Background: Most people with mental illness has experienced stigma in society in terms of discrimination and negative attitudes. This can lead to isolation and experiences of exclusion. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe people's experiences of living with mental illness. Method: The method was a qualitative literature study of nine qualitative articles. Results: The result showed three themes; "to be needed", "to be a part of the normal society" and "experiencing society's attitudes" Conclusion: The conclusion from this study is that people with mental illness experience feelings of despair, hopelessness, fear, loneliness, worthlessness, isolation, shame and low self-esteem because of their illness