{"id":55461,"date":"2025-07-08T14:21:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T14:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/?p=55461"},"modified":"2025-07-08T14:21:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T14:21:14","slug":"uncovering-the-role-of-self-stigma-in-clinical-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/uncovering-the-role-of-self-stigma-in-clinical-depression\/","title":{"rendered":"Uncovering the Role of Self-Stigma in Clinical Depression"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Self-stigma<\/strong> has always intrigued me, both in my clinical work and personal life. While much research has explored different types of mental health stigma<\/strong>\u2014whether public<\/strong>, systemic<\/strong>, or internalized<\/strong>\u2014the most insidious kind often comes from within. As the famous horror quote says, \u201cThe call is coming from inside the house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pain of Internalized Stigma<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shame<\/strong> and guilt<\/strong>\u2014those sharp emotional stings and long-lasting aches\u2014are at the heart of stigma. Internalized stigma<\/strong> doesn\u2019t just affect mental health; it appears across other societal dimensions too: internalized racism<\/strong>, misogyny<\/strong>, antisemitism<\/strong>, ableism<\/strong>, and more. These forms of self-directed prejudice slowly corrode a person\u2019s self-worth<\/strong>, reinforce external stigma, and perpetuate cycles of discrimination across generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, most psychiatric research on self-stigma has historically focused on conditions like schizophrenia<\/strong>, bipolar disorder<\/strong>, and psychosis<\/strong>, likely due to their more visible social stigma. Yet, despite being widespread and socially “normalized,” major depressive disorder (MDD)<\/strong> and related conditions\u2014PTSD<\/strong>, OCD<\/strong>, anxiety<\/strong> and ADHD<\/strong> have received comparatively less attention in self-stigma studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Global Study: Depression, Self-Stigma, and Empowerment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A recent paper in the Journal of Affective Disorders<\/em> (Lasalvia et al., 2025) explores self-stigma<\/strong> in individuals diagnosed with MDD<\/strong>, with an emphasis on empowerment<\/strong>\u2014a concept that counters low self-esteem<\/strong>, shame<\/strong>, and hopelessness<\/strong> often seen in depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cross-national study included over 1,000 participants from 34 countries as part of the ASPEN\/INDIGO-Depression project. Researchers measured:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Empowerment<\/strong> using the Boston University Empowerment Scale (BUES).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Self-esteem<\/strong> with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Self-stigma<\/strong> through the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI)<\/strong> scale.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    They also examined country-specific results through the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI)<\/strong> to assess cultural and socioeconomic influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How Self-Stigma Works<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Self-stigma develops in three phases:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Awareness<\/strong> of public mental health stereotypes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Belief<\/strong> in these stereotypes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Identification<\/strong> with them personally.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      This internal process undermines self-esteem<\/strong>, damages relationships<\/strong>, and disrupts daily functioning<\/strong>. More critically, it creates a vicious feedback loop between depression<\/strong> and negative self-perception<\/strong>, making recovery more difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In contrast, higher self-esteem<\/strong> supports resilience<\/strong>, motivation<\/strong>, and self-care<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The Power of Empowerment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Empowerment<\/strong> is a vital part of recovery. It increases a person’s sense of control\u2014what psychologists call internal locus of control<\/strong>\u2014and is linked with hope<\/strong>, optimism<\/strong>, and active participation<\/strong> in treatment decisions. In psychoanalytic terms, it aligns with what Bion called the psychoanalytic function of the personality<\/strong>\u2014the ability to face emotional truth and integrate it in a constructive way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      What the Study Found<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The research found that self-stigma<\/strong> had a direct and indirect negative impact<\/strong> on empowerment<\/strong>, especially through lowered self-esteem<\/strong>. In fact, 42% of participants<\/strong> reported elevated levels of self-stigma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      These patterns were observed across all countries, regardless of their HDI<\/strong>, though higher-development countries<\/strong> showed a stronger impact<\/strong>\u2014perhaps due to more subtle societal pressures. This underlines the universal need to address stigma<\/strong>, both internally and systemically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Implications for Treatment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The study suggests that tackling self-stigma<\/strong> could significantly improve recovery outcomes for people with depression. This includes using:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Therapy<\/strong> targeting negative self-beliefs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Peer-led interventions.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Programs designed to boost self-esteem<\/strong> and empowerment.<\/strong>
        <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Such efforts may help people engage in treatment more fully and regain their sense of agency<\/strong> and future hope<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Given that depression<\/strong> affects more than mood\u2014impacting motivation, self-worth, decision-making, and physical health\u2014addressing self-stigma<\/strong> is not just important, it\u2019s essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        A Path to Healing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Recognizing and working through internalized stigma<\/strong> is a demanding emotional process. It requires self-compassion<\/strong> and sometimes professional support<\/strong>. On a broader level, society must also acknowledge and dismantle the external stigmas<\/strong> that shape our internal worlds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Self-stigma has always intrigued me, both in my clinical work and personal life. While much research has explored different types of mental health stigma\u2014whether public, systemic, or internalized\u2014the most insidious kind often comes from within. As the famous horror quote says, \u201cThe call is coming from inside the house.\u201d The Pain of Internalized Stigma Shame […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55462,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[181],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55461"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55466,"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55461\/revisions\/55466"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychologydictionary.ae\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}