Mental Illness: Stigma

This entry not only offers various conceptualizations of mental illness stigma mainly based on theoretical ideas developed by Corrigan and Kleinlein, but also delineates how mental illness stigma influences communication by those with and without mental illness. Public stigma refers to the reaction that the general public has to individuals with mental illness. Specifically, negative stereotypes about mentally ill individuals cause people to evaluate those with mental illness negatively and that negative evaluation leads to discrimination. Self‐stigma refers to the internalization of negative stereotypes within stigmatized individuals. Those with mental illness also have negative stereotypes about mentally ill people, so when they endorse the stereotypes, self‐discrimination occurs. The two types of mental illness stigma impact face‐to‐face and online communication by those with mental illness and people they come into contact with. Even though mental illness stigma discourages mentally ill individuals from disclosing their illness, when they do, positive consequences such as improved well‐being could follow. However, the effectiveness of the disclosure depends on to whom they disclose and how they disclose. Limitations and future directions of this area of research are considered.