Stereotypes are considered “social” because they represent collectively agreed on notions about groups of persons. They are “efficient” because people can quickly generate impressions and expectations of individuals who belong to a stereotyped group. Commonly held stereotypes about people with mental illness include violence (people with mental illness are dangerous), incompetence (they are incapable of independent living or real work), and blame (because of weak character, they are responsible for the onset and continuation of their disorders) (Corrigan, …show more content…
There are numerous programs and projects that have been created to help stop the stigma against mental illness by spreading treatment and coping mechanisms to educating others. One program, the Butterfly Project, was created to help support those who self-harm. It encourages a person to draw a butterfly in pen where they would self-harm and name the butterfly after someone who wants them to recover or someone who loves them. People can support those who self-harm by drawing butterflies on themselves too, showing they don’t support the