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Abstract
Persons with mental illness frequently encounter public stigma and may suffer from
self-stigma. This review aims to clarify the concept of mental illness stigma and
discuss consequences for individuals with mental illness. After a conceptual overview
of stigma we discuss two leading concepts of mental illness stigma and consequences
of stigma, focussing on self-stigma/empowerment and fear of stigma as a barrier to
using health services. Finally, we discuss three main strategies to reduce stigma
-- protest, education, and contact -- and give examples of current anti-stigma campaigns.
Well-designed anti-stigma initiatives will help to diminish negative consequences
of mental illness stigma.