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The theory of stigma
Theory of stigma
An essay on the concept of ‘stigma
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Mental illness is a largely stigmatized issue in society. Some mental illnesses are so completely misunderstood that actual diagnoses are tossed at people who display minor signs of a few of the disease’s symptoms by people who are sorely unqualified to diagnose anyone in the first place. An entire slew of words and stereotypes have been engrained to the unconscious minds of many people which in turns tarnishes the general depiction of people who suffer from mental illnesses. Topics associated with mental health stigma and the process to reducing it, are self-stigma, the concept of social distance, the knowledge of possible recovery, and general awareness of the populace about mental illnesses as a whole. Social Distance Many people, as a …show more content…
Many people go undiagnosed or untreated due to fear of ridicule or stigma involved with seeking help. One of the most popular yet intensely dismissive phrases about mental illness is that it’s only in the head of the person claiming to be troubled with an illness. A campaign done by Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Canada addressed this by stating that, “It’s ironic that one of the phrases people use to dismiss a mental illness actually contains more insight than you might think… By deepening people’s understanding of the brain and the science behind mental illnesses, we hope to overcome the stigma and prejudice” that are so strongly associated with them (Jacob & Skinner, 2015, p. 7). This phrase is a bit interesting as it insinuates that problems based in the head (or mind or brain) or not of concern. If someone were to experience difficulty with their leg, they would most likely be told to go visit a doctor to check out this issue. It is rare that they would be told it was only in their leg and they should move on from it. The brain is one of, if not the, most important organ in the human body and stigma behind mental illnesses can stop people from trying to keep it healthy and properly
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.
Stereotypes and stigmas promote a dangerous, single-minded perspective. These incomplete or half-truths are often far more duplicitous than lies, as they are more difficult to detect. When these perspectives remain unchecked, they can result in far-reaching, adverse consequences. It is the individual’s duty to refuse to perpetuate this single story perspective. Due to misinformation presented by the media, the stigma surrounding mental illness has created a discriminatory single story perspective; however, through honest and open dialogue, particularly with those suffering from these diseases, these stereotypes can be abolished.
Purpose: The stigma of mental disorders continues to dissolve, however it remains clear that we need take control of the issue, spread awareness, and educate the public on detecting mental illness and equipping the public with tools on how to be resilient. This purpose paper taps into brain disorders, mental health stigmas and how early detection along with mindfulness contributes to the enhancement of overall well-being.
Stigma, as defined by the Oxford English dictionary, is a symbol of degradation associated with a particular person or circumstance. In mental health, stigma refers to the judgemental attitude and prejudices to individuals who have mental illnesses—labelling them as nothing more than the disease. People living with mental illnesses are amongst the most stigmatized groups in the society. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is a state of well being where individuals are able to cope with normal stresses, work productively, and able to contribute to the community. In this paper, the different elements of mental health stigmatization including the history, prevalence, and the Canadian effort of addressing the issue
There are so many types of mental illnesses that affect people every day. When some people think of mental illnesses they think of the ones that would cause people to have physical symptoms as well, but that’s untrue, there are many more that you would never know anyone has if you were to see them on the street. As defined by the 2008 encyclopedia “a mental illness is any disease of the mind or brain that seriously affects a person’s ability or behavior. Symptoms of a mental illness may include extreme moods, such as excessive sadness or anxiety, or a decreased ability to think clearly or remember well.” A mentally ill person has severe symptoms that damage the person’s ability to function in everyday activities and situations. Every nation and every economic level can be affected by a mental illness. In the United States alone about 3% of the population has severe mental illness and to add to that number about 40% of people will experience a type of mental illness at least once in their lives. Some cases of mental illnesses can go away on their own, but some cases are so severe that they require professional treatment. There is so much more available to help people recover from their symptoms than in the past.
