The negative image of psychiatry in the medical community

Abstract

It is a very unfortunate matter of fact that mental problems and diseases are matter to societal stigmatization. In the slipstream psychiatry has a negative image in the public eye. Fighting stigma should be at the core of all professionals involved in mental health care. Self-reflection should be a primary reaction of any psychiatrist when confronted with a sensitive issue like stigmatization and negative image. It is painful to realize that the negative image of psychiatry is also present to the community to which psychiatrists belong, namely the medical community. This is strange and hurting. Psychiatrists (then closely linked to neurology) have, worldwide strongly contributed to the birth and strengthening of medical associations. Yet psychiatrists have estranged themselves from the medical community, thus, in my view, contributing themselves to stigma on patients with mental conditions and the negative image of psychiatry. So time for action, starting by self-awareness of psychiatrists that they are medical specialist, urging oneself as a psychiatrist to behave as a medical specialist by relating to colleagues in a helpful way and keeping one's own medical knowledge and skills up to standards. Psychiatrists have so much to offer in helping their colleagues in somatic medicine.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.