Stigma, Poverty, and Victimization: Roadblocks to Recovery for Individuals With Severe Mental Illness

Roadblocks to recovery of individuals with severe mental illness include stigma, poverty, and victimization. Stigma creates barriers to accessing safe housing, employment, and community integration. Poverty decreases ability to meet needs and increases risk for victimization. Victimization occurs as direct violence, exploitation, neglect, and abuse by care providers. It results in worsening of psychiatric disorders, increased need for care, decreased quality of life, revictimization, and perpetration of violence. Effects of stigma, poverty, and victimization should be included in patient assessment and treatment planning. Psychiatric nurses promote recovery through direct interventions that target victimization and advocacy that targets stigma and poverty. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2007; 13(5), 285-295. DOI: 10.1177/1078390307307830