Picture of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia- stigmatisation.

Aim:
The main aim of the paper was an analysis of the stigmatisation phenomenon based on society’s views about persons suffering from schizophrenia. We presented the areas of life in which the stigma of mental illness is revealed as well as reasons for which society stigmatizes these people.

Material and methods:
The study covered 305 persons chosen at random and being at least 18 years old. The method applied was a diagnostic poll and the research tool was a survey questionnaire entitled “Normality versus abnormality –individuals in the shadow of schizophrenia”.

Results:
On the basis of the analysis it was found that society identifies the image of a person with schizophrenia with psychomotor agitation, aggressive behaviour and threat. Community excludes such individuals from social life, indicates mental hospital as a proper place for their functioning and labels them with such harmful words as “schizophreniac’ or “nut”. Discrimination is widespread as regards the issues of starting a family and employment. The study proved that the age of surveyed people is important when it interpreting the name given to persons with schizophrenia. On the other gender does not affect the way in which the picture of an individual with schizophrenic psychosis is perceived. The place of residence affects individual perception of the ill person.

Conclusions:
The results show that stigmatisation still remains high. For this reason, it seems necessary to introduce programmes and educational campaigns devoted to the subject of mental illnesses available to the entire society.