How do shared decision-making efforts contribute to combating stigma in mental health?

Shared decision-making in mental health fosters horizontal relationships between professionals and service users. This approach includes tools such as Advance Care Planning and Individualized Treatment Plans, which are developed collaboratively with the individual, reflecting their preferences and experiences.

By directly involving people in decisions about their care, respect for their rights is reinforced, and one of the most common forms of institutional stigma—the denial of their capacity to decide—is reduced. This helps establish genuine co-responsibility and strengthens trust in the care process.