Motivation and emotion/Book/2026/Self-stigma and emotion
How does self-stigma impact emotional well-being?
Overview
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Mia a 21-year-old university student, who has recently been diagnosed with anxiety. Before her diagnosis, Mia viewed herself as highly independent, outgoing and capable. She quite enjoyed going to University, spending time with her friends and overall was confident in her ability to handle stressful situations. After her diagnosis, Mia became worried about what other people thought of her anxiety. People would whisper about mental health problems and describe them as being “attention seeking”, “dramatic” or a sign of being “weak”. Even though her friends never said this about her, she decided to not tell them about her diagnosis. As time passes, these stereotypes begin to influence how Mia sees herself. She begun to believe what others said, “people with mental health illness are weak” which in her mind became “I am weak because I have a mental illness”. When she struggles with a University assignment, instead of seeing it as a challenge, she thinks “maybe I can’t do this like everyone else can”. On top of this she withdraws from social occasions with friends. Mia’s friends behaviour never actually changed since her diagnosis. What changed was Mia’s perception of herself. A negative stereotype that exists socially has been internalised and a part of her own beliefs. Mia’s experience demonstrates the central problem explored in this chapter: How does a social stereotype become an emotional burden carried by the individual? |
This chapter explores how self-stigma can impact emotional well-being, particularly when negative social stereotypes about mental illness become internalised, shaping how individuals think and feel about themselves. It examines how self-stigma develops, its effects on emotions such as shame and hopelessness, most influentially how changes in self-esteem and self-efficacy can influence motivation and behaviour. Psychological theories explain these processes and how to break the cycle of self-stigma.
What is self stigma and how does it develop from public stigma? How does self-stigma influence shame, self-esteem, hope and emotional distress? Which psychological theories explain the relationship between self-stigma and emotional wellbeing? How can emotional consequences of self-stigma influence motivation and behaviour? What factors can help people resist or reduce self-stigma?
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Understanding self-stigma
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This section will establish exactly what self-stigma is, distinguish it from related forms of stigma, and explain how external stereotypes can become incorporated into self-concept.
- Self-stigma occurs when a person becomes aware of negative stereotypes about a group they identify with, agrees with those stereotypes, and applies them to (Corrigan & Rao, 2012)
- Self-stigma is particularly important to emotional well-being because negative social beliefs can become negative self-beliefs, influencing self-esteem, hope, shame, psychological distress and quality of life (Lasalvia et al., 2025)
- Public stigma vs self-stigma (compare the two)
- Describe how stigma becomes internalised – Awareness, agreement and application
Include Figure 2. Explaining the transition from external stigma to internal emotional thoughts and feelings
Emotional consequences of self stigma
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This section will address the chapters subtitle through examining emotional messages when stigma is internalised.
- Mental health stigma related to self-esteem and quality of life (Lasalvia et al., 2025)
- Shame and negative self-evaluation
- Self stigma can transform an experience such as “I have a mental health condition” into an identity judgement such as “There is nothing wrong with me”
- Self esteem, self worth and value can influence “who am I?” but also “what future is possible for me?” (Ackerman, 2018)
- Internalising beliefs leads to greater depressive symptoms
| Self Belief | Possible Emotional consequence |
|---|---|
| "There is something wrong with me" | Shame |
| "I am not good enough" | Reduced self-esteem |
| "Things will never get better" | Hopelessness |
| "Others will reject me" | Anxiety or Fear |
| "I have a limited future" | Sadness/Depressive effect |
Why does self-stigma effect emotion
[edit | edit source]This section will move beyond describing correlations and explain why self-stigma affects emotional well-being.
- Corrigan and Bink (2016) propose that self-stigma can reduce self-esteem “I am not worthy” and self-efficacy “I am not capable”.
- This creates what Corrigan and Bink (2016) call the "why try" effect: “Why should I try to achieve something if I believe I am incapable or undeserving?”
