A rose by any other name still smells sweet
There is apprehension about the name change from some mental health experts; not all respondents to the survey felt that a name change would help with stigma. Concerns range from potential confusion among medical professionals to changing the name prematurely before the newest revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, to having trouble applying for insurance coverages.
“There is a stigma, and people will have [negative] attitudes towards people with schizophrenia,” said William Carpenter, MD, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. “That is going to occur no matter what kind of name you put to it. But the name itself sounds like you’ve been told you have the worst of all mental illnesses. Or you’re never going to get over this, which may be incorrect. So there’s self-stigma, and it’s based on these kinds of feelings.”
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. William Carpenter
Both sides of the debate agree that one vital strategy for reducing stigma and discrimination is education. “Giving information about schizophrenia makes a difference in how people conceptualize and view schizophrenia,” he added.
“We don’t think that the name change alone is going to completely solve the problem,” Dr. Mesholam-Gately admitted. “There needs to be more public education and initiatives to help along with it. But we think that changing the name can be a part of reducing the stigma for people who experience the condition. That would be worth it.”
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.