Mental Health is Working on Issues that have Roots in the Mind

Ever since the concept of mental illness became more mainstream, it has become a widely controversial topic. Based on what has been seen in society, people who are involved with mental disorders are often dehumanized in some way.

In my future social work career, it is imperative to be cognizant of my personal experiences and preconceptions regarding mental illness. As I participant in evaluation and diagnosis of mental illness, I will utilize a blank slate mentality. I will strive to prevent previous clients’ behavior, the individual’s current diagnoses, and personal judgments to cloud my diagnosis or interactions.

Or they see them as violent and aggressive, but the truth is a person with mental health problems is more likely to be harmed or to harm themselves than someone else. The only reason a mentally ill person is violent or aggressive is from the lack of treatment and care. According to Mental Health Foundation, “People with mental health problems say that the social stigma attached to mental ill health and the discrimination they experience makes their difficulties worse and make it harder to recover.” People with a mental health problem have to battle their condition everyday on two ends. Frist they have to deal with their mental illness itself. Then they have to learn how to live with it in a world filled with stigma and discrimination. Society doesn’t understand that the mentally ill are not their mental illness. They are human beings first, they have likes, dislikes, hobbies, skills, fears, dreams and passions just like we do. As I mentioned before Liza Long, the author of the article “I am Adam Lanza’s Mother”, has a son with a mental health problem, but he is also a “13-year old genius who loves Harry Potter and his snuggle animal collection.” Many people with mental health problems have jobs, family, school, friends, pets, businesses and responsibilities like we do. A number of people with a mental health condition learn how to cope with

Although stigmatizing attitudes are not only relatable to mental illness, the public attitudes towards mental illness tend to be more disapproving than towards people with physical illnesses (Piner and Kahle, 1984; Socall and Holtgraves, 1992; Weiner, Perry and Magnusson, 1988). Those with mental illnesses are viewed as being more likely to be responsible for their mental illness (Corrigan et al., 2000; 105). This assumptions is more towards those who suffer from substance additions and eating disorders rather than those who suffer from conditions such as schizophrenia (Angermeyer and Matschinger, 2004). Such attitudes as these therefore lead to discrimination. People in society are less likely to employ (Bordieri and Drehmer, 1986) and rent apartments (Page, 1977) to those suffering from mental illness, citizens are also more likely to direct false accusations of violence to the mentally ill. (Explaining the increased arrest rate among mental patients: a cautionary note, 1980; Steadman, 1981)

There has always been a stigma around mental illness. This stigma makes it difficult for the ones who suffer with

Throughout history people who have a mental health illness are not accepted in society. The attitudes of people in society, for example the workplace, is an important measure of the success of that society. Segregating people with mental illnesses from society, by putting someone in a institute, contributed to the attitude that an individual with mental illness are not capable of participating or contributing in society. These negative stereotypes are often portrayed in media, and influence the stigma of mental health illness being dangerous. This controversial concept of dangerousness states that individuals with a mental illness are more dangerous than those without a mental illness. Various forms of discrimination and exclusion in society is still present today. If society begins to understand mental illness, then they will judge a lot less. Success in that society will come when society accepts other people who are different

When my mom was first diagnosed with a mental illness, rumours and gossip spread quicker than wildfire. No one, not even my family and I, understood what was going on. All we saw was my mom acting like somebody else. “Crazy” became a word attached to her like a tail is attached to a dog. No matter who explained it or how many times it was explained many people could not see past their narrow views. It is common that people do not like what they do not understand. How can something be understood if it is not physical, not seen? There are many negative attitudes towards mental illness. It is misunderstood and is given less sympathy than a physical illness such as cancer. Often times when people are diagnosed with a mental illness they are automatically deemed crazy. We live in a time were normal is

Mental health patients are often shunned and experience discrimination by mental health professionals due to the social stigma attached to them. Though, healthcare system is a place where mental health patients should be dealt with kindness and compassion so that their disorder or disease is well treated. Shunning and neglecting attitude by mental health professionals is not very uncommon because they are not very optimistic about the results of the mentally ill patients (McDaid, 2008).

