ABSTRACT
This chapter delineates the types of stigma often experienced by people with mental illness, provides an overview of Honest, Open, Proud and the evidence supporting it, and reviews its limitations, considerations for use, and potential for adaptation. Self-stigma may result in damage to self-esteem, feelings of shame and self-contempt, and decreased self-efficacy. Self-stigma may look different among those with intersecting identities; individuals may identify more strongly with certain groups, and stereotypes and prejudice applied to oneself may be amplified as a result of their intersection. This can also complicate the question of strategic disclosure. While Linda may be considering disclosing her experience with mental illness, she may also need to consider the risks of disclosing her other identities, like her sexual orientation, in telling her story, as well as the impact of her other group memberships on reactions to her disclosure.
