Beyond Shame and Stigma: The Disclosure of Mental Illness

Abstract

This paper, written in journalistic style, discusses the disclosure of mental illness and its relation to stigma and discrimination. It consists of two magazine length articles. The first article (designated as Chapter I) is about the personal disclosure of mental illness by mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and others who have experienced mental illness themselves. This article discusses the extent of mental illness among professionals, the reasons professionals often remain silent, the risks and benefits of disclosing, and the complexity involved in revealing mental illness. The second article (designated as Chapter I) discusses disclosure as it pertains to all people who have mental illness. This article discusses disclosure and its relationship to stigma and discrimination, why stigma exists and persists, the disclosure of mental illness on the job, and the role of work in stigma reduction and recovery.