Attitudes towards people with mental disorders refer to individual beliefs about what people with mental illness are like and how they should be treated [1, 2]. Previous studies have shown that these attitudes could vary from acceptance , tolerance , to stigma , and even fear . Researchers have proposed two different ways by which public attitudes might affect individuals with mental illness. The first relates to how the public might interact with, provide opportunities for, and help support a person with mental illness . In this case, the public refers to both the general public such as the community and institutions like hospitals, as well as co-workers, friends and family members of people with mental illness . When attitudes and beliefs are expressed positively, they can lead to supportive and inclusive behaviours (e.g. willingness to hire a person with mental illness); but when they are expressed negatively, they can cause avoidance, exclusion from daily activities, exploitation, and discrimination . The second frames how people with mental illness experience and express their own psychological problems and whether they are willing to disclose their symptoms and seek help [7, 8]. Rüsch et al.  reported that after controlling for demographics, people’s intentions to seek help were positively associated with the tolerance and support for community care of mental illness.