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A Common Outlook On Mental Illness

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There appears to be a common outlook on mental illness. Relating social norms theory to mental illness, individuals who perceive others to have negative attitudes toward mental illness may themselves be more likely to devalue and avoid people with mental illness in order to fit the perceived social norm. On the other hand, contact with individuals who express positive views of people with mental illness may lead to reduced stigma and discrimination of individuals with mental illness. Therefore, interventions that involve people without mental illness who discuss their positive experiences with people who do have mental illness may also serve to reduce mental illness stigma. Family members and friends of individuals with mental illness may be especially good candidates for sharing their positive perspectives. (Wainberg, Cournos, Wall et al., 2016). History tells us there is a need to protect the privacy of people who are diagnosed with mental health issues in a world filled with stigma and misperceptions. People with mental illness and substance use problems may be legitimately concerned that employers, insurance companies, financial institutions, medical practices, and educational institutions could use their health information to discriminate against them, often without their knowledge. In addition, with the advent of the Internet, social media, govern- mental data collection, and the constant threat of online hacking, privacy is fast becoming a fragile concept and is

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