Mental illness involves mental health disorders that affect people's mood, thinking, as well as behavior. Mental illness varies from depression, anxiety disorders, addictions, and schizophrenia. Everyone has a mental concern at one point in his life, but it becomes a concern when there are continuous signs or symptoms that cause stress affecting the functioning ability of a person. Mental illness makes people miserable and inhibits their ability to operate effectively either at work or in school. Medical practitioners describe mental illness in different ways, including conditions characterized by the impairment of a person's normal cognitive nature, psychological, emotional or behavioral functioning. A

In the 20th century, we focus on how much mental illness causes a problem, yet we don’t ever try to help them or even try to understand what they are going through. One thing that you have to always keep in mind is that they are human, just like you. They just want to be accepted without being judged. However, people who think that mental illness is just a big joke make them feel that they have something wrong with them, that they aren't good enough to be here.

The stigma of mental illness can sometimes make people feel embarrassed to be around, or to just stay as far away from people who suffer with such illness. In two studies in the UK with a ten year gap there was little change recorded in the statistics, ”over 80% endorsing the statement that “most people are embarrassed by mentally ill people”, and about 30% agreeing “I am embarrassed by mentally ill persons”’ (Huxley 1993). One such label to label such people is maniaphobia which means the fear of being mentally ill and the mentally ill which in some extreme cases could explain their situation and their possible fear. Which makes the peoples who are mentally ill or have mental illness are less likely to tell close family and friends which could help them understand their situation better. As well as help them get treatments or a diagnosis to help with peace of mind. Sometimes they are told but refuse to believe that such things exist or that they are weaker than others or selfish. The mentally ill sometimes stigmatize themselves, “there are numerous personal accounts of psychiatric illness, where shame overrides even the most extreme of symptoms,” (Peter Byrne). They feel like people won’t accept them or that they are somehow different so they lock it away and sometimes don’t

Mental health, one in four Americans each year develop mental health conditions and half will develop mental disorders in their life time (Boerner, H. 2014). Mental health is considered an illness one that effects your daily life and causes you to be unstable, mental illness effects all age groups, races, social groups, religions, and targeting them all equally (Batnitzky, A., Hayes, D., & Vinall, P.E. 2014). There are several types of professionals that work to treat and aid those suffering from mental conditions and disorders such as; counselors/ therapist, social workers, psychiatric technicians and aids, and many others.

Stereotypes are made about groups of people in every class, country and race. The mentally ill are no exception to this fact. Mental illness has no bounds and can affect anyone, whether rich or poor, American or Canadian, black or white, it does not matter. People with a mental illness or disorder are looked at as dysfunctional, violent, unsuccessful, and even foul-smelling individuals. People with extreme cases of mental illness, such as schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, are often called crazy, insane, and mad when in actuality they are acting in a radical way because of something that these individuals cannot control or express in ways that is understandable to people without these disorders. Throughout history people with mental illness have been misunderstood. Insane asylums were used to imprison people with a mental illness when all they really needed was medical attention. In order to combat this stigma an understanding of symptoms and treatments for the mentally ill is necessary. Once their problems are understood people will find it easier to walk in their shoes and will probably be kinder to those with a mental illness. When this happens the stigma will dissolve and eventually disappear entirely and people with mental illness will finally be treated the way they deserve, with respect. Understanding mental illness is the first step to defeating an ignorant society and ending a terrible stigma.

I like to simplify it this way we all go through hardships and hard times there isn’t anything abnormal about that. Well mental illness is just one of those injuries you get from your hardships. Like if you fall and bruise your knee, that’s completely normal. You also automatically know what to do, get your first aid kit and care for your injury as you were educated. Also if it was a more serious injury or sickness, you’d go to a doctor who is a professional to help you and educate you about what to do. But let us reverse the tables now what if it was a mental illness, would you know what to do or even be able to identify it. If we think about the current times the answer would most likely be no, which would cause you not to care for your injury and it will worsen as time passes because it didn’t receive the proper treatment. That will cause you to notice it after it's too late and it has become this thing that has been eating your life away without your awareness. At times people won't admit it or know of its existence, even after it became so huge; which again proves how uneducated we are about mental health, and how we blindly follow the stigma without seeking the needed

There lies a hidden anxiety in every part of society towards those with a mental illness. A panic that consists of the individual becoming a threat to those around them or a threat to their own physical well-being. For instance, as stated by Stephen Rice, Jessica Richardson, and Keegan Kraemer in “Emotion Mediates Distrust of Persons with Mental Illnesses”, A very popular belief relating to this is “that individuals with a mental illness are either very dangerous, violent, or both (3).” In addition, Rice, et al. further state “ that due to the unfortunate portrayal of individuals with mental illnesses in media as those who cause harm with no remorse, consequently this belief is just strengthened even more in society (5).” Though mental illnesses