Mental illness like any other physical disease can be treated. A victim of mental illness experience challenges where they struggle with the disorder disabilities. A person in good mental health has the ability to recognize their abilities. When their abilities are overtaken by the demands from too much stress and depression, the health condition of that individual is affected negatively, (Thoits, 2016) . This negative impact on mental health results in the mental illness which makes individuals unable to recognize their abilities. At this point, victims of this disorder are taken to hospitals and clinics to be diagnosed. After treatment, people with mental illness are denied the opportunity that defines good life, jobs, safe houses, and healthcare. These facts are as a result of public stigma and self-stigma which can be understood under stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. In Hong Kong, there are the major components that affect people with mental illness, (Chien, Yeung, Chan, 2014) . The paper, therefore, will explain the methods and ways which can be used reduce both self-stigma and general public stigma.
Mental illness in Hong Kong has been viewed from the same perspective as in other countries. There are several important ways that can reduce stigmatization in not only in the Hong Kong but also in the world. In Hong Kong, there is inadequate education about mental illness, (Corrigan, Druss, Perlick, 2014) . As a result, staffs in medical institutions have a negative attitude towards the victims. This is not just from the staff personality but also from the inequitable health policies and resources allocation in Hong Kong. As a result, due to the power difference between the medics and the stigmatized, there is increased production of social stigmatization. Therefore to reduce this cause of stigmatization, Hong Kong government should equitably allocate resources and educate her medical specialist on mental health problem through facts and avoid looking at mental silliness as myths (Thoits, 2016) .
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As discussed earlier, people who suffer from mental disorder experience discrimination and prejudices. These are components that every human being grows with thus gaining judgmental thinking. It is therefore normal for human beings to judge each other in some situation. When a mental ill people are judged, they develop the prejudices and tend to differentiate the suicidal thought. To avoid this kind of self-stigma to mentally ill individuals, there is the importance of the Hong Kong general public to change their way of thinking, (Chien, Yeung, Chan, 2014) . This can only be done through education to the general public to see mentally ill people as human beings and nothing less than that but not as labels and stereotypes. Additionally, to reduce this form of the stigma it is important for Hong Kong general public to see mentally ill people as human beings because despite being mentally ill, they have many personal attributes that do not go away just because they are mentally ill.
The way people talk, can influence stigma to mentally ill individuals. To reduce either self-stigma and general public stigma, there is the need for Hong Kong medics and the general public to choose their words carefully. They should avoid the use of hurtful and derogatory language that can affect mental disorder victims. Alternatively, Hong Kong citizens and medics should always use pleasing language that would make the affected people feel part of the nation and get to forget their dark previous experiences.
Another way to reduce stigmatization in Hong Kong and in other nations in the world is through educating others. Many people get mean with their achievements in the line of education. This, therefore, increases the spread of incorrect information about mental illness. Many spread information about the mental disorder as myth where it no facts lay. To reduce the spread of such information, Hong Kong individuals with the correct information should find opportunities to pass on facts and positive attitude about mentally ill people health problems. For example, if a family member, a co-worker or even your friends spread the message that is not true, individuals should raise and challenge their stereotypes, (Corrigan, Druss, Perlick, 2014) . Individuals with the correct information should let the people spreading the wrong information know how their words affect the mental health problems by keeping false ideas. Through this, there will be the reduced spread of negative information that increases stigmatization.
Besides, many mentally ill persons are associated with negative did in the society. They tend to use drugs and other substances when not taken care off. These people have a great contribution to the society and their health problems are part of who they are. It is therefore good for the Hong Kong community to should, therefore, applaud the positive things these people have contributed to the society despite the negative stories they might have created (Link, Phelan, 2013) .
Stigmatization to people with the mental disorder can be reduced through treating them with dignity and respect. Generally, people should try to assume they were such a situation and imagine how they would want to be treated, (Wong, Lau, Kwok, Wong, Tori, 2017) . It is, therefore, important for Hong Kong citizens and individuals with good mental health to support mentally ill people’s choices and encourage their efforts to get well. This way the affected will feel loved and their level of self-stigma will reduce and as a result, their conditions will improve rapidly, (Thoits, 2016) . Lastly, it is important to include everyone in jobs, housing, and other social services. For example, in countries like Canada, it is an offense for service providers to discriminate people with mental illness. Hong Kong also should set it’s against the law to discriminate people with mental illness and make them have the right to take an equal opportunity in the society.
Conclusively, the increased stigma of mental illness individuals is as a result of poor ways to reduce it. Therefore, through education, support of people with mental illness, including everyone and focusing on the positive about the affected can reduce stigma in Hong Kong.
References
Chien, W. T., Yeung, F. K., & Chan, A. H. (2014). Perceived stigma of patients with severe mental illness in Hong Kong: Relationships with patients’ psychosocial conditions and attitudes of family caregivers and health professionals. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research , 41 (2), 237-251.
Corrigan, P. W., Druss, B. G., & Perlick, D. A. (2014). The impact of mental illness stigma on seeking and participating in mental health care: Psychological Science in the Public Interest , 15 (2), 37-70.
Link, B. G., & Phelan, J. C. (2013). Labeling and stigma: In Handbook of the sociology of mental health (pp. 525-541). Springer Netherlands.
Wong, D. F., Lau, Y., Kwok, S., Wong, P., & Tori, C. (2017). Evaluating the effectiveness of mental health first aid program for Chinese people in Hong Kong. Research on Social Work Practice , 27 (1), 59-67.
Thoits, P. A. (2016). “I’m Not Mentally Ill” Identity Deflection as a Form of Stigma Resistance. Journal of health and social behavior , 57 (2), 135-151.
