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THE MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA ESSAY
Mental health stigma introduction
THE MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA ESSAY
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Mental Health treatment disparities amongst under-class white and African American women. Mental health used to be a taboo topic to discuss in public, or even to the people closest to you. Now it is becoming more acceptable to talk about some aspects of the once controversial topic. Everywhere people look now they are being constantly reminded about how important mental health awareness is, whether it be a suicide prevention hotline posters, celebrities raising awareness on social media, or even in movies. Mental Health is an upcoming social topic that is rightfully becoming more socially acceptable to discuss rather than sweep it under the rug. It is very important that awareness is being practiced whether it be for more common illnesses like depression , or something more serious like schizophrenia it is important that people are educated about mental illnesses so they know how to cope with them, and treat them Although the solution sounds easy it isn't because not everyone has equal access to mental health treatment.There are invisible barriers in the way for some people when it comes to access to mental health treatment. Race and class are two variables that are huge …show more content…
-”Symptoms of depression and their management among low-income African- American and White mothers in the rural south” -Depression in African American and White Women with low-incomes the role of chronic stress -Racial Differences in Depression Trajectories among Older Women Socioeconomic, Family, and Health Influences -Superwoman Schema, Stigma, Spirituality, and culturally Sensitive Providers: Factors Influencing African American Women’s Use of Mental Health Services -Racial Differences in Mental Health Service Utilization Among Low-Income Women -Barriers to mental Health Treatment Services for Low-Income African American Women Whose Children Receive Behavioral Health Services: An Ethnographic Investigation -Racial Differences in Mental Health Service Utilization Among Low-Income
In this paper, I examine the ways in which living in poverty negatively impacts the health of African-Americans, based on the ethnographic family history and study of health care policy recounted by Laurie Kaye Abraham in Mama Might Be Better Off Dead: The Failure of Health Care in Urban America. I will focus first on the barriers that poverty creates to health care on a structural and personal level. I will then discuss how the unique stresses of poverty construct specific behavioral and emotional patterns which reinforce systemic problems to exacerbate poor health outcomes.
Taylor, M. (1999). Changing what has gone before: The enhancement of an inadequate psychology through the use of an Afrocentric-feminist perspective with African American women in therapy. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 170-179.
Unfortunately, when released from the detention centers these same individuals are untreated and rarely seek mental health treatments when released into the community, they also tend to display diminished cognitive reasoning and readjustment difficulties amongst their family, peers, and the community (Samuel, 2015). Since, most young black males are often categorized to be aggressive and disorderly they are often misdiagnosed, and likely to receive evasive services, placements and diagnoses of having and mental health issue. Because of this factor mistrust has been recognized as a major obstacle to the utilization of specialty mental health services among racial and ethnic minority populations. Cultural mistrust is explained by African Americans, as the constant mistreatment related to being Black or part of an ethnic group, that Whites cannot be trusted. Mental health doctors have a great challenge when it comes to reassuring young Black males to seek professional help for their suppressed mental health issues. There are three barriers that mental health doctors face: getting the Black male into counseling or mental health treatment, engaging them in the therapeutic process, and keeping them engaged long enough to achieve therapeutic goals. Trust of the mental health professional who will more than likely be white will definitely be the most vital factor to accomplishing each of these objectives (McCoy, Munson, Snowden & McMillen,
"African American Communities and Mental Health." Mental Health America. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. .
Health care for mental illness is an issue in the African American community for Men, Women and Adolescents due to the underserving and lack of mental healthcare providers, the cultural stigma of having mental illness and the socioeconomic status of African Americans.
