Life with a serious mental disorder like schizophrenia and others generally never falls within the boundaries of what might be considered "easy." Lengthy treatment regimens, intense medications, and sometimes debilitating symptoms are just a few on the long list of challenges faced by people diagnosed with a serious mental disorder. Despite all this, they must then face society and its strange ability to stigmatize and isolate these people. While it is certainly not something new for this group of individuals, the stigma has shifted and changed shape to conform to current societal standards and what is “normal.” Is the alienation of the mentally ill from mainstream society due to ignorance on their part (society) or perhaps fear of what is different? Much of the research on stigma and mental illness found in the field of sociology today focuses on two main theories. , Goffman in 1963 and Scheff in 1966 (Corrigan et al). The latter "labeling theory" states that when a person's behaviors are labeled as part of a mental illness, they trigger more negative stereotypes in public perception. That is, if a person with a particular mental illness acts out, for example violently, the public will associate that behavior with that pattern of mental illness. Similarly, Goffman notes that those who are considered "normal" believe that those who have been stigmatized are "not normal", going so far as to view them as almost not human. This leads so-called normal society to discriminate against people with mental illness by being reluctant to help these people or even refusing to hire them for work (Corrigan et al). By putting up a wall of fear in the face of what they do not know or understand, the "nor...... middle of paper...... rehabilitation and their general well-being. Works Cited Corrigan, Patrick W, Amy C. Watson, Amy C. Warpinski, and Gabriela Gracia. 2004. Implications of public education on mental illness, violence and stigma. Psychiatric services. (55): 577-580 Corrigan, Patrick, Fred E. Markowitz, Amy Watson, David Rowan and Mary Ann Kubiak. 2003. An attribution model of public discrimination against people with mental illness. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. (44): 162-179 Wright, Eric R., Dustin E. Wright, Brea L. Perry, and Carrie E. Foote-Ardah. 2007. Stigma and sexual isolation among people with serious mental illness. Social problems. (54): 78-98Wright, Eric R., William P. Gronfein and Timothy J. Owens. 2000. Deinstitutionalization, social rejection and self-esteem of former mental patients. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. (41): 68-90