Sir — This refers to the article, “Fighting disease and the stigma” (October 10) by Archana Jyoti. Though human health is one area where we have made significant contributions, we still have a long way to go when it comes to mental health. Initially, when someone is diagnosed with mental illness, people feel ashamed to talk about the illness. The victims feel lonely and find it difficult to open up because of the stigma attached.
However, a change in people’s perception through improved public awareness and mental health literacy can help society remove the stigma. It can give the patients a life of dignity which they rightly deserve. We need to support those suffering and help them recover and integrate into society. Importantly, if we replace ‘I’ with ‘We’, illness becomes wellness.