Mental illness is one of the least talked about problems. The fact that is not really talked about does not make it any less important. 1 in 5 people suffer from some form of mental illness every year (Mental Health Numbers, par. 1). These people often talk down to and criticized for not been behaving normally. The only thing is that normal is not a universal term. What is normal for one person is not normal for another. This is where one of the main problems arise with mental illness: Lack of awareness, other problems are the lack of resources available in hospitals and the lack of permanent solutions for treatment. Mental illness has been around since the stone age and is still a problem today. It is time for a change to occur. Mental illness …show more content…
Throughout history, the theories for the causes of mental illness have been placed into three categories: supernatural, somatogenic (bodily disorder), and psychogenic (mental disorder). (Farreras par, 2). The supernatural causes are often described as being possessed, by a demon or spirit, or as punishment for committing a sin. Somatogenic causes can occur after a severe brain injury or a lack of oxygen in the brain. Psychogenic illnesses often are the result of past experiences being traumatic. The theory of the illness would often dictate on how the person was treated. If the patient was suffering from severe panic attacks the treatment would be vastly different from if an evil spirit possessed the patient. Possible treatments can differ as much as calling a priest or draining blood from the …show more content…
It affects so many people around the world every day. Everyone knows someone who is suffering from a mental disorder. These people are fighting a battle that is incredibly difficult. With knowledge of what is wrong in their minds, these people can change and become fully functioning adults. Advances in medicine need to be made and this is achieved through funding. There are many places people can give to help raise awareness or create a new medicine. Progress can be made and with this progress people will start to look at the mental ill in a new light and realize that they are people just like them. The realization is key into working towards fixing the problem that is mental
It is a problem as real in the 21st Century as it was in the 19th Century and in earlier history, this problem is just presented in a different format i.e. through the media. Now, you may say ok, but what is the point. To you I say we as a society cannot acknowledge the presence of an individual’s “mental illness history” only when tragedies occur. While the past and the present portray mental illness in a negative way, in the past individuals suffering from mental illness were institutionalized. Today, individuals suffering from mental illness are no longer institutionalized; instead they are living in prisons and on the street. How mental illness is portrayed in the media and in education affects how individuals within a given society views mental health. Individuals with a mental illness are what I’m calling “double suffering.” Not only do they suffer from the illness itself, but they also suffer from the stigma of having such an illness. So, why does the negative portrayal of those who are suffering mental illness matter? It matters because we as a society cannot ignore mental illness as if it does not exist. We need to care; no longer can the screaming of their minds be
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. If we continue to not help them, and to foster their illness, it will only get worse.
Mental illness is an increasing problem in America. Currently about 26.2% of Americans suffer from a mental disorder. A mental illness/disorder is a medical condition that disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, and ability to relate to others and daily functions. Mental illness can affect humans of any age, race, gender and socioeconomic status. However the care that is needed to effectively cure and help the people affected by the illness is not equal for everyone here in American, especially for African Americans.
Mental illness is more common than one would like to believe. In reality, one in five Americans will suffer from a mental disorder in any given year. Though that ratio is about equivalent to more than fifty-four million people, mental illness still remains a shameful and stigmatized topic (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). The taboo of mental illness has an extensive and exhausting history, dating back to the beginning of American colonization. It has not been an easy road, to say the least.
The discussion of mental health is slowly being brought to the social surface to create a more inclusive society for those dealing with a mental illness. However, those with a mental illness are continuously being affected by stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination by those who simply don’t comprehend the complexity of the human brain (Glaser, G.2017). As more people become mental health activist, they are exposing the plethora of issues surrounding the overall mental and physical stability of those who are negatively affected by the social construct of what it means to be normal.
For centuries, society has placed sigma on people with mental illness, even today with all the medical knowledge we have, there’s still no clear understanding of what causes or how to prevent mental illness. But after reading the quote “The mind is its own place, and in itself. Can make a heav’n of hell, a hell of heav’n” (Beelzebub, in Book 1, lines 254-255). Immediately, the thought of mental illness came to mind. Mental illness affects the lives and well-being of numerous people throughout the world.
