Mother jones article/ Schizophrenic. Killer. My Cousin.

[HereSince1628]

4. Stigma isn't just about feeling shame...

I'm glad you are well adapted to your mental disorder.

But stigma is about being labeled, and in particular being labeled by others. That label is used to make judgments (often prejudiced, and discriminating) about what the others believe to be personal traits that are predicted associations with the label.

The labeling facilitates attitudes and discrimination that handicap the lives of many mentally ill persons who face problems such as: discrimination at work (hiring, opportunities, promotion) or similar difficulties in school, difficulty finding housing, bullying, physical violence or harassment, and institutionalized discrimination such as denial of health insurance.

A person with mental illness may have great self-esteem and may find personal acceptance and make good adjustments to the limits their disorders place on their lives. Nonetheless they may still find themselves excluded by others from activities with relatives, social clubs, neighborhood parties/coffee clatches, etc.

Unfortunately, it's quite possible for such stigmatic labels to end up incorporated into laws and regulations in ways that impinge upon civil rights.