Schizophrenia Stigma from Medical Providers is REAL

In the world of healthcare, medical doctors – doctors who specialize in fields other than psychiatry or mental health – are often seen as reliable figures who provide aid and healing to those facing different health issues. However, within this respected community, there is a hidden problem – a stigma attached to individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Doctor stigma against mental illness

Despite significant advancements in medical knowledge, unfair beliefs and misunderstandings about schizophrenia persist, impacting how these doctors interact with and treat patients with this condition.

It's unfortunate that we're forced to disclose this personal detail of our lives every time a nurse asks us what medications we're on or if we've ever been hospitalized. I know people with schizophrenia who don't list their antipsychotic medications and psychiatric hospitalizations when asked because of how pervasive and deep-cutting the stigma can be.

I've certainly experienced my fair share of biases and unfair assumptions from medical providers after they learned about my diagnosis.

Long-held false beliefs about schizophrenia

Early on in my recovery, I considered going on the oral acne medication Accutane, which can cause psychosis. My psychiatrist at the time recommended against it, so when my dermatologist wanted to prescribe it, I said, "Oh, I can't go on Accutane because I have schizoaffective disorder."

"No, you don't," he replied, shaking his head. "When I was in med school, people with schizophrenia were peeing on the door. And since you're able to hold a conversation, that's how I know you don't have it."

It sure didn't feel great when someone who had a medical degree was surprised anyone with my diagnosis could be capable of holding a conversation.

Uninformed doctors of all types

Once, I needed dental work after a car that hit me during a psychotic and manic episode cracked my tooth in half. I told the dentist I'd been psychiatrically hospitalized after the episode, and he said, "How long were you hospitalized, a month?"

For the record, the average stay in a psych ward is only about 10 days.¹

Most of mine were a week or less. My dentist underestimated my ability to recover from such an episode, and it made me feel a little bit more broken.

Medical professionals need to do better

Most recently, I was at the eye doctor. I mentioned that I recently switched to the injectable form of the oral antipsychotic I had been taking, and my psychiatrist had warned me it could affect my vision.

I just said the name of the medication without specifying that it was an antipsychotic medication. But my optometrist Googled it in front of me, shifted in her seat, and suddenly looked quite uncomfortable."Second-generation antipsychotic..." she finally mustered. "Well, on the bright side, at least your eye health is good!"

It felt like she was saying that I was doomed to lead a miserable life because of my schizophrenia. That good eye health was the one ray of sunshine in an otherwise stormy existence.

Addressing schizophrenia stigma in healthcare

As we strive for progress in mental health advocacy, it is imperative that we continue to address and dismantle the stigma surrounding schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. By promoting education, empathy, and respect within the medical community, we can ensure that individuals with schizophrenia receive the dignified and equitable care they deserve.

Only through collective efforts can we create a healthcare system where stigma has no place and every patient is treated with compassion and dignity.