Vere if you were also a person of color. For example, Ms J. a 67year-old woman stated: `Oh, you know, they down on “em cause they Black.” It depends on the color. It differs yeah for White from Black. [If you’re Black and depressed] you’re worthless, you know.’ In addition to identifying stereotypes about individuals suffering from depression, participants also discussed experiences with public stigma, or experiences of prejudice, being stereotyped or discriminated against due to their mental Peretinoin supplement health status. They discussed situations where they witnessed the stigmatization of depressed persons in their community. In these situations, individuals with depression were not only stereotyped, they were also treated unfairly due to their mental health status. This was important because witnessing the stigmatization of others amplified the belief that they could and would be stigmatized. Many participants talked about their own experiences of being stigmatized due to being depressed. Ms D. a 70-year-old woman, stated that when she was depressed, the people around her treated her differently. When asked what her family’s reaction was when she told them she was depressed, she stated: `They wouldn’t trust [me] to do things, you know. They would look at [me] funny and talk ahout [me] and things like that.’ Participants related their experiences or public GGTI298MedChemExpress GGTI298 stigma to their decisions to keep their mental health status to themselves. Participants were worried about the reactions they would get from people if they found out about their depression. Ms V, a 68-year-old woman stated `I didn’t tell my family because they’ll say things like “Oh, she ain’t depressed, she’s crazy. Pay her no mind, she don’t know what she’s talking about” … They figure, oh you better get away from her. You don’t know what kind of medication she taking.’ While many participants talked about their experiences of being stigmatized by others, some participants also talked about their experiences with internalized stigma and how they felt about themselves. Internalized stigma occurs when an individual who has a mental illness internalizes the real or perceived beliefs held by the general public about mental illness and the individual in turn apply those negative beliefs to how they feel about him or herself. Participants felt that many people in their community go through hard times, so if they are depressed and cannot gd through their sadness, then they must not be very strong. Mr B. a 70-year-old man stated that he believed having depression made him weak, and that he blamed himself for his depression: `I think [of depression] as a weakness. I want to just beat myself up and cuss myself out and everything like that, you know. I just down rate myself.’Aging Ment Health. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 March 17.NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptConner et al.PageIn addition to identifying the public and internalized stigma of depression, participants also discussed experiencing the stigma about seeking mental health treatment. For participants, there was a difference between being stigmatized for having depression and being stigmatized for needing to see a mental health professional for their depression. Mr W. a 75year-old man, stated: `Nobody mentions the word psychiatrist. You know. First thing they think about is something wrong with your mind.’ Mr G. an 82-year-old man stated: `Why would anybody say that they’re going to see the s.Vere if you were also a person of color. For example, Ms J. a 67year-old woman stated: `Oh, you know, they down on “em cause they Black.” It depends on the color. It differs yeah for White from Black. [If you’re Black and depressed] you’re worthless, you know.’ In addition to identifying stereotypes about individuals suffering from depression, participants also discussed experiences with public stigma, or experiences of prejudice, being stereotyped or discriminated against due to their mental health status. They discussed situations where they witnessed the stigmatization of depressed persons in their community. In these situations, individuals with depression were not only stereotyped, they were also treated unfairly due to their mental health status. This was important because witnessing the stigmatization of others amplified the belief that they could and would be stigmatized. Many participants talked about their own experiences of being stigmatized due to being depressed. Ms D. a 70-year-old woman, stated that when she was depressed, the people around her treated her differently. When asked what her family’s reaction was when she told them she was depressed, she stated: `They wouldn’t trust [me] to do things, you know. They would look at [me] funny and talk ahout [me] and things like that.’ Participants related their experiences or public stigma to their decisions to keep their mental health status to themselves. Participants were worried about the reactions they would get from people if they found out about their depression. Ms V, a 68-year-old woman stated `I didn’t tell my family because they’ll say things like “Oh, she ain’t depressed, she’s crazy. Pay her no mind, she don’t know what she’s talking about” … They figure, oh you better get away from her. You don’t know what kind of medication she taking.’ While many participants talked about their experiences of being stigmatized by others, some participants also talked about their experiences with internalized stigma and how they felt about themselves. Internalized stigma occurs when an individual who has a mental illness internalizes the real or perceived beliefs held by the general public about mental illness and the individual in turn apply those negative beliefs to how they feel about him or herself. Participants felt that many people in their community go through hard times, so if they are depressed and cannot gd through their sadness, then they must not be very strong. Mr B. a 70-year-old man stated that he believed having depression made him weak, and that he blamed himself for his depression: `I think [of depression] as a weakness. I want to just beat myself up and cuss myself out and everything like that, you know. I just down rate myself.’Aging Ment Health. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 March 17.NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptConner et al.PageIn addition to identifying the public and internalized stigma of depression, participants also discussed experiencing the stigma about seeking mental health treatment. For participants, there was a difference between being stigmatized for having depression and being stigmatized for needing to see a mental health professional for their depression. Mr W. a 75year-old man, stated: `Nobody mentions the word psychiatrist. You know. First thing they think about is something wrong with your mind.’ Mr G. an 82-year-old man stated: `Why would anybody say that they’re going to see the s.