Natalie has concerns about the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. Discuss at least two (2) strategies the PMHNP can use to address these concerns.

Natalie has concerns about the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. Discuss

at least two (2) strategies the PMHNP can use to address these concerns.

Based on Natalie’s mother-in-law's comment, the stigma is real. This judgment leads to personal

concerns about where Natalie is falling short, leading to concern, judgment, and confusion. Moore et al.

(2018) identify two significant stigmas: internal and external. The difference is that external stigma is

extreme disapproval from someone regarding your mental health state, and internal stigma is negative

self-judgment regarding your thoughts and feelings regarding your mental health state. As a Psychiatric

Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), education is one of the most essential evidence-based

interventions. You are responsible for educating your patient and her family. You can do this during

office visits when Natalie brings her husband and mother-in-law in. Another strategy noted by Moore et

al. (2018) states that online forums for perinatal mental health can benefit members. Finding comradery

with other forum participants encourages these women to feel less like failures or bad moms, knowing

they are not alone; they feel supported and understood and more open to seeking treatment.

Community-based postpartum support groups and behavioral health resources can reduce stigma and

discrimination and improve mental health outcomes by normalizing, decreasing stigmatization, and

making treatment options and services more accessible (Ahad et al., 2023