Family members' experiences of courtesy stigma associated with mental illness

Background: The stigma of mental illness has been in existence from medieval times to date and it is extended to families of people diagnosed with mental illness. Families with a member diagnosed with a mental illness experience courtesy stigma of mental illness and it affects the quality of their lives. Aim: This study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of courtesy stigma of families with a member diagnosed with a mental illness in Lobatse, Botswana. Setting: The study was conducted at a psychiatric hospital in Lobatse, Botswana. Methods: A qualitative contextual phenomenological design was used for this study. The population comprised of members from families with a person diagnosed with a mental illness and the sample size was 15 participants. Semi-structured in-depth individual interviews were conducted telephonically. Results: The study yielded three main themes and related subthemes. The themes were: families' experiences of received stigma, families' experiences of stigma by association, and families' experiences of internal stigma. Conclusion: Families with a member diagnosed with mental illness experience received stigma, associated stigma and internal stigma. The families experienced that they received dehumanising labels from the public because of their association with their mentally ill family members. Contribution: With the insights gained from the findings of this study, programmes can be developed that raise awareness on stigma of mental illness and to promote support of families of people diagnosed with a mental illness.