The mental illness taboo is a problem for all of us

Interesting article from the New Scientist:

In a global study published last year, we showed that 79 per cent of people with depression had experienced discrimination in the previous year (The Lancet, DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(12)61379-8). More than 1000 people were interviewed across 35 countries, and a remarkably consistent picture emerged: such experiences are common and may severely limit how far people with mental illness can lead normal lives. Almost a quarter, for example, said they had been unfairly rejected when applying for jobs. Intriguingly, these figures are very similar to the findings of a previous international study that we had conducted, focusing on people with schizophrenia. . . more than a third of participants had not started a new relationship because they expected it to fail as a result of discrimination. For the same reason, 71 per cent said that they wished to conceal their diagnosis of depression from others . . . Those with mental illness are constantly confronted with this dilemma of keeping quiet or opening up.

READ MORE: The mental illness taboo is a problem for all of us – opinion – 20 June 2013 – New Scientist.