["Anti-stigma campaign from below" at schools--experience of the initiative "Irre menschlich Hamburg e.V."]

  • Thomas Bock
  • Dieter Naber

Abstract

In the process of stigmatisation psychiatry is not neutral but it is up-to-date as well as historically involved. That is why it is responsible to influence not only the social perception of psychiatry but also the public picture of mentally disturbed people in a positive way. Doing so it is dependent on the help of psychosis-experienced persons and relatives. Only working together a plausible enlightenment, that points beyond the status quo, can be achieved. Anti-stigma work must critically reflect the interactions in psychiatry itself. After an analysis of the different concepts of stigmatisation and anti-stigma work there follows the evaluation of an information campaign at schools in Hamburg, which emerged from the Hamburg psychosis seminar. The personal meeting of students and psychosis experienced persons is of immediate importance. In addition to that media about the subject "being different, madness, mental disturbation" are being placed at the teachers disposal according to their wishes. In the meantime experience is there of more then 50 teaching units in primary advanced and secondary education as well as of a special open day attended by over 500 students. The response of students and teachers is definitely positive. For the psychosis experienced persons involved there is a special benefit in the sense of empowerment. The more health politically based motives of the anti-stigma work have meanwhile been completed by educational justifications. This way of open meeting is also being discussed as a completion to the symptom based early diagnosis.

Bibliographical data

Original languageGerman
Article number7
ISSN0303-4259
Publication statusPublished - 2003
pubmed 14586826