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Misinterpretation of mental illness
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On April 17, 2018, I had the opportunity to go to an event about mental illness. I was able to hear people share their stories on how they found their own light out of their own struggles. There was videos of others who shared their own experience on how they dealt with it. I noted common mental illness, according to the video, that were shared. Bipolar, depression, and anxiety were common. A few things caught my attention, many people who have a mental illness are judged and put down. This only makes matter worse, which can lead to substance abuse. Substance abuse brings numbness, so one does not have to deal with reality. Jessie Wright, an ARC Alumni, spoke in this event. She deals with bipolar, schizophrenic and anxiety. She used drugs
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.
I’m actually kind of shocked I could write about recovery because it is a topic with a special meaning to myself. But, I found it easier to write about my own experience with a negative event this time, and I believe it is because I grew as a writer. I saw the value the personal testimony adds to a piece, and thus I could add my own story.
Stating that an individual has a mental illness can be interpreted many ways, however it is usually defined and understood as a psychological disease or disorder. The severity of the illness determines how much of an individual’s daily functioning will be affected. The ability to care for one’s self, a home or household and the ability to maintain an intimate relationship are lost. Homeless people with mental disorders remain homeless for longer periods of time and begin to have less contact with family and friends. Mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or severe depression, can cause a strain on family and other social relationships (Hawkins and Abrams 2007). Studies have examined what the quality of life is like after discovering that one has a mental illness, those who become homeless and other studies focus mainly on treatment options. Suffering with a mental illness makes it more di...
My heart is pounding, hands sweating, vision blurry, what wrong with me? What is that horrible sweet sound? I finally came to my senses and realized that I’m doing terrible on my first violin solo. I can hear the scratchy sound of my strings, the judge stopped me and told me to start again, and so I position myself properly I held my violin proudly, my back was straight, and my wrist shaped like an L, I took a deep breath and held it I place my bow back onto my string and started to play but this time my bow was bouncing I was shaking I sound unskillfully but I can hear the soft sound of the piano playing along with me I was off beat once I bunch a note the pianist will play one of its keys we are supposed to be together so I stopped and
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.
Using narratives to gain an insight into human experience is becoming an increasingly popular method of exploration. Assuming that people are in essence narrative beings that experience every emotion and state through narrative, the value of exploring these gives us a unique understanding. Narrative is thought to act as instrument to explore how an individual constructs their own identity (Czarniawska, 1997) and explain how each individual makes sense of the world around them (Gabriel, 1998). It may also give us an understanding into individual thought processes in relation to individual decision making practices (O’Connor, 1997). It is evident from studies such as Heider and Simmel (1944), that there appears to be an instinctive nature in people to introduce plots structures and narratives into all situations, with an intention to construct meaning to all aspects of life in its entirety. The value of narrative is that it is a tool that allows us to understand what it means to be human and gives us an insight into a person’s lived experience whilst still acknowledging their cultural and social contexts. Narrative is thought to be significance as it is ‘a fruitful organizing principle to help understand the complex conduct of human beings (p.49)’ (Sarbin, 1990) The construction of a person’s narrative is thought to be dependent on each person’s individual awareness of themselves and the circumstances that surround them. However, a debate to whether a person is able to formulate a valid narrative in the face of a mental illness such as schizophrenia has emerged. Sufferer’s symptoms are often thought to interfere with their abilities to perceive within a level deemed acceptable to their society’s norms and therefore the validity ...
Depression is hard to handle and many don’t realize the struggles that this mental illness presents. Sophomore year I had many challenges that I had to overcome, I got bullied by seniors, making me lose my motivation for school. Being bullied has shaped me into the person I am today, I am stronger, and learned how to overcome challenges no matter how hard it may seem, there is always a way.
Depression is quiet. I had learned that at the beginning of high school when all of the sudden, my self-depreciating thoughts had gone silent. The feeling of elation I had experienced that moment was mighty. I felt that it was too good to be true, that there was no way that I had freed myself of the depression I experienced since my childhood. And I was right. I learned that silence was deafening, it was louder than any of the hateful words I told myself.
in order to help myself become happy again, but that was going to be difficult since the
I completely agree with you on the ridiculousness of these newer rules. As a baseball player, I can most certainly connect to what you are thinking. When, I was an eight year old baseball player and running to second base, I was going to slide hard and late into second base. I was not intending to hurt another player, but this is just what I was taught. As for other situations, during my early childhood I would love watching the collisions between a runner and a catcher at home plate. That in my mind was one of the most intense plays that could occur in a baseball game. Then, going back to what you stated with the new development of the rules regarding sliding into second base and collisions at home plate, these are not needed. The major
People with a mental illness are often feared and rejected by society. This occurs because of the stigma of mental illness. The stigma of mental illness causes the perception of individuals with mental illnesses to be viewed as being dangerous and insane. They are viewed and treated in a negative way. They are almost seen as being less of a human. The stigma affects the individual with a mental illness in such a cruel way. The individual cannot even seek help without the fear of being stigmatized by their loved ones or the general public. The stigma even leads to some individuals developing self-stigma. This means having a negative perception of one’s self, such as viewing one’s self as being dangerous. The worst part is that the effects of
The negative views that many have on people with mental illness or psychological disorder really need to change. So today I will be informing you on why there is a stigma, what we can do as a community to change this and what the best way to change all this negative views. There is a stigma against people that have a mental illness or psychological disorder because of all the negative information society has put out there. Many people believe that people with a mental illness are dangerous and therefore should be feared and kept out of the community. Another negative view that society has is that mental illness people are irresponsible so any decisions should be made by others.
The needs of those with chronic mental illness are often misunderstood and overlooked. This population either may feel invisible or stigmatized by a society that prefers not to have to face the plight of those with lifelong mental disorders. Having a mental illness is difficult on its own, and adding the stress of finding and keeping a job to the equation can be extremely daunting. Finding the right medication, building a trusted treatment team, and maintaining a strong support system are all imperative to those suffering from mental illness. Even with these protective factors in place, many individuals still experience low-self esteem (Xie, 2013). Oftentimes they have had to quit jobs or school for a certain period of time because of their illness, and these starts and stops can be logged in their memories as “failures”. If their illness symptoms are unpredictable, they may be hesitant to secure a position because of the fear that they might get sick again. Mental illness still holds with it a huge stigma, despite strides toward greater awareness and acceptance. This stigma can become internalized, and it makes it even harder for
This is where our current society comes into play. As we live now, there is a stigma against mental illnesses everywhere we turn. Whether it be in the media where the gruesome movies that depict “psychotic” killers or in our language for calling people insane when they say something we do not quite agree with, it hurts people with mental illnesses (). Having this stigma surround them everywhere they go traps them in a box and prevents growth. As one victim of stigma accounts, “A lady (at a food bank) asked what my illness was and I said ‘well I have schizophrenia’ and she goes ‘well you don’t look schizophrenic to me.’
It was dark that night, I was nervous that this dreadful day was going to get worse. Sunday, October 23, 1998 I wanted to start writing this to tell about the weird things i’m starting to see in this new neighborhood. Gradually I keep seeing pots and pans on the sink suddenly move to the floor. I would ask my sister but she is out with my mom and dad getting the Halloween costumes. When they got home I didn’t tell them what I saw because i've seen Halloween movies and I have to have dissimulation otherwise the ghost will come out and get me first. October 24, 1998 I think I got a little nervous yesterday with the whole ghost thing. 12:32pm, Went to eat lunch with the family today and I go to get my coat. I heard the words furious and madness,