Gone are the days when people with mental illnesses had limited rights or were confined in hospitals for the insane. Community and authority attitudes were most certainly governed by ignorance. For a long time now, mental illnesses have lagged behind other disorders of the body in gaining acceptance from the community. People experiencing mental illness require support, acceptance and understanding. They have rights like anyone else.
People are often fearful of strange or unusual behaviour.
This is a normal reaction. However, consider the person and the illness they endure. At times they could be lonely, disturbed or very frightened. A person who is mentally ill may have lower self-esteem. Discrimination from people around them can create this.