Rumor Has it: “Dementia” A Discourse-Analytical Analysis of Obituaries of People With Dementia

2022 ◽  
pp. 003022282110605
Author(s):  
Priscilla C. Heynderickx ◽  
Silke Creten ◽  
Sylvain M. Dieltjens

Despite the increasing incidence of the condition, people with dementia face a double stigma: ageism and the stigma of mental illness. The stigmatization of the condition has negative consequences, and can even lead to self-stigmatization. To develop adequate education programs to overcome the harmful stigma, the degree and the characteristics of that stigmatization have to be identified. In this study, the content and the language of obituaries of well-known people with dementia are analyzed using a qualitative bottom-up approach. If mentioned, the dementia receives little attention and the information given does not exceed common knowledge. Euphemistic language such as metaphors is introduced not to circumvent the condition, but to palliate its degressive nature.

PsycCRITIQUES ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 51 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Thomlinson

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Komarovskaya ◽  
Betsy Hernandez ◽  
Zachary Patberg ◽  
Bethany Teachman

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-178
Author(s):  
Colleen S. Conley ◽  
Carol G. Hundert ◽  
Jennifer L. K. Charles ◽  
Brynn M. Huguenel ◽  
Maya Al-khouja ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Schomerus ◽  
Matthias C. Angermeyer

SummaryAims – Many people suffering from serious mental illness do not seek appropriate medical help. The stigma of mental illness has often been considered a potential cause for reluctance in seeking help. We review recent evidence on this topic. Methods – Narrative review of the recent literature on stigma and helpseeking for psychiatric disorders. Results – There is proof of a particular stigma attached to seeking help for a mental problem. Anticipated individual discrimination and discrimination qua self-stigmatisation are associated with a reduced readiness to seek professional help for mental disorders. Intervention studies show that destigmatisation may lead to increased readiness to seek professional help, but other aspects like knowledge about mental diseases seem to be at least as important. The belief that seeking help for a mental health problem is actually helpful has been shown to be at the core of help-seeking intentions and thus offers a promising target for information programmes. Population based time-trend studies show that public attitudes towards help-seeking have improved over the last decade. Discussion – The relationship between help-seeking intentions and actual help-seeking needs further exploration. While many studies have been able to relate attitudes to intentions, predicting actual help-seeking has proved more difficult.Declaration of Interest: None.


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