Mental health disparities, “the power imbalances that impact practices influencing access, quality, and outcomes of behavioral health care, or a significant disparity in the overall rate of disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality, or survival rate in a specific group of people defined along racial and ethnic lines, as compared with the general population” (Safran, 2011). Although there are many mental health care dipartites, I’m going to focus on the impact of poverty and lack of attention given to mental health. By advocating for a prevention, promotion, and intervention related to mental health, will aid in minimizing mental health disparities. Not only is it important to advocate on a macro level, but it is important to educate
During slavery, African American women were the ones that stayed home all day and cooked and cleaned for their families. These women were always told to just keep quiet and believe in God or their religious belief through everything they were going through. African American women didn’t have a voice in society so they couldn’t express their feelings like others could. This cultural aspect of African American women, just going through life and not being able to express themselves has contributed to many of the ladies suffering from depression. Depression amongst African women is very high because of past cultural experiences. African American women are one of the major groups of people that have sacristy of resources. Many times when African American women go to their doctors the doctors tend to diagnose them incorrectly or some time even give them the wrong treatment (Carrington, C. H. ,2006). African American when were always made to just deal with the problem that they were going through at the time not matter the mood they were in (Carrington, C. H.
The elimination of disparities in mental health care among ethnic, racial and underprivileged populations, specifically minorities remains a challenge amongst mental health care workers and medical professionals. Many minority areas are more impoverished, rely on government assistance and have a higher incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, chronic diseases, and injuries compare to any other ethnicity. In recent studies there are strategies to help eliminate disparities in mental health care, such as improving health care access, quality, offering diverse mental health workforce, providers, and patient education. These are just several strategies that can help assist in disparities. The goal is to reduce or eliminate racial, ethnic and socioeconomic health inequalities that affect minorities.
Samaan, R. A. (2000). The Influences of Race, Ethnicity, and Poverty on the Mental Health of Children. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 100-110.
Stereotypes and stigmas promote a dangerous, single-minded perspective. These incomplete or half-truths are often far more duplicitous than lies, as they are more difficult to detect. When these perspectives remain unchecked, they can result in far-reaching, adverse consequences. It is the individual’s duty to refuse to perpetuate this single story perspective. Due to misinformation presented by the media, the stigma surrounding mental illness has created a discriminatory single story perspective; however, through honest and open dialogue, particularly with those suffering from these diseases, these stereotypes can be abolished.
African American motherhood differs from White and privileged motherhood because of slavery and the standards society holds for African- American’s. During slavery, Black women took care of their own children until they were taken from them, and care for other’s children that were sold into slavery and separated from their families. Although slavery is over, the effects of slavery linger in various forms, the most surprising: motherhood. I will draw my research from Patricia Hill Collins, the author of Black Women and Motherhood, and Shifting the Center: Race, Class, and Theorizing about Motherhood. In this paper, I will briefly highlight the history of black motherhood whilst weighing on the lasting trauma that affects these women today.
Dickerson, Bette J. 1995. African American Single Mothers: Understanding their lives and Families. Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks.
As a means of survival, close to their supernatural presence, African American women must remember the ultimate objective is to drive forward through unspeakable pain and turmoil. As a Counselor, the idea is to empower these individuals and not deem them unworthy of attention, care, and compassion. From a personal standpoint, I know the value of maintaining the pride of my heritage but also knowing when to seek out help. For so many, the individual and total survival of their womanhood were contingent on their ability to be strong. Furthermore, a lot of African American women's character is created on their ability to keep up a relationship with others-to be outgoing, albeit strong-willed and feisty, so as not to be considered the weaker of the races and cast off the idea of any passivity.
The effects of poverty can affect a parent’s mental health that can directly impact children. Mental health problems that parents in poverty face can be related to the stress of not having enough money to care for the children. Other mental health problems, like depression, can als...
Mental health refers to the state of individuals psychologically, emotionally and socially. Mental health affects a person’s emotions, feelings, thoughts, and sections when exposed to different situations. Furthermore, mental health is responsible for a person’s reaction to stress and other social conditions. Generally, mental health affects how a person relates to others and their ability to understand and interact with them. Therefore, problems that affect a person’s mental health affect the abilities to socialize, their feelings, moods, reaction to situations. The person experiencing mental health problem may portray different behaviors when confronted with different issues. Mental health issues have several