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Impact of stigma on mental health patients
Effect of stigma on mental health patients
Effects of stigma on mental health disorders essays
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Mental Health and College Students:
Should Mental Health Education be Mandatory?
If someone asked “what is college like?” to a person who has never attended, they might answer that it is all drinking, partying, and late night study sessions. However, ask a student currently attending college and more often than not, they are going to answer “stress, anxiety, depression and drinking.” Mental illness is so common among college students, they now tend to ignore it or joke about it rather than actually deal with it. What can be done to combat dangerous mentalities and poor mental health literacy? Requiring every student in a public school to take a mental health education course. Similar to how students have to take physical education at some
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The public’s general feelings towards mental illness comes from inadequate education and ignorance. Stigma from others and self-stigma can be a deterrent to any help-seeking behavior. Education could help overcome these stigmas. The Journal of College Counseling published a study in which researchers found of 847 first-year college students, “fifty-eight percent believed that there is stigma attached to using mental health services” (Rosenthal 199). Students should not think of negative stigmas when discussing mental health. This sort of adverse perspective on mental health prevents dialogue and discourages treatment. Another study indicates that social stigmas makes students 30% less likely to seek professional help (Cheng et al 69-70). When more than half of students associate mental health with stigmas, this directly affects their feelings towards receiving mental treatment. Mandatory mental health education will help dispel these mentalities and stop the spread of this toxic way of thinking. It is important that those who need professional assistance seek treatment when they need it. Sadly, a great deal of college students are in need of professional help to improve their mental health, despite refusing to admit …show more content…
Even if more students are seeking help when they need it, there are still students who do not seek treatment, or deny treatment when offered. A survey of 847 first-year students found that when asked if they would seek counseling when experiencing emotional problems, only 20% of students would definitely seek help but 27% would outright refuse and 13% do not believe mental health treatment works (Rosenthal 198-199). Such disregard for mental health is a dangerous mentality. Those who need mental health treatment should not be swayed by stigmas and surrounded by discouraging dialogue that persuades them their mental health is unimportant. Mandatory mental health education would help those who may encounter mental illness later in life, prevent mental illness in others and encourage empathy and understanding in those who won’t deal with mental illness directly. Something else of note, mandatory mental health education would help reduce bullying on school campuses. The American program “Stop Bullying” states that children with mental illness are more likely to be bullied, or become bullies themselves. Educating children on mental illness with create a more sympathetic and nurturing environment. Even those with the opinion that the amount of mental illness cases are not rising should still support mandatory mental
...will have a very easy time of teaching students. Less time will be used by the teachers to issue punishment threats to the student. Studies have shown that students who attend mental health programs for a period of at least one year will have increased attendance rates in schools and have better grades in their exams. If the mental health care is introduced in schools, then the rates of violent incidents in school will decrease by about 15 percent.
The stigma and negative associations that go with mental illness have been around as long as mental illness itself has been recognized. As society has advanced, little changes have been made to the deep-rooted ideas that go along with psychological disorders. It is clearly seen throughout history that people with mental illness are discriminated against, cast out of society, and deemed “damaged”. They are unable to escape the stigma that goes along with their illness, and are often left to defend themselves in a world that is not accepting of differences in people. Society needs to realize what it is doing, and how it is affecting these people who are affected with mental illness.
Illness. When most people hear that word, they think Cancer, Diabetes, AIDs, Ebola, or the Black Plague. The epitome of a sick person is tired, grey, and laying in bed. Now, imagine an ill person walking down the hall, sitting in class, or eating in the school cafeteria. Is it strange? This is no alternate reality. The term “illness” addresses both the physical and mental condition of a person. 20% of American teens are affected by some type of mental disorder that affects their capability to function (“Mental Health By The Numbers” 1). High schools are constantly searching for ways to improve this percentage, actions ranging from adding counselors to decreasing class size to delaying the bell schedule. One solution, known by many different names but unchanged in concept, is allowing students to take mental health days.
Majority of individuals with severe mental health disorder are faced with double challenges. On one hand, they battle with the signs, symptoms, mark and defects associated with the disease. On the other hand, they are faced with stigma, stereotypes, discrimination and prejudice as a result of mental health misconception. Hence, individuals with mental health diseases are deprived quality life opportunities such as good job, stable income, and relationships (Corrigan et al, 2000). There are basically two types of stigma, namely; public and self-stigma. Public stigma as to do with how the general population responds to individuals with mental health illness. While self-stigma is the preconceived notion which mental health patients use against themselves (Corrigan et al, 2000). Evidence show that magnanimous percentage of United State citizens and several European countries all indulge in mental health stigmatization (Phelan et al, 2000; Madianos et 1987). Furthermore, Effective strategies to reduce public stigma are classified in three processes; protest, education and contact (Corrigan & Penn, 1999). Studies show that engaging in mental health education programs led to
Mental health literacy, similar to health literacy, provides information about mental health disorders and how to aid their management, awareness, and prevention (Wei). There are two main stigmas seen in the mental health community: public stigma and self-stigma. Both of these stigmas are detrimental to the strides being made in the mental health community. Within ethnic minority communities and the mental health community, stigmatisms and misconceptions associated with mental illness negatively impact people who suffer from such issues. In order to prevent unnecessary deaths and tragic suicide attempts, minority communities and the mental health community must work together to raise awareness and destigmatize mental illness.
