Paradigms Lost, Paradigms Found: Lessons Learned in the Fight Against the Stigma of Mental Illness

In The History Of Medicine, Few Conditions Other Than Mental Illnesses Have Cast Such A Pall On An Individual, Their Family, Health Providers, Health Systems, And Health Research. In Addition To Having Serious Consequences For One's Social Identity, Having A Mental Illness Or Substance Use Disorder Results In Structural Inequities That Impinge On One's Health, Longevity, Quality Of Life, Social Welfare, Civic Participation, And Access To Resources. Stigma Also Casts A Long Shadow, Affecting All Of The Supports And Structures That People With Mental Illnesses Need In Order To Recover And Embrace Socially Meaningful Roles And Relationships. [2] This Chapter Provides An Overview Of The Nature And Nurture Of Stigma From The Era Of The Asylum To Our Current Recovery Paradigm--