Running head: STIGMA 1
SOWK 6090 Week 1 Assignment
Racquel Walsh
Walden University
STIGMA 2
There are various ways in which stigma can influence as well as cause harm to an
individual. According to Corrigan and Rao, there are three different ways in which stigma can
harm individuals with mental illness which are label avoidance, blocked life goals, as well as self-
stigma. (Corrigan & Rao 2012). In regards to label avoidance, whenever an individual decides to
seek treatment either two things will and can happen, the individual will not engage in treatment
or the individual will not complete treatment in its entirety. A perfect example of this would be
individuals that are diagnosed with having schizophrenia. As stated, “many people choose not to
pursue mental health services because they do not want to be labeled as a “mental patient” or
suffer the prejudice and discrimination that the label entails” (Corrigan and Rao 2012).
Blocked life goals can be related to having various opportunities as well as having the
ability to access those opportunities because of them from suffering and or coping with a serious
mental illness. Self-stigma refers to “people with mental illness who live in a society that widely
endorses stigmatizing ideas that may internalize these ideas and believe that they are less valued
because of their psychiatric disorder (Corrigan and Rao 2012). In regards to my race, which is
Black, and my cultural background which is West African, the stigma regarding mental health
