Self-stigma major barrier to mental healthcare access – Psychiatrist
A Consultant Psychiatrist with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Temilade Adegbite, has identified self-stigma as a major factor limiting access to mental healthcare in Nigeria.
Adegbite said this in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Resident Doctors at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos.
She said self-stigma not only increased the risk of relapse but also damaged the therapeutic alliance between patients and healthcare providers, stressing the need for strategies to address the challenge.
According to her, beyond societal stigma toward mental illness, which remains a major barrier to mental health development, many people living with mental health conditions stigmatise themselves.
Adegbite said psycho-education played a critical role in addressing self-stigma, adding that social support, family education and challenging negative beliefs were effective measures.
The psychiatrist urged people living with mental health conditions to desist from self-perceived stigmatisation, including negative attitudes and internalised shame about their conditions.
“Unfortunately, negative attitudes and beliefs toward people with mental health conditions are common in Nigerian society.
“Do not let stigma create self-doubt or shame. Do not isolate yourself or equate yourself with your illness. Always seek help and speak out against stigma,” she said.
She advised individuals to focus more on managing symptoms and the effects of mental illness rather than allowing the condition to define their identity.
Adegbite also urged society to perceive mental illness like other treatable conditions such as malaria, ulcer or typhoid.
She warned that stigmatising people with mental illness could worsen their condition and, in extreme cases, lead to suicide or death.
The psychiatrist called for sustained educational anti-stigma interventions to correct misinformation and counter negative beliefs about mental illness in society.
She said public education should include information on the biological and genetic components of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.
Adegbite stressed that individuals should be recognised beyond their diagnosis, noting that a person’s illness did not define their identity, a goal she said could be achieved through advocacy.
“We should stop stigmatising people struggling with mental health conditions and instead show empathy, recognising that mental illness is a disease and not a choice,” she said.