Psychiatry is a medical field that deals with the diagnoses, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. The FDA is constantly approving drugs for psychiatrists to use that are supposed to help with in their practice. For example, Michael Levin-Epstein, who wrote the article “A New Way to Deliver Psychiatric Meds: Drugs for ADHD and Major Depression Now Can Be Delivered with Skin Patches,” shows how pharmacotherapy is continually being advanced by new ideas and approaches. However, Psychiatric drugs are not always the answer. Prescriptions are not a good remedy when it comes to the overcoming of a mental illnesses, because there is not enough information regarding the effects of the drugs, pharmaceutical companies are driven by profits,
Health is a complex concept, and when we talk about health we refer to body health and to the health of the mind, the health of relationships between us and those around us, the spiritual health. Looking online on one of the additional resources recommended, www.nimh.nih.gov, I have noticed that one of the symptoms of most diseases that affect a person's mental health is lack of sleep. Lack of sleep not only worsens man's mental health, but also causes serious imbalances in metabolism, immunity, general mood, and last but not least, affects the ability of learning and memorizing among students. The sleep fulfills a number of vital functions for both our mind and body. We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, which is a valuable and useful
Nursing assessment of mental illness is a complex task – especially in the community health clinics that serve persons of minority groups, the indigent, and uninsured. According to the National Institute of Mental health (2007), and the Surgeon General (2001), approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population suffer from mental illness each year (as cited in Hunt, 2009). According to Genrich and McGuire (2009), the use of evidence-based screening for mental illness has been generally accepted in the clinical setting and is modifiable in different primary care settings (as cited in Russell, 2010). However, despite a general acceptance of mental health screening in primary care, less than 33 percent of primary care providers regularly screen their patients for mental illness (Russell, 2010). This is why community health nurses are tasked to assess patients in diverse environments and “need to accurately assess and identify factors in the psychological, social, and physical environment that may contribute to mental illness” (Hunt, 2009, p. 424).
Madhouses, loony bins, insane asylums, monsters, witches, and lunatics. These are the terms that haunt both the mentally ill and the facilities that provide their treatment. The stigma of mental illness prevents persons in need of treatment from seeking help for their mental illnesses. Stigma has been reduced throughout the years due to mental health support groups and out-patient care; however, stigma is still a very prominent issue today. Stigma causes those with mental illness to feel isolated and alienated, so they may harm themselves, or be afraid to find help. Stigma puts mentally ill patients in danger. Stigma must be eliminated to keep patients safe and healthy. Researchers must dissect the roots of the stigma of mental illness to reduce the discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping of the mentally ill. There are things that can prevent this stigma, such as changes in federal policy, public co-operation, and individual advocacy.
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.
In the article Issues and Controversies says, "Throughout most of human history, people with mental illness were ostracized, isolated, and persecuted." ( Infobase,1) This belief system can give causation of mental illness in different cultures and such influences in a community will always be in a negative manner. Various societies struggle with the notion of mental health. The standards of every culture believe to be considered normal, natural, or healthy. These views lead to disagreements about the causes, diagnosis, and the treatment of the disorders. Many people with mental problems are discriminated against because of their mental disorder. Mental illness and stigma refers to the view of the person with mental illness as having undesirable traits. Stigma leads to negative behavior, stereotyping, and discriminatory behavior towards the person with mental health issues. This stigma causes the affected person to experience denial or shame of their condition. Perceived stigma can result in the patient being scared to seek help. Stigma can be divided into two perspectives, public and self stigma. Upadhyay says, "Public stigma occurs when the general
In the past, mental illness was taboo to discuss and there was fear surrounding the topic. However, remarkable strides have been made in figuring out the causes of the disease and weighing the most effective treatments specialized for each specific disease. According to the American Psychotic Association, “A mental illness is a medical condition that disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.”
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).
Mental health refers to the state of individuals psychologically, emotionally and socially. Mental health affects a person’s emotions, feelings, thoughts, and sections when exposed to different situations. Furthermore, mental health is responsible for a person’s reaction to stress and other social conditions. Generally, mental health affects how a person relates to others and their ability to understand and interact with them. Therefore, problems that affect a person’s mental health affect the abilities to socialize, their feelings, moods, reaction to situations. The person experiencing mental health problem may portray different behaviors when confronted with different issues. Mental health issues have several