The article by Patrick W. Corrigan and Amy C. Watson explores the impact of stigma on individuals with mental illness, highlighting the dual challenges they face: the symptoms and disabilities of their illness and the stereotypes and prejudice resulting from misconceptions about mental illness. This stigma leads to a loss of opportunities for a quality life, such as good jobs, safe housing, and social inclusion. The authors integrate research on mental illness stigma with broader studies on stereotypes and prejudice, emphasizing the twofold nature of stigma: public stigma, which is the reaction of the general population, and self-stigma, which is the prejudice experienced by those with mental illness. Public stigma is characterized by negative stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. Stereotypes are collectively agreed-upon notions about a group, while prejudice involves negative emotional reactions and discriminatory behaviors. Self-stigma, on the other hand, involves negative beliefs about oneself, negative emotional reactions, and behaviors that lead to self-discrimination, such as avoiding opportunities for employment and housing. The article discusses the impact of public stigma, including social avoidance, withholding help, and segregation in institutions. It also explores strategies for changing public stigma, such as protest, education, and contact. Contact, particularly with peers, has been shown to be effective in reducing stigma. Self-stigma is a more complex phenomenon, with individuals experiencing either diminished self-esteem, righteous anger, or relative indifference depending on the situation. The authors propose a situational model to explain this paradox, considering factors like collective representations, the legitimacy of stigma, and the individual's identification with the group. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for further research on the social structures that maintain stigma and the development of strategies to change them. It highlights the importance of understanding stigma at both individual and societal levels to address the broader implications for mental health and social inclusion.The article by Patrick W. Corrigan and Amy C. Watson explores the impact of stigma on individuals with mental illness, highlighting the dual challenges they face: the symptoms and disabilities of their illness and the stereotypes and prejudice resulting from misconceptions about mental illness. This stigma leads to a loss of opportunities for a quality life, such as good jobs, safe housing, and social inclusion. The authors integrate research on mental illness stigma with broader studies on stereotypes and prejudice, emphasizing the twofold nature of stigma: public stigma, which is the reaction of the general population, and self-stigma, which is the prejudice experienced by those with mental illness. Public stigma is characterized by negative stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. Stereotypes are collectively agreed-upon notions about a group, while prejudice involves negative emotional reactions and discriminatory behaviors. Self-stigma, on the other hand, involves negative beliefs about oneself, negative emotional reactions, and behaviors that lead to self-discrimination, such as avoiding opportunities for employment and housing. The article discusses the impact of public stigma, including social avoidance, withholding help, and segregation in institutions. It also explores strategies for changing public stigma, such as protest, education, and contact. Contact, particularly with peers, has been shown to be effective in reducing stigma. Self-stigma is a more complex phenomenon, with individuals experiencing either diminished self-esteem, righteous anger, or relative indifference depending on the situation. The authors propose a situational model to explain this paradox, considering factors like collective representations, the legitimacy of stigma, and the individual's identification with the group. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for further research on the social structures that maintain stigma and the development of strategies to change them. It highlights the importance of understanding stigma at both individual and societal levels to address the broader implications for mental health and social inclusion.