This study investigated self-attitudes towards schizophrenia, depression and anxiety. A survey was conducted with 564 people with a schizophrenia, depression and anxiety who are currently being treated at a psychiatric clinic in Amman, Jordan. The research found that stigma towards schizophrenia, depression and anxiety was based around three factors: preconceived stereotypes, personal responsibility/blame and the perceived inability of a patient to recover. Schizophrenia, in particular, was linked more strongly to negative stereotypes and an inability to recover and less associated to personal responsibility/blame in comparison to depression and anxiety. Three identical stigma factors emerged for each diagnosis which reflected themes identified in previous literature. People with schizophrenia are seen as more dangerous and less likely to recover than those suffering from other mental illness. Anxiety was seen most favourably by the self; it was associated with less negative stereotypes and seen as more likely to cure. Interestingly, anxiety and depression were seen almost identically. The self-perception of mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, depression and anxiety, have important implications for the planning of anti-stigma and awareness raising programmes. By gaining a thorough understanding of these perceptions and the rationale behind them, it may be possible to develop effective, tailor-made interventions.

Aims: The aim of this study was to explore the family members' determinant of the delay in seeking psychiatric care to patients diagnosed with psychosis. Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were carried out with twenty-seven family members of patients with psychosis at psychiatric outpatient clinics in Amman, Jordan. Results: The findings revealed that perceived stigma and fears about being labelled are the main barriers to requesting early psychiatric health care. The participants cited many different reasons linked to finding help led to delay in seeking help in the early stages of the illness including misattribution of the cause and symptoms of mental illness, family and financial factors. Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of enhancing knowledge about the schizophrenia-related spectrum to ensure patients seek treatment in a more timely manner.