Mental Health: The Negative Effects Of Mental Health

Mental health can be a sensitive subject to most of society. “In two identical UK public opinion surveys… over 80% [of participants] endors[ed] the statement that ‘most people are embarrassed by mentally ill people’, and about 30% agreeing ‘I am embarrassed by mentally ill persons’” (Byrne 65). People with a mental illness are thought of as including but not limited to: child-like, weak, and even dangerous. This stigma on people with mental illness(es) can have a negative impact on their lives. This stigma can affect their jobs, relationships, treatment, and overall happiness among other things. The stigma surrounding mental illness has been negatively impacting mental health for decades. The public, the media, and people in the mental health

Surprisingly people in the mental health field, including but not limited: to doctors, specifically psychiatrists, nurses, therapists, and counselors, also contribute to the stigmatization of mental illness. “Since health professionals are part of the general public, their attitudes may in part reflect social stigma; however, their unique roles and responsibility to ‘help’ may create a specific barrier” (Ahmedani 4). Many patients report feeling marginalized by their health care professionals and that their own personal thoughts, feelings, and ideals are not being accounted for. On the surface many mental illnesses might seem very similar, but in actuality they are all very different and have to be handled different ways, just like every patient is different and will not always respond in a predictable way. It takes a long time to properly manage a person’s mental illness because no one management or treatment works for everyone. “Overall, health professionals may not provide adequate intervention, early detection, or community referral options for individuals with mental or behavioral disorders” (Ahmedani 7). It is easier for health professionals to accept the stereotypes and give the majority of their patients a mediocre treatment that can be applies to many illnesses than to give each patient an adequate treatment plan that is specifically designed for him or her. In creating a customized treatment plan for a patients “Clinicians should ask about the nature of adverse experiences, discrimination, the extent of social networks, self-image, etc., and incorporate these issues into the treatment plan” (Byrne 69). It will be a slower and more difficult process than giving them a baseline treatment, but personalizing treatments for each patient ensures that they are getting the best help for their specific