"Belief that mental illness is biological has increased among both health experts and the public in recent years. But campaigns to treat it as a disease and remove stigma may be lacking because other factors, such as bad character and upbringing, still are viewed as playing a role, a Baylor University study has found.
"Individuals who endorse biological beliefs that mental illness is 'a disease like any other' also tend to endorse other, non-biological beliefs, making the overall effect of biological beliefs quite convoluted and sometimes negative," said lead author Matthew A. Andersson, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences.
The study, which focused on stigma toward individuals suffering from depression, schizophrenia and alcoholism, is published in the American Sociological Association's journal Society and Mental Health. Findings suggest that beliefs about causes of mental illness could be addressed in public campaigns and by policymakers in different and more beneficial ways than they are now, according to Andersson and co-author Sarah K. Harkness, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology at the University of Iowa.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-01-oversimplifying-beliefs-mental-illness-hinder.html