The Ache of Exile: Travails of Stigma and Social Exclusion among the Mentally ill in India

Stigma associated with mental illness is one of the major impediments in evolving effective treatment interventions to address the burden associated with these disorders. Research enquiries in the Indian context have explored various facets of the phenomenon. While providing an overview of these studies, the present paper draws attention to the fact that stigma of mental illness is not solely a reflection of the social determinants of the problem. It is equally indicative of structural inequalities of power which result in rejection, marginalisation and social exclusion of the individuals afflicted with mental illness.