Stigma's Function

Declan Wynne describes what function stigma serves.

"It puts people in their place, and it removes them from me," he said. "It means that I'm normal and they're crazy."

Wynne said that in a survey of Actors Guild members of California 60% said that crimes were normally committed by the mentally ill.

Another survey said that 60% did not want someone with mental illness in their workplace.

And yet another survey said that 86% of people reported that they did not want to have someone with depression marrying into their family.