Latest Stigma Stories

Description: Suicide losses can be reduced by prioritizing education and the reduction of stigma associated with mental health conditions. SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mental Health Association of San Francisco extends condolences and support to the family and friends of Hollywood director Tony Scott who died by suicide Sunday, August 19. Mr. Scott's death deprives his family and community of a loved individual and the world of an exceptional creative...

New research shows that people who have bariatric surgery to treat obesity report an overall improvement in quality of life issues after surgery, from their relationships to their medical conditions. Arizona State University researchers will present their findings at the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. Obesity is an epidemic in the United States with more than one-third of adults over age 20 classified as obese. Bariatric surgery is an increasingly common...

Prejudice against obese women may persist even after they lose weight, according to a new study by by the University of Hawaii at Manoa, The University of Manchester, and Monash University. Research examined the attitudes towards women who were formerly obese but lost weight either through behavioral or surgical methods. Los Angeles weight loss surgeon Dr. Hooman Shabatian of LAP-BAND VIP said that although obesity is an issue in itself which needs attention, so does the prejudice. Los...

WASHINGTON and RICHMOND, Va., July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Michael J. Fitzpatrick, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mira Signer, executive director of NAMI Virginia released the following joint statement today: (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100216/NAMILOGO) "Lt. Governor Bill Bolling's statement to the Daily Press of Hampton Roads, Va., saying that Obama voters should 'check themselves into a mental hospital' is an...

Story leads this month from new articles on parenting by the norm, the link between sexism and racism, death and the supernatural, how brands shape identity and more... Parenting by the social norm For parents, it is not only important to pass on to their children values that they personally endorse but also to teach values that they think are the societal norms, according to a new study. Particularly among immigrant parents, conforming to values that they perceive as norms is...

LOS ANGELES, June 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- You are struggling with obesity. You have tried to lose weight through diet and exercise, only to finally give up in frustration when they failed to deliver any tangible results. You know you're not alone with this problem, and yet you feel ashamed anyway. It's no surprise; society has not been kind to the obesity epidemic. There is a certain stigma attached to weight, and there is a certain stigma attached to bariatric surgery as well. Too...

Overweight women may never escape the painful stigma of obesity – even after they have shed the pounds, new research suggests. The study, by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, The University of Manchester, and Monash University, examined whether anti-fat prejudice against women persisted even after they had lost significant weight and were now thin. The researchers asked young men and women to read vignettes describing a woman who had either lost weight (70 pounds/32 kilograms) or...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Research, feedback from medical and social service experts, guidance by communications specialists and input from consumers of services, particularly young people themselves, were just some of the bases covered in preparation for the launch of the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) social marketing campaign on widespread stigma and discrimination experienced by Californians with mental illness. To view the multimedia...

CALGARY, May 3, 2012 /CNW/ - Award-winning actress Glenn Close will be a keynote speaker during: Together Against Stigma: Changing How We See Mental Illness, the 5(th) International Stigma Conference being held in Ottawa from June 4-6. Hosted by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) and the World Psychiatric Association Scientific Section on Stigma and Mental Illness, the conference will bring together mental health researchers, policy makers, and service users from around...

Kids can be really mean – especially to other kids – and school-yard bullying can have serious immediate and long-term effects. One area of increasing concern in this regard is the possibility that overweight or obese children shoulder the brunt of bullying. With childhood obesity rates reaching unprecedented levels, this may translate into even more negative behavior being experienced by today's kids. It is also possible that children who are disliked by their peers may respond by...