Stigmatization of the psychiatric patient: future perspectives for healthcare professionals

This article offers some explanations for the mismanagement of the patient who has a psychiatric history but enters the healthcare system for treatment of a medical disorder, and it explores the perceptual differences among the various hospital personnel who interact with the psychiatric patient in the hospital. By examining relevant research on cognitive processes, the author discusses the impact that thought habits have on the formation of these perceptual differences. She concludes by offering a resolution to the problem of stigmatization.