Aimed at educating professionals and the lay public on the pervasiveness of stigma and mental illness in our society, this book is a collection of perspectives on how society has stigmatized the mentally ill and their families and caregivers. Firsthand accounts portray what it is like to be the victim of stigma and mental illness, and historical, societal, and institutional viewpoints underscore its devastating effects. Based on selected papers presented at the 1989 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, it is hoped that this book will draw significant attention to a long-standing and serious problem.

Aimed at educating professionals and the lay public on the pervasiveness of stigma and mental illness in our society, this book is a collection of perspectives on how society has stigmatized the mentally ill and their families and caregivers. Firsthand accounts portray what it is like to be the victim of stigma and mental illness, and historical, societal, and institutional viewpoints underscore its devastating effects. Based on selected papers presented at the 1989 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, it is hoped that this book will draw significant attention to a long-standing and serious problem.