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Shame, self-identification with having a mental illness, and willingness to seek help in northeast Germany
L N Schulze1, J Klinger-König1, S Stolzenburg1
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Ellernholzstraße 1-2, 17487 Greifswald, Germany.
Abstract:
We examined a general population sample (n = 1330) from an epidemiological study (SHIP), investigating whether shame, social distance and reluctance to self-identify as having a mental illness interfere with willingness to seek help for mental health problems. Analyses were stratified for life-time diagnosis of any mental illness. Shame was the strongest negative predictor for willingness to seek help (beta = -0.183, p < .001). Structured Estimation Modelling showed shame being a full mediator of a negative association between social distance and willingness. Our results corroborate the important role of shame as an impediment to help-seeking for mental health problems in the general population.
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