Time to change course in stigma research?

As one of the world’s longest running anti-stigma campaigns, Time to Change (UK), came to an end in March 2021, policy makers, campaigners and researchers will be looking to learn lessons to take forward into the next phase in the fight against stigma. This presents the perfect opportunity to revisit the stigma research landscape and ask important questions about what we have learned: from the very nature of stigma, to where we should go from here. This special issue highlights important articles from our collection in the field of stigma research, with particular emphasis on the experiences of stigma by mental health service-users, public understanding of mental distress, media portrayals, and the impact these have on stigma and stigma reduction efforts.