Sanism

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Sanism, saneism, mentalism, or psychophobia refers to the discrimination and oppression of people based on actual or perceived mental disorder or cognitive impairment. This discrimination and oppression are based on numerous factors such as stereotypes about neurodiversity. Mentalism impacts individuals with autism, learning disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, stuttering, tics, intellectual disability, and other cognitive impairments.

Mentalism may cause harm through a combination of social inequalities, insults, indignities, and overt discrimination. Some examples of these include refusal of service and the denial of human rights.

Mentalism does not only describe how individuals are treated by the general public. The concept also encapsulates how individuals are treated by mental health professionals, the legal system and other institutions.

The term "sanism" was coined by Morton Birnbaum, a physician, lawyer, and mental health advocate. Judi Chamberlin coined the term "mentalism" in a chapter of the book Women Look at Psychiatry.