5 Minute Pearls: Stigma as a Barrier to Mental Health Care

In this 5 Minute Pearls video, psychiatrist Aderonke Pederson, MD shares clinically relevant insights for why it's important to address mental illness stigma in an open way with patients.
● Four types of stigma are introduced, including internalized stigma, which is particularly damaging due to a devalued sense of self.
● Stigma can be directed at one's race, gender, and/or illness. When combined, this can have an exponential effect on their health outcomes.
● Stigma can have worse consequences than the illness itself and should be addressed directly to improve mental health experiences for patients.
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Presented by The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry in partnership with ASCP.
Aderonke Pederson, MD is a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
Access clinical resources and learn more at www.psychiatrist.com/.