Why is there a cloud of judgment and misunderstanding still surrounding the subject? People with a mental disorder or with a history of mental health issues are continually ostracized by society. This results in it being more difficult than it already is for the mentally ill to admit their symptoms to others and to seek treatment. To towards understanding mental illness is to finally lift the stigma, and to finally let sufferers feel safe and accepted within today’s society. There are many ways in which the mentally ill are degraded and shamed.
One in four adults experience mental illness throughout the year, and given this fact it is pretty acceptable that mental illnesses are prevalent in the life of an average person. Mental sicknesses can range in severity from clinical depression to paranoid schizophrenia. In most cases, mental illness is cared for and treated with medicine and psychology. But what about those that are not treated with proper care and medicine? Those that are affected by a severe sickness and are forced to live life with it. What happens to their sickness and how do they cope with it? Society tends to push them aside as they fear the ill. Illnesses such as sadistic personality disorder is one that society fears because of its’ violent nature.
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
Since it has become more understood better treatment plans have been created. There a various therapies and medications that can help manage mental health. However, there is an estimated 50 million people in America that has a mental disorder(s) and sadly only about 10 million will receive mental healthcare. Why is this? This happens simply because mental illness does not care who you are and how much money you do or do not have in the bank. Mental illnesses can effect anyone and it can be anyone of the numerous different psychological disorders. When mental illness effects a person it disrupts their whole life, this would include their daily living as well as effecting how preform at work. Take for instance, if they work a production job it can cause them not to make production. If they cannot function well enough to work at their required performance, then this could and probably would lead into them being fired from their job. Without a job they would not only lose their income but they would also have say bye-bye to their insurance plan as well. This would leave them without and mental healthcare. Did you know that if 50% of those with schizophrenia, 25% of those with anxiety disorders, 33% of those with depression are currently receiving successful treatment and the likely success rate will be around 80 to 90%? A number of people with
The time to change mental health movement began in March of 2011 in England to show how people with mental health live and to show those who judge them that they should actually help them their goal was to help those with mental health issues not to feel isolated and alone but embrace themselves and those who judge them to show how their mean words and hate affect those with mental health.
Mental Illness is one of the growing illness in United States. According to National Alliance of Mental Illness”1 in 5 adults experiences a mental health condition every year. 1 in 20 lives with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.” If the person has a five family member, one of them could be diagnosed with mental illness. If there is 40 students in class room at least two of them could be living with serious mental illness. Although mental illness is something that familiar to us, there is still misunderstood and stigma towards mental illness. Then why many people still have a wrong knowledge and attitude toward mental illness?
One of our highest taboos is one of the things that needs to be spoken of most. Mental illness effects everyone in some way or another: either we have personally suffered with it, or we know someone who has.
Today, it is less of a social stigma to announce and therefore to seek treatment for a mental disorder. The advances in the past century that stemmed from in-depth study of mental disorders have included the identification and naming of more specific mental diseases. Long gone are the days where the insane were all classified as either psychotic, schizophrenic, or in some sort of post-traumatic condition and therefore confined to solitary confinement, deemed as a lost-cause case to be removed from society. I believe that our culture has created a more accepting environment than the bias of the Fifties and Sixties towards individuals with mental illnesses since some of the mystery, and thus some of the fear, has been removed.
It affects our relationship with other people and our self, and the way we function in life. I feel like many people are not seeking help because they are afraid of being judge for coming to a hospital due to a mental illness. Moreover, they are often victims of “social exclusion, stigma and discrimination” (Almazeedi &Alsuwaidan as cited in Vortruba et al., 2014, p. 284). Before I started nursing school, I was terrified of people who have mental disabilities because I was afraid that they are going to hurt me, and I did not want to associate myself with them. However, as the program progress, I learned more information about mental health and disorders, especially this term. Also, my encounter with Ms. F, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Due to her command hallucination, Ms. F has inflicted a knife into her neck and wrist in the past, which has eventually turned into scars. Mental issues may develop due to trauma, social care, poverty, and poor access to health care (Vortruba et. al, 2014). I think that lack of education as well, there is not much promotion or encouragement about how we can take care of our mental health. Although we can see its effect, many people suffer from mental issues that are not even diagnose, and the victims that I usually see are young people. I find that the key solution that that they find is to commit suicide. This event is very alarming not only to family, but also the