Interdisciplinary and International Perspectives on Mental Illness and Substance Use Stigma

Mental illnesses and substance use disorders are prevalent worldwide and considered among the most stigmatizing of all health conditions. Stigma continues to create major barriers to treatment, recovery, quality of life, and social and economic injustice. The literature on mental illness and substance use stigmatization is becoming increasingly robust, reinforcing several important priorities for stigma reduction—such as stigma-informed education, meaningful involvement of people with lived experience of a mental illness or substance use disorder, recovery-oriented care, addressing barriers to access within our systems of care, and addressing stigma at the level of structures, laws, and policies. The 16 papers in this Special Issue build out this existing knowledge by highlighting a broad range of issues, perspectives, theoretical contributions, and stigma reduction approaches across different countries and contexts, and through various lenses. We have been particularly interested in selecting manuscripts that enhance our understanding of how stigma toward mental illness and substance use manifests itself and the factors involved in stigmatization processes. This knowledge can guide priorities and direction that can be used as a basis for designing and implementing strategies for change, and have the potential to lead to lasting and meaningful improvements for people with lived experience of mental illness or substance use disorder.