Mentally Ill Kids Face Widespread Stigma

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But stigma also could prevent people from getting the treatment they need, Pescosolido said.

Meanwhile, most of those polled were "very negative about the use of any kind of psychoactive medication for children's mental problems," she said. In fact, 85 percent of people surveyed said kids are already overmedicated for common behavioral problems, and over half (52 percent) felt that psychiatric medication "turns kids into zombies."

Could they be right about kids taking too many medications? "I'm sure there are some [cases], but how much do anecdotal stories really match the reality? I don't think the science is there" to provide answers, Pescosolido said.

She added that there are big differences in how people view the use of drugs to treat physical illness and mental illness. "If your child had diabetes, and you needed insulin, would you wring your hands over that?" the researcher said.

Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Schneider Children's Hospital in New York City, said he encounters bias against the use of psychiatric drugs every day.

"There's a disconnect," he said. "The public is generally looking to embrace evidence-based treatments (for other conditions) yet rejecting pharmaceutical interventions when data suggest it works."

What to do? Pescosolido called for a better mental health care system and more discussion about prejudice and discrimination that targets mentally ill kids.

More information

Learn more about children's mental health from the office of the U.S. Surgeon General.