“Stigma” is a catch-all kind of word. It’s a group of negative attitudes and beliefs that motivate people to fear, reject, and discriminate against those with mental illnesses. They avoid living, socializing or working with, renting to, or employing them.

I have never suffered from this stigma. I’ve rarely felt it, and when I have, I’ve chosen to ignore it. But as the comments on this blog have increased and I’ve received more email, I’ve come to realize that the stigma surrounding mental illness is, unbelievably, alive and very well. And widespread. Many readers here are feeling its effects.

The “Crying Shame” report reveals that 72% of adults in the UK believe that there is a stigma attached to mental illness, and that people with a mental illness are unpredictable (79%), dangerous (50%) and scary (49%). Only 45 per cent think that people with long-term mental illnesses can live independent, fulfilled lives. Hmmm…excuse me? It is ironic that mental illness touches just about everyone, in one way or another, over the course of their lifetime.

Stigma is borne out of fear and ignorance, so a good way to counter it is to replace the preconceptions and misinformation with better understanding and knowledge.

It’s a start, but at a personal level it’s much easier said than done.

A one-legged chicken from the south of Wales has recently recovered from depression.

Lily is not your everyday chicken. She sleeps on a cushion in the kitchen of a two bedroom terraced house and she eats spaghetti bolognese. Her owner Vicky Mills says she struts about as if she rules the roost – “she really thinks she’s top of the pecking order”.

Lily damaged her leg in an accident with barbed wire. In an attempt to save the leg Vicky spent £2,000 on 7 operations, but the money was spent in vain and vets were forced to amputate. Lily didn’t require a prosthetic limb, making do instead on one leg. Apart from falling over occasionally when scratching, she has managed well.

Lily was diagnosed with depression shortly after losing her leg, due to separation anxiety during the day when the Mills’ were at work. Treatment was straight-forward. TV. All day, every day. She quickly returned to good health and resumed laying eggs.

The vet who diagnosed depression was not available for comment.