Introduction tal disorders, and they are a major reason for granting disability pensions in several countries. 2 Mental health problems do not just affect the individual. They impact the entire community. The cost of excluding people with mental health difficulties from an active role in community life is high.
Exclusion often leads to diminished productivity and losses in human potential.
People with mental health difficulties face environmental, institutional and attitudinal barriers in finding mainstream employment or returning to work and retaining jobs after treatment. Attitudinal barriers and social exclusion are often the hardest obstacles to overcome and usually are associated with feelings of shame, fear, and rejection. 4 Stigma surrounds people with mental health difficulties, and the recovery process is often misunderstood. Stigmatisation can negatively affect the success of vocational efforts. For example, it has been reported that many professional workers who either resign a job or take a medical leave related to a mental illness episode, such as depression, experience difficulty maintaining a stigma-free relationship with their employers.