The policy analysis is based on the increasing numbers of cases on mental health issues in college and university campuses. The topic is supported by evidential data collected from various studies and peer-reviewed articles that show the statistical prevalence of the most common forms of mental health issues seen among the students, which shows that the prevalence rate is ever-increasing. The methodologies recommended for implementation include increased availability of resources and facilitating the accessibility of these resources through overcoming barriers. Some policy options have been suggested for consideration and recommendations have been made accordingly. The fiscal impact has also been considered and suggestions
This essay will attempt to outline and explain the effects that stigma attached to mental health issues may have on one’s life and strategies for over coming self-stigma as well as public stigma. I will first explain stigma in the context of mental health and briefly explain the detriments this can have on a person’s life followed by a more in-depth analysis of the aforementioned stigmas. I will follow this up with strategies and models for disabling both public and self-stigma as a result of mental health.
The mental health stigma has become a prevalent issue in the world of medical care. It can prevent people from receiving proper medical care and the quality of care people may receive. Stigma is defined as members of groups who violate the norms established by the dominant or privileged group and, as such, are marked as deviant (Jr. and Kite). Stigma can also lead to discrimination. The way we can try and diminish the severity of the stigma is to create transparency and openness about mental illness. Seeing that people are not defined by their disorder and can be successful regardless of the diagnosis. That they are not defined by their diagnosis they just have and suffer with the disorder. Also promoting education about mental health issues can diminish the myths about these issues thus lessening the amount of stigma. I have seen instances on our own campus in which they could have promoted counseling and mental health among the student body. I think the staff body could have took a more proactive approach to mental health. Instead of waiting until after students committed suicide and trying to fix the problem they could actively be promoting it regardless of the instances on the university campus. There are two different types of stigma; public and self-stigma. These stigmas can have different effects on the individual. Everyone has mental health and raising awareness about it and eliminating the stigma can help the world learn how to discuss and change this problem.
Many students on a college campus experience stress, depression, or being overwhelmed and rarely seek mental health services on campus. A study was done at a large, highly competitive, public research university, to see how many students experience any of these things and to see how many actually use their available resources (Laven, A.). Studies found that most of these students who experienced these emotional situations tended to have lower grade point averages; however, they indicated that their problems were not serious enough, they had never used the available resources on campus, and they generally knew very little about the resources on campus (Laven, A.). Although many of the freshmen indicated that they would rather turn to friends or family for advice, if the problem is persistent and affects one’s daily life, campus resources should be used.
School should be the first place to start informing students that they could be at risk of a serious problem that could affect them the rest of their lives. Research done by the University Mental Health Advisers Network showed that ‘half of all lifetime mental disorders start by the mid-teens and three quarters by the mid 20s” (Time). Avoiding mental health and not informing students of the possibility only puts them at a disadvantage for the rest of their lives. Furthermore, phrases that stigmatize mental health are commonly used, but no one realizes the effect they have on people suffering from problems. A survey of 546 teachers concluded that “88% of teachers and 96% of teaching assistants had heard pupils using phrases which stigmatise mental health in school”(Barber).
For a very long time, mental health was a disease people would not dare speak about. The stigma associated with mental health meant that it was viewed as a curse or simply poor upbringing. Crazy, right? (Pardon the pun). Although it’s not seen as a curse by us in this generation any more, many people with mental health issues still have to face ignorance, prejudice and discrimination from our society just because of their lack of understanding or reluctance to try and understand. Be that as it may, these attitudes directly impact upon how and if people choose to seek help, making the negative and ignorant opinions and attitudes of others potentially dangerous to many individuals and the people around them.
Can you picture the student voted “most likely to succeed” in your graduating class? This individual must have had everything going for them. They probably had good grades, popular, never in trouble, no health issues and socially and emotionally stable. However, twenty years later, after graduating college, a successful business owner, had a beautiful wife and three kids, he decides emotionally he is done and takes his own life. Mental health issues can manifest at anytime with varying degrees of significance on the emotional stability of a person. Factors such as socioeconomic status, biological and environmental issues all dictate mental health needs. Obviously, a variety of circumstances can evoke these mental health issues. Now imagine coping with these mental health issues and being expected to still be a normal student and conform to your peers around you. This is what we expect of our students dealing with a variety of mental health issues. The policies and procedures are established to meet the needs of all students. The mental health issues are recognized and evaluated based on the best placement for the student to receive an education. The public school system has the responsibility to provide a free and appropriate education. The school does the best they can to provide a whole school approach to deal with the increasing number of mental health concerns. However, the mental health concerns carry on beyond high school.
Mental illness should be taught in schools to let children and teens know that it’s real and not uncommon. Most think that mental illness is a rarity and happen to someone else but them. Mental Illness is actually widespread throughout the country. Three to five million kids ages five to seventeen are affected by mental illness each year and nearly 9.3 million over 18 are affected each year, The most common disorders being depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, anorexia, etc. Mental illness should be taught in schools because many teens have mental illness and don't know how to deal with it or what it is. some even go to extremes as to hurt themselves or others in cases, to temporarily rid the pain
In conclusion, stigma still effects millions of individuals dealing with mental illness, and taking away opportunities for a better life. However, no direct answers have been made on how to diminish mental health stigma. Protest, education, and contact have been research time and again. The research shows that more research is needed in order to change beliefs of the general public and employees. One author suggested that anxiety and stress in working environment is related to the social stigma of mental illness and to change the stigma or perception contact with individuals is needed (Jorm et al. 2009, p. 184).
If there are 40 students in the classroom, at least two of them could be living with serious mental illness. Although mental illness is something that is familiar to us, there is still misunderstood and stigma towards mental illness. Then why do many people still have wrong knowledge and attitude toward mental illness? There are many sources of the stigma, but one of the main sources is people’s ignorance toward mental illness.