Stigma definitely affects us. It's interesting how once your Dx comes up in a conversation or even the words 'mentally ill' people assume you have some kind of deadly contagion. They become more wary around you and talk about you when you're not around. "Watch out for so and so, she has *whispers* a mental illness."

To be honest my mental illness rarely shows its face
in public. On the surface I appear to be 'normal', but once the Dx or again the words 'mental illness' have been brought up, people definitely act differently.

The people whom I'm most close to and know me the best know the faces of my illness...HOWEVER, some of these people, despite being well educated and informed will regress to stereotypical thinking. They assume that because one person they knew or someone they had seen on tv with this particular illness thought one way, that I must think that way as well. Because of their preconceptions, I must resemble THAT illness rather than a person who suffers from her own unique form of that illness (because let's face it everyone's different). I've attempted (futily) to prove that I am not the stereotype nor that everyone who has this particular illness can be placed in a neat pigeonhole that is comfortable for them and precisely predictable.

People definitely need to open their minds...but I believe stigma is about fear. I try not to let it control me...which is especially difficult when there's discrimination involved...Discriminating against the mentally ill is IMO just as horrible as racism, homophobia or sexism...preconceptions based on stereotypes and fear...
I understand the pain on the receiving end.
I can only try to 'rise above' and know that these people act out of fear. Passivity is much more powerful than anger and hurt (which seems to only worsen anxiety for me personally). Best wishes.