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Stigma of mental disability
The impact of mental illness on society
The impact of mental illness on society
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Although about 450 million people in the world currently are suffering from a mental illness, many untreated, the topic still remains taboo in modern society (Mental Health). For years, people with mental illnesses have been shut away or institutionalized, and despite cultural progression in many areas, mental illnesses are still shamed and rarely brought to light outside of the psychiatric community. The many different forms in which mental illness can occur are incredibly prevalent in the world today, and there is a substantial debate about the way that they should be handled. Some people are of the opinion that mental illness is merely a variance in perception and that it either can be fixed through therapy or should not be treated at all, and that treatment can have negative side effects. Other groups of people believe that mental illness is a very serious affliction and should be treated as a disease through a combination of counselling and medication because people suffering from an untreated mental illness are a danger to themselves and society as a whole. This debate is a popular one, discussed everywhere from the medical field to the dinner table, and it is such because of the numerous lives it affects on the well-being of fellow members of society and the economy. People suffering from mental illnesses are afflicted with anything from delusions, to manic periods, to periods of deep emotional darkness due to experiences and brain chemistry (Johnson). Due to the negative effects untreated mental illness has been proven to have on the human well-being and society as a whole, medication should most certainly be seen as a valid and sometimes necessary way to treat those who suffer from mental illnesses. Though they are no... ... middle of paper ... ...pposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 7 Feb. 2014. "Mental Health." New Internationalist 452 (2012): 18. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. "Mental Illness Overview." Congressional Digest 81.1 (2002): 3. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. Pearson, John. "Counterpoint: US Homeless Policy Does Not Work."Points Of View: Homelessness (2013): 6. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 7 Feb. 2014. "Restricting Medications for Mental Illness Harms Patients." Mental Illness. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 7 Feb. 2014. Russell, Rose. "No Shame." Blade, The (OH) 22 Apr. 2013: Points of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. "Self-Harm Among Teenage Girls Up 10 Per Cent In Year." Times, The (United Kingdom) (2013): 16. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Feb. 2014.
Forcing someone to take medication or be hospitalized against their will seems contrary to an individual’s right to refuse medical treatment, however, the issue becomes complicated when it involves individuals suffering from a mental illness. What should be done when a person has lost their grasp on reality, or if they are at a risk of harming themselves or others? Would that justify denying individuals the right to refuse treatment and issuing involuntary treatment? Numerous books and articles have been written which debates this issue and presents the recommendations of assorted experts.
Mental Health & Function. U of Washington, 1 Nov. 2013. Web. 9 May 2014. .
World Health Organization. (2001). The World health report : 2001 : Mental health : New understanding, new hope. Retrieved from World Health Organization website: http://www.who.int/whr/2001/en/whr01_en.pdf
“Insurance companies often cover mental illness in a more limited fashion than physical illness” (Christensen). The lack of mental health care provided for the mentally ill has been a growing issue in the US during the previous years, and there has been some progress. For example, there has been the Mental Health Care and Parity Law of 2008 that was enacted so that the insurers would cover mental illness just as they would cover other illnesses. In addition, the Affordable Care Act was enacted to enforce that the insurers abide by the rules. Unfortunately, that hasn’t helped much, hence: the sneaky behavior of insurance companies. This sneaky behavior seems to be unnoticed by the government the majority of the time unless the patient or his family decides to file a lawsuit. Until then, insurance companies have been constantly bending rules and finding loopholes to not pay insurance for mental illness.
"Module 2: A Brief History of Mental Illness and the U.S. Mental Health Care System." Unite for Sight. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.
Often, topics are brought up that make citizens uncomfortable. When issues that do not pertain to citizens are brought up, they tend to not listen. Typically, when issues surrounding mental illness or inaccessibility to healthcare are brought up, many do not care. Those without healthcare and those with mental illness are often disregarded. Studying Global Public Health and Applied Psychology at NYU will permit me to explore issues surrounding mental illness and inaccessibility to healthcare.
Stephey, M.J. "De-Criminalizing Mental Illness." TIME.com. N.p., 8 Aug. 2007. Web. 12 Dec. 2013. .
Kahn, Ada P., and Jan Fawcett. The Encyclopedia of Mental Health. 2nd ed. New York: Facts On File, 2001.
7. Roth, Martin. & Kroll, Jerome (1986) The Reality of Mental Illness. Cambridge University Press
"NAMI - The National Alliance on Mental Illness." NAMI. National Alliance on Mental Illness, n.d. Web. 01 May 2014.
Doward, J. (2013), Medicine's big new battleground: does mental illness really exist? The Observer 12 May.
The percent of people self-harming themselves in the world is increasing tremendously. Research provided by “Dr. Paul Moran of King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry and George C. Patton, professor at the Center for Adolescent Health at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia” (Willingham), found out of 1,802 adolescents, eight percent of the adolescents were cutting, ten percent were girls, and 6 percent were boys. Age 15 to 24 year old girls are the ones that are most likely injuring themselves. In Dr. Moran and Dr. Patton’s studies they found “teens who experienced depression or anxiety were about six times more likely to self-harm in young adulthood than adolescents who did not suffer from these illnesses” (Willingham), leading to the doctors results of the percentage data.
Despite advancements in recent years, gaps in treatment for those with mental disorders persist, largely due to social suffering and stigmatization. In taking a biosocial perspective and analyzing potential solutions, a more thorough understanding of these interwoven problems might be obtained and applied to other global health disparities such as tuberculosis.
“Mental illness.” World of Health. Gate, 2007. Student Resources in Context. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.
Mental disorders are rapidly becoming more common with each new generation born in the world. Currently, nearly one in two people suffer from some form of depression, anxiety, or other mental health problem at some point in their lives (Editor). With so many people suffering from their mental illnesses, steps have been taken in order to get help needed for these people but progress has been slow. In the medical world, hospitals are treating those with physical problems with more care than those with mental problems. Prescription drugs can only do so much helping the mentally ill go through their daily lives and more should be done to help those who need more than medicine to cope with their illness. Mental health should be considered just as important as physical health because of how advanced physical healing is, how the public reacts to those with mental illness, and due to the consequences that could happen if the illness is not correctly helped.