- Self-discrepancy theory proposes that people hold different self-images, including their actual self, ideal self and ought self (Higgins, 1989)
- Examples may include not applying for employment, withdrawing from university activities, avoiding relationships, or disengaging from treatment because negative self-beliefs make success appear unlikely.
- Case study - Sabrina
Sabrina has recently started a new job and has been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. While on her lunch break, she hears someone describe a person who had a panic attack as “dramatic”. Sabrina initially thinks that “they probably believe people with anxiety are dramatic too”. A few weeks later this negative thought turned into “maybe I am dramatic”. Before a team bonding session, Sabrina worries that someone will notice her anxiety and decides she does not belong in her new job. She tells her supervisor she is unwell and goes home.
Reflection questions:
1. Where does public stigma appear in Sabrina's experience?
2. At what point does it become self-stigma?
3. What emotional consequences might Sabrina experience?
4. How do these emotions influence her motivation?
5. Why might avoiding the presentation strengthen rather than resolve the self-stigma cycle?
Breaking the cycle
[edit | edit source]This section will prevent the chapter from presenting self-stigma as inevitable or irreversible.
- Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy (NECT) - (Roe, 2013)
- Stigma resistance involves rejecting or resisting the personal relevance of negative stereotypes
- Psychological intervention and social support
- Self-stigma should not be framed only as a problem of an individual's thinking because the stereotypes being internalised originate within the broader social environment (Roe, 2013).
Quick Knowledge check – QUIZ –
Which example best represents stigma resistance?
A. “People probably know my limitations better than I do.”
B. “My diagnosis means I should lower my expectations.”
C. “The stereotype exists, but it does not determine my individual abilities.”
D. “If I hide my diagnosis completely, stigma cannot affect me.”
Correct answer: C
Conclusion
[edit | edit source]- Self-stigma occurs when socially held stereotypes are internalised and incorporated into self-concept, turning external judgement into negative self-evaluation.
- The chapter will argue that the emotional effects of self-stigma are best understood as a process, rather than as a simple list of outcomes.
- Importantly, self-stigma is not inevitable. Stigma resistance, psychological interventions such as NECT, supportive social environments and broader efforts to reduce public stigma may interrupt the process.
- For the book chapter, develop clear take-home message(s) that address the focus questions based on psychological theory and research
- Together, the Overview and Conclusion should summarise the problem, its significance, and how psychological science contributes to understanding and addressing this problem
- Recommended length: 150 to 330 words
See also
[edit | edit source]- Self-concept clarity (Book chapter, 2019)
- Self determination theory (Wikipedia)
- Self-efficacy and motivation (Book chapter, 2014)
References
[edit | edit source]Provide the references for all citations in APA style (7th ed.) or wiki style. Alternatively, you can use wiki style (as used on Wikipedia), as long as the information is complete and the formatting is consistent.
Corrigan, P. W., & Bink, A. B. (2016). What is the impact of self-stigma? Loss of self-respect and the “why try” effect. Journal of Mental Health, 25(1), 10–15. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638237.2015.1021902
Corrigan, P. W., & Rao, D. (2012). On the self-stigma of mental illness: Stages, disclosure, and strategies for change. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 57(8), 464–469. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371205700804
Higgins, E. T. (1989). Self-discrepancy theory: What patterns of self-beliefs cause people to suffer? Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 22(1), 93–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2601(08)60306-8
Lasalvia, A., Bonetto, C., & Van Bortel, T. (2025). The impact of self-stigma on empowerment in major depressive disorder: The mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating effects of socioeconomic and cultural context in an international multi-site study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 390, 119802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.119802
Roe, D. (2013). Narrative enhancement and cognitive therapy (NECT) effectiveness: A quasi-experimental study. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70(4), 303–312. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22050
External links
[edit | edit source]External links to highly relevant resources such as podcasts and videos, news articles, and professional sites. Use sentence casing and alphabetical order.
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