The Psychology Behind Labelling and Stigma

Mental health diagnosis involves asking patients about their symptoms, the frequency of these symptoms, typical behaviours, intensity, and then conducting a psychological evaluation. The diagnostic process may give mixed outcomes; some may get a clear understanding of their mental health, while others may suffer from societal judgments and stigmatised reactions from colleagues, friends, and family. This may lead to a poor public image of the patients and their health. This can raise doubts about whether diagnosis helps or harms the patient. 

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The Purpose and Use of Diagnosis 

In today’s time, two major systems are used to diagnose mental health conditions: the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). DSM is the classification system by which identification is made, according to the established criteria. Professionals can use mental health diagnoses to help them interact with patients and decide which treatment strategy is best for a certain situation (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Apart from the technicalities of the diagnosis, people are supposed to feel relaxed after sharing their experiences, they must feel heard, and get clarity. Because clinicians are the primary and most expected support system for them. A common language, standardised criteria can provide an easy way to interact with patients, and patients also get proper words to express themselves. So, they all may take advantage of the diagnosis. For instance, one is feeling anxiety in social places, and those signs are unexplainable. Those people get relief from initiating the diagnosis process and finding the right treatment. This is also important in insurance claims and pension schemes (A Short Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis, n.d.). 

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The Downside of Diagnosis 

Thomas Scheff in 1966 developed the labelling theory, which is based the social interactionism as a base. People derive meaning from their social interaction. Scheff explained this about mental illness: individuals with mental illness have experiences that also include how society treats them. When one’s behaviour violates the code of social norms, other people consider that person to be mentally ill.

This is how people give labels, and constant labelling leads the person to think about themselves as the same as what the label says, such as weak, mentally ill. Eventually, they try to change their actions according to labels. Just think of a hypothetical situation, if a person with bipolar disorder exhibits mood swings. People around them cannot accept it as a natural reaction and react to them indifferently because of a rigid perspective that comes from the diagnosis.

Hence, people with mental illness lose their confidence to express themselves. In this way, the labels can overpower their core identity, and it affects them. Labelling encourages more negative beliefs, stigmas affecting the person who is going through all of the inner and outer conflicts, and they also start seeing themselves negatively about their mental disorder.

Stigma refers to the negative beliefs, attitudes toward people with mental illness that come from stereotypes, prejudice. There is public stigma where society is collectively biased against people with mental illness, and conversely, self-stigma, where people incorporate other people’s negative views. Structural stigma, where discrimination or ostracisation takes place in the form of access based on diagnosis (Corrigan & Watson, 2002). 

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The Psychological Impact of Labelling 

“Self-fulfilling prophecy” is one of the impacts that has been observed. If people get a diagnosis related to mental health, and they indulge in predictions, misinterpretation, and even their actions follow those mild symptoms, they consider themselves broken (Link & Phelan, 2001). This can impact their self-concept; they might feel socially withdrawn, excluded. Their self-esteem may be lowered along with other issues. 

Cultural factors 

Cultural factors influence how people understand the diagnosis and how public stigma may become a hindrance to the accessibility of care. Not only do different traditions stand out in cultural diversity, but those cultures also vary in their understanding related mental health issues, and that tells how this is incorporated within diagnosis, treatment, organisation, and financing for services. Other than Western cultures, mental illness is still subject to shame, superstitions. That is something one must hide from everyone else. In such circumstances, one can feel alone (Kleinman, 1988). 

Most of the time, standardised DSM criteria are used to diagnose Hispanics, African Americans. This diagnostic process does not consider the cultural context that can affect the behavioural pattern, attitudes. This can lead to errors in the perception of clinicians, which have consequences. For example, the African American population is more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia due to cultural misunderstandings and racial bias in clinical settings (Olbert, Nagendra, & Buck, 2018). 

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Diagnosis Without Context

Sometimes these formalities of the objectified approach can interfere with recognising other factors like a recent mourning incident, past trauma, conditioning, and socioeconomic hardships. For example, if someone is grieving a loss, that person is labelled as “depressed,”. This can highlight how underdiagnosis or overdiagnosis occurs. 

Awareness Makes Falling Things Go in the Right Places

Awareness campaigns can change stereotypes, prejudices by making them understand the sensitivity, the real meanings of some terms, practice of social inclusion. This can change the outlook to see its diagnosis, treatments, while accepting the people with mental illness as they are. The evolved perspective of society can encourage clinicians to be more accountable and responsible. By which, they can adopt new approaches to reduce the disadvantages of diagnosis, such as person-centred and trauma-informed approaches. 

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Conclusion 

In conclusion, mental health diagnosis can be both a guiding light and a heavy burden. While it helps people find clarity, treatment, and validation, it can also lead to labelling, stigma, and misjudgment. When diagnosis overlooks personal, cultural, or contextual factors, it risks oversimplifying human struggles. Labels may overshadow identities, affecting self-worth and social inclusion. Awareness about mental illness, empathy can reduce these harmful effects. Providing support from family, society, and clinicians should be the main motive. 

FAQs 

1. Can diagnosis and labelling cause harm? 

It can give mixed outcomes; some people get clarity about their mental health, while others suffer from fear of judgment, discrimination, and stigmatising surroundings. 

2. What are the negative effects of labelling? 

Stigma, underdiagnosis, or overdiagnosis, discrimination, psychological impact, like fear of judgment, damaged self-perception, low self-esteem 

3. What is the psychology of labels? 

Social interactionism serves as the foundation for the labelling theory. People derive meaning from their social interaction. Label theory explains that this is about mental illness: individuals with mental illness have experiences that also include how society treats them. When one’s behaviour violates the code of social norms, other people consider that person to be mentally ill. This is how people give labels, and constant labelling leads the person to think about themselves as the same as what the label says, such as weak, mentally ill. Eventually, they try to change their actions according to labels.