Report.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee. https://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/timeline.htm

Ellis, M. E. (2019, March 27). The Real Cost of Untreated Mental Illness in America. Constellation Behavioral Health. https://www.constellationbehavioralhealth.com/blog/the-real-cost-of-untreated-mental-illness-in-america/

Fagan, A. (2019, May 21). More Americans Are Being Treated for Depression. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brainstorm/201905/more-americans-are-being-treated-depression

Modir, S., Alfaro, B., Casados, A., & Ruiz, S. (2020, August 4). Understanding the Role of Cultural Stigma on Seeking Mental Health Services. CHOC Children's. https://blog.chocchildrens.org/understanding-the-role-of-cultural-stigma-on-seeking-mental-health-services/

National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). Mental Illness. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml

Rose, D., Thornicroft, G., Pinfold, V., & Kassam, A. (2007, June 28). 250 labels used to stigmatise people with mental illness. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1925070/

Srivastava, K., Chaudhury, S., Bhat, P. S., & Mujawar, S. (2018). Media and Mental Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6198586/

USC Annenberg. (2019, May). Mental Health Conditions in Film & TV: Portrayals that Dehumanize and Trivialize Characters. http://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/aii-study-mental-health-media_052019.pdf

What is Therapy? (n.d.). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/therapy