title: Self-stigma and suicidality: a longitudinal study.
abstract: Mental illness stigma is a source of distress for persons with mental illness. Self-stigma occurs when negative stereotypes are internalized, leading to low self-esteem, shame and hopelessness. Due to its consequences self-stigma may contribute to suicidality and be a modifiable target for suicide prevention. Based on 222 disability pensioners with mental illness we examined whether self-stigma at baseline is associated with suicidal ideation over a 2-year period, controlling for baseline suicidal ideation, symptoms, age and gender. More self-stigma predicted suicidal ideation at baseline and longitudinally. Interventions on different levels to reduce self-stigma could improve suicide prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry II, University of Ulm and BKH Günzburg, Ulm, Germany. nathalie.oexle@uni-ulm.de.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oexle
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry II, University of Ulm and BKH Günzburg, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rüsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital for Psychiatry Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viering
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital for Psychiatry Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wyss
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital for Psychiatry Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seifritz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry II, University of Ulm and BKH Günzburg, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Ziyan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital for Psychiatry Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kawohl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D057545:Social Stigma; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Mental illness; Self-stigma; Suicidality