A Comparative Analysis On The Mental Health Stigma

Comparative Analysis of the Mental Health StigmaHannah CooperValley College ENG11512/07/2025In ancient Greek, the word stigma literally meant a mark, brand, or puncture; referring to a physical mark incised or burned into the skin to show ownership, status, or servitude. Today, the word stigma means a negative label or mark of disgrace attached to a person or group, often leading to prejudice, discrimination, or social exclusion. Rather than a physical mark, stigma has evolved into an internal, mental mark that could affect one’s well-being for all of their life; instead of a burn to the arm that will heal, it is a burn to one’s mentality, confidence, and quality of life. In this essay, there are three reputable sources that discuss how we can help change the mental health stigma for the better, especially with social media and day-to-day life. The first source is published by Advances in Medicine, Psychology, and Public Health, and it is a commentary on mental health stigma; focusing on how social media plays a significant role in shaping the positive and negative attitudes, and the discrimination people face when they have mental