A unitary theory of stigmatisation: pursuit of self-interest and routes to destigmatisation.
BACKGROUND
Stigmatisation is of increasing importance in relation to racism, ageism and sexism but also as an impediment to treating patients.


OBJECTIVE
To develop a theoretical foundation to help comprehend the core meaning of stigmatisation and to guide practical anti-stigmatisation measures.


METHODS
Personal reflection; re-interpretation of stigmatisation and reformulation of the relevant concepts.


RESULTS
Emergence of a unitary theory of stigmatisation.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the structure of stigmatisation one could explore six levels of intervention in anti-stigmatisation campaigns: the cognitive level - educational intervention; the affective level - psychological intervention; the discrimination level - legislative intervention; the denial level - linguistic intervention; the economic origin - political intervention; the evolutionary origin - intellectual and cultural intervention. As destigmatisation has to challenge fundamental human tendencies, anti-stigmatisation campaigns have to be continuous, non-stop, open-ended projects aiming at keeping alive thought processes that moderate and humanise the pursuit of self-interest and the urge to survive in a competitive world.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Middlesex Hospital, London. r.haghighat@lycos.com
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Haghighat
D001294:Attitude to Health; D004532:Ego; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation; D011287:Prejudice