These excerpts are taken from a lived experience commentary by two researchers with relevant lived experience, Eva Broeckelmann and Stephen Jeffreys, which features in Trevillion et al., BMC Psychaiatry 22(55).
“When interviewing for this study, we were particularly struck by the recurrent accounts of stigmatising attitudes amongst staff in community mental health services. Encountering stigma in this context can cause profound iatrogenic harm and tackling this pervasive and enduring stigma must be a key priority for future service improvement.”
“Such collaboration in individual care reflects the need for staff to embrace true co-production at all stages from design to delivery of any services for people with [complex emotional needs]… embedding lived experience practitioners at all levels of seniority will be indispensable for meaningful change, but this is often still met with great resistance from staff who fear their status being challenged.”
“The findings [of Trevillion et. al, 2022] also highlight the need to acknowledge and address intersecting challenges of trauma, inequalities and discrimination in a more holistic approach. We suggest that future research and policy work… abandon the pejorative construct of the disordered personality which fuels stigmatising attitudes. There is an urgent need to develop approaches focused around what has happened to the person in distress and supporting them with their natural reactions to trauma without judgement or prejudice.”
