this is a widely endorsed public perception of fear , derision and avoidance of the mentally ill . one reason could be lack of awareness , but other reasons abound . to take an example , popular films seem to suggest that people with mental illnesses : 
 are mass - murdering , homicidally inclined violence junkies;have themselves to blame for not being  strong enough  to battle illness;have been visited by the divine wrath of an unforgiving god . are mass - murdering , homicidally inclined violence junkies ; have themselves to blame for not being  strong enough  to battle illness ; have been visited by the divine wrath of an unforgiving god . in this case , stigma works insidiously  when internalized  to erode the sense of self - worth or social relevance . it works at various levels to instill a deep level of insecurity . to take an example , childless women experience self - stigma . questionable  person proves his claim to normalcy by citing his acquisition of a spouse and children , and oddly , by ttesting to his spending christmas and thanksgiving with them . people 's perceptions are not going to change overnight that is not to imply that everyone thinks alike . a community 's attitude  toward the mentally ill  plays a paramount role in treatment - seeking , drug compliance and rehabilitation . i hope that this article will help raise greater levels of awareness and help combat stigma against the mentally ill .
stigma against people with mental illness is a very complex public health problem . 
 there could be diverse reasons for this ranging from : 
 lack of awareness;fear of a dimly - comprehended and much - misunderstood illness;illogical generalizations ; anddisrespect for the heterogeneity of life . 
 the result - for the mentally ill - could well be diminished access to social determinants of healthcare , employment , and housing . 
 in addition , people with mental illnesses are exposed to numerous health risks such as malnutrition , drug abuse , violence and homelessness . 
 maybe this explains nondisclosure of illness in an increasingly degenerate civil society .