- The Lancet The Commission called on World Mental Health Day on Monday (October 10) for countries and organizations to end mental health stigma and discrimination worldwide.
“Many people with lived experience of mental health conditions describe the stigma as ‘worse than the condition itself’,” said Graham Thornicroft, co-chair of the Lancet Commission to End Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health.
People with mental health problems “very often” face stigma and discrimination, according to a commission survey published on Monday. This not only has a “negative impact on their basic human rights in all aspects of life”, but also has a further adverse effect on mental health.
The study surveyed nearly 400 people from 40 countries with lived experience of mental health conditions. The majority of respondents said that governments should invest in long-term national programs to reduce stigma and discrimination, while a large proportion said that the media can play an important role in reducing it.
The commission and its report “come at a critical time, as access to mental health services remains inefficient in most parts of the world,” said Devora Kestel, director of WHO’s Department of Mental Health, in the launch of the commission on Monday.
Stigma and discrimination act “as barriers” to addressing social exclusion and human rights abuses of people living with mental health problems, he added.
These factors can also lead to reduced employment and income opportunities, as the link between mental health conditions and poverty is “particularly destructive” in low- and middle-income countries, according to the press release from The Lancet. In addition, people with mental health problems can be denied the right to vote, marry or inherit property.
“Health professionals themselves do not always know how to best diagnose and treat people with mental illness,” the statement continued.
Investment in mental health is, on average, only 2% of total health spending, and mental health conditions are often excluded from health insurance plans entirely, unlike most physical health conditions, added Lancet.
Globally, one in eight people – almost a billion people – lives with a mental illness, this rises to one in seven 10-19 year olds, according to the report.
COVID-19 shines a light on mental health
“The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in higher numbers of people experiencing mental health problems and urgent action is needed to ensure that these people do not also experience the potentially serious consequences of stigma and discrimination,” he said. said the report’s co-author, Charlene. Sunkel.
Experts estimate that during the first year of the pandemic, the prevalence of depression and anxiety increased by 25%, according to the Lancet statement.
The Lancet commission recommended eight actions to tackle the problem, including decriminalizing suicide, providing mental health training for health workers and developing guidelines for accurately portraying mental health in the media.
The call is open to governments, international organisations, employers, health providers and media organisations, along with active contributions from people with lived experience.
Such actions, according to Thornicroft, could “liberate millions of people around the world from social isolation, discrimination and human rights violations caused by stigma.”
Social contact is the key
According to the report, the most effective way to reduce stigma and discrimination is social contact between people with and without lived experience of mental health conditions.
In addition, the Lancet Commission highlighted the need for people with mental health problems to be strongly supported to lead or co-lead interventions that use social contact to reduce stigma and discrimination.
It is “crucial that we see more organized social contact, whether through in-person debates, video calls or through theater or film, between people with and without lived experiences of mental health problems if we are to end stigma and discrimination,” he said. Petr Winkler, Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Development of Public Mental Health Services.
“We need to put the voices of people with lived experience of mental health issues center stage,” Wrinkler said.
The role of the media was also highlighted, with Thornicroft describing it as a double-edged sword: “the media can play a harmful role in increasing stigma by reinforcing common stereotypes and misinformation. […]. The media also have great potential to be part of the solution to stigma and discrimination.”
The EU is expected to introduce a new initiative on mental health in 2023, as announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union address on 14 September
“We need to take better care of each other. And for many who feel anxious and lost, the right, accessible and affordable support can make a difference,” von der Leyen said when announcing the initiative.
[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]