The Stigma of Mental Illness

Stigma surrounding major mental illness creates many barriers. People who experience mental illness face discrimination and prejudice when renting homes, applying for jobs, and accessing mental health services. The authors review the current literature regarding stigma and mental illness. They define stigma and review theories that explain its impact. Counselor training is a peak time to identify and begin to mitigate stigma related to people with mental illness. Implications for counselor training are addressed.