**2.2. Types of stigma**

There are several categories of stigmatization in our society, and beyond any description, stigmatization has been decisive for negative experiences at both macro and micro level. The three main types of Stigma include social stamping, self-stamping, and professional stamping (**Figure 2**). Social stigmatization is the most common.

prejudiced and discriminate against them because of their mental illness or illness. It tends to stigmatize itself, create feelings of shame, and lead to worse treatment and consequence [23, 30]. If a person who suffers from depression does not feel that it is worth being treated, the people with mental illness are less likely to have proven service and treatment requirements. A research has shown that negative stereotypes, such as danger or inadequacy, are often associated with mental illness and harm people living with the illness [23]. Therefore, this can be a possible

Stigma in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.83642 91

Professional stigmatization refers to the fact that health care workers cause stigmatization of individual with mental disease and strengthen them. Healthcare workers do not want to be perceived as stigmatizing individual with mental illness suffering from mental illness. And for this reason, they can easily reject stigmatizing behaviors and beliefs. For this reason, it is important for professionals to become more aware of how the stigma can be predicted while working with individual with mental illnesses. Professional stigmatization may develop in a manner similar to the development of social stigmatization in the general population. Because a professional does not recognize the lack of appropriate treatment of a disabled client, he may be deprived of his rights and the individual with mental disease may become more vulnerable. This may lead them to terminate the treatment or to be treated elsewhere. Finally, professional stigmatization directed at the individual with mental disease or provider's own illness creates an obstacle to the health of the individual by preventing appropriate treatment. It may also affect the acceptance of disorders by the healthcare worker's own impersonal

Common misconceptions about mental disorders can be described as follows:

**2.** people who need psychiatric care should be locked away at institutions;

**5.** individuals and young people with mental disorders do not suffer;

**7.** people with mental disorders will become ill due to their crimes [31].

**6.** those with mental disorders can work at low job levels because they are not suitable for

**1.** mental disorders, heart disease, and cancer are not real disease;

**3.** a person with a mental disorder will never be normal;

**4.** those with mental disorders are dangerous;

really important or responsible positions; and

reason behind the self-stigmatization.

*2.2.3. Professional stigma*

beliefs [24].

**3. Stigma in mental health**

**3.1. Wrong beliefs in mental illness**
