The stigma associated with mental disorder can be divided into two types:, which involves the prejudiced attitudes others have around mental disorder, which involves an internalized stigma the person with the mental health problem experiences A 2013 review of studies on the general public preconception of mental disorder showed that preconception is still prevalent, even as the public has become more familiar with the nature of different psychological health conditions.

Perceived preconception results in an internalized embarassment about having a psychological illness. It has been discovered in a long-term study that this sort of internalized preconception results in poorer treatment outcomes. The consequences of stigma can be serious and destructive. With stigma comes a lack of understanding from others, which can be invalidating and uncomfortable, but preconception also carries more major consequences consisting of fueling fear, anger, and intolerance

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