More than 

half of people with mental illness don't receive help for their

disorders. Often, people avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns
about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood.
That's because stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with
mental illness is still very much a problem.
There are two types of stigmata:

o Public stigma involves the negative or discriminatory attitudes that others have

about mental illness.

o Self-stigma refers to the negative attitudes, including internalized shame, that

people with mental illness have about their own condition.

The causes are:

Stigma often comes from lack of understanding or fear. Inaccurate or misleading media
representations of mental illness contribute to both those factors. A review of studies on
stigma shows that while the public may accept the medical or genetic nature of a mental health
disorder and the need for treatment, many people still have a negative view of those with mental
illness.

Another study show that stigma usually arises from lack of awareness, lack of education, lack of
perception, and the nature and complications of the mental illness, for example odd behaviors
and violence.

The purposed solutions are:

1- Societal awareness about different groups; Key approaches to addressing mental illness
include the use of effective behavioral therapies and medications. For example,
psychotherapy, family, cognitive-behavioral, electroconvulsive therapy, and medications
have been effective in treating mental illness

2- Key approaches to addressing mental illness include the use of effective behavioral
therapies and medications. For example, psychotherapy, family, cognitive-behavioral,
electroconvulsive therapy, and medications have been effective in treating mental illness.

Effectiveness of the solution;

By raising awareness, mental health can now be seen as an illness.  These
illnesses can be managed by treatment.  We should not isolate mental illness
from the physical health conditions, such as diabetes, blood pressure, or cancer

Awareness is a form of education.  The more you know, the more power you
have.  Knowledge is power.  This power can cause a positive effect in our
community.  Awareness is key for understanding what mental health is and how
families can receive the help they need. Public knowledge is important in
accessing community resources.  Lack of awareness of mental health is not just
“their” problem, it is our problem as a community.

Limitations include:

• The solution needs the cooperation of all the society.

• The cost of funding awareness campaigns.

Stigmatization and discrimination are a serious societal problem especially if it is

towards a helpless person who didn’t choose his illness.

Funding and launching extensive awareness campaigns decrease and eventually

eliminate the stigmatization of mentally-ill people as well as boost the self-esteem
of the ill people towards accepting and living a normal life.