Mental Health Essay

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There are a number of various public health issues that are in dire need of being acknowledged and resolved. And while for some issues there seems to be significant progress in progressing towards a resolving goal, there are other issues that still need to be addressed in order to prevent further casualties within specific populations. One such issue that requires much needed attention is the handling of mental illnesses. The issues surrounding mental illnesses can appropriately fall under the aspect of mental health. Mental health, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is “a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able …show more content…

As mental illnesses continue to be overlooked, the number of people who suffer from these illnesses continues to grow, creating a huge disparity between those who are mentally ill and those maintaining an optimal mental state within a general population. Currid and Horgan (2012) state that “by the year 2020, the World Health Organization projects that depression, [one type of mental illness], will be the second most common debilitating condition and that people will lose a substantial amount of years both in terms of premature mortality and life productivity” (p. 1). It is evident that there is not enough being done to limit the prevalence of mental illness, seeing as it is persistently thriving, and as the issue remains unsolved, many people miss the opportunity of being able to live their lives functioning in a stable, healthy state. Therefore, it is crucial for the public to acknowledge the issue in a serious manner to prevent massive loss of life, as well as develop a stronger focus on establishing public health initiatives geared towards treating mental illnesses. Moreover, along with the public needing to understand the severity and growing occurrence of mental illness, it is also important for the public to develop a better “attitude” in approaching mental illness. As mentioned before, there is an apparent stigma towards individuals suffering from mental illnesses, which affects the probability of mental illness patients receiving effective treatment and also disconnects these individuals from proper social integration and acceptance into society. Tulchinsky et al. (2012) note that “many [mentally ill persons, especially of the homeless population] end up, inappropriately, in the criminal legal system due to aberrant behaviors” (p. 5). Due to this underlying prejudice, it is difficult to provide treatment for victims of mental

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