Stigma Surrounding PTSD

This website is one of the best websites I found for an intro to the stigma surrounding PTSD. It categorizes the four kinds of stigma:

PUBLIC STIGMA – public endorsing inaccurate stereotypes

SELF-STIGMA – internalized beliefs of outside opinions

LABEL AVOIDANCE – avoid the label of ‘mental illness’ or “trauma”

STRUCTURAL STIGMA – institutional policies that alter their services according to the public stigma

Structural stigma causes intense alienation for people afflicted with PTSD. This is seen in the current institutions in Canada and the United States, which give little funding to mental health programs. This article details the complexities of stigma and how it manifests through social resources and attitudes in todays society.