GCU Professor joins mission to free Scotland from stigma of mental illness

Glasgow Caledonian University’s Professor of Applied Psychology Simon Hunter has joined an expert group on a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy “to achieve the vision of a Scotland, free from stigma".

The move follows the publication of a Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Study last year, which Professor Hunter helped to lead and design. The study revealed the full impact of stigma and discrimination on people with severe, enduring and complex mental illnesses.

The Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Study was carried out by See Me, Scotland's programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination, in collaboration with the Mental Health Foundation, VOX Scotland and Glasgow Caledonian.

The Scottish Government has launched a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and See Me plans to bring a group of experts together to look at how best to achieve its “vision of a Scotland, free from stigma”.

The aim of the expert group is to offer advice and recommendations on specific action needed to create a step change in the reduction of mental health stigma through strategic, collaborative and accelerated action.

Professor Hunter, who is based in the Department of Psychology in the University’s School of Health and Life Sciences, and leads the Research Centre for Health (ReaCH) Child and Adolescent Health Research Group, said: “I’m excited to join See Me to support their goal of a stigma-free Scotland.

“This builds directly on the results of the Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Survey where we identified the extraordinary breadth and depth of stigma relating to mental illness experienced by adults across all aspects of their lives.

“This expert group means we now have the opportunity to help translate those findings into real and meaningful change in the lives of people across Scotland.”

The Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Study revealed that people with complex mental illnesses experience discrimination in many areas of their lives, causing them to withdraw from relationships, friendships, work and health care.

The study explored the experiences of people who live with long-term, enduring mental illnesses, and who have faced stigma over the last year. It found that nine in 10 had suffered stigma in relationships, nearly eight in 10 in healthcare services, and 71% in employment.

Years of stigma and discrimination towards people with mental illness has left people feeling ashamed and assuming that the public, and people in positions of power think the worst of them, including that they are to blame for their conditions, while more than half of people with mental illness said they respect themselves less because they think they will never get better.

Participants were asked to identify the three life areas where stigma had the greatest impact. Of those who identified mental healthcare services, more than half (58%) have avoided calling an ambulance or attending A&E when in need of emergency help for their mental health, due to previous negative experiences.

For those who chose relationships, four in 10 (45%) participants agreed that they had stopped themselves from starting a family or having children due to mental health stigma; in employment, 85% stopped themselves from applying for jobs; and in mental healthcare services, 80% had also stopped themselves from getting help from mental health services.