Being diagnosed with a mental illness comes with a powerful stigma, as does the act of seeking treatment. Because of this around two-thirds of people suffering from mental illness will avoid seeking treatment as not to face the stigma caused by being publicly labeled “mentally ill”. Stigma comes in two forms, public stigma and self-stigma. The public stigma of mental illness is essentially a form of prejudice based on stereotypical beliefs that can cause people to fear, pity, and lack sympathy for people with mental illness. Public stigma often causes people with mental illness to face discrimination in housing, employment, and social interactions. Self-stigma is defined as the psychological impact of possessing a stigmatized characteristic,
