What is mental health stigma?
Mental health stigma is when people judge others negatively because they have a mental illness. This can lead to feelings of shame and fear, making it harder for people to ask for help.
Stigma can be worse than the illness itself for many.
There are two types of stigma:
- Social stigma: When others have negative attitudes toward people with mental illness.
- Self-stigma: When someone with a mental illness starts to believe negative things about themselves.
Stigma comes from ignorance and prejudice.
Many people wrongly think mental illness is a sign of weakness, which is one of the most harmful parts of stigma.