Stigma can be defined, studied, and measured. When stigma is promoted through the organizations and systems that govern daily life, it is called structural stigma. Stigma itself is a powerful social ...

Using appropriate language to describe mental illness and addiction can help to reduce stigma and improve how people with these conditions are treated in health care settings and throughout society.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines stigma as “a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something… a mark of shame or discredit.” Borrowed from Latin, ...

Despite decades of progress, stigma still shadows mental health in 2025, quietly shaping lives from classrooms to workplaces. Every year on October 10, World Mental Health Day offers a reminder that ...