Stigma of Mental Illness

  • Alexander Neumeister

A stigma is a negative connotation towards a certain characteristic or trait. There are stigmas associated with mental health problems which cause some people to veer away from seeking help. Stigmas can lead to discrimination against people with a mental illness or the treatment of mental illnesses. There are two types of stigma when it comes to mental health, social stigma and self-stigma. Though many times it can be an unintentional stereotyping, people with mental illnesses could be viewed as different from others and dangerous.