Annotated Bibliography On Mental Media

Misinformation and misperception about mental illness can lead to the stigmatization of ourselves, our parents, our children, our spouses and others that we care about. The consequences of stigma range from social isolation to poverty to barriers to quality treatment and care. Stigma perpetrated on a grand scale can result in a system that reinforces the idea that people diagnosed with mental illnesses are unimportant and therefore are unworthy of access to quality and affordable care. Some media outlets (films and television) serve to perpetuate negative stereotypes and reinforce stigma. Although relatively few people with mental illness act out in

While stigma may not necessarily be a cause of a person’s mental disorder, it can certainly contribute to the complication and perpetuation of their illness. The effect of stigma goes well beyond just the patient and provides a commentary on society’s overall level of intolerance of those who are considered different from the majority. By recognizing the level of stigma that exists, perhaps we can alter that behavior and gravitate towards a more productive attitude towards mental illness.

While the treatment methodology for mental illness has improved over the last few decades, the negative stigma surrounding those who seek care is still a major roadblock. (Corrigan, 2004) To better understand the term stigma, the definition must first be examined. According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary Stigma is defined as “a set of negative often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something; a mark of shame or discredit.” (Stigma, 2015). These views are often

It is believed that the majority American public hold the beliefs that the mentally ill are “unpredictable, irrational, dangerous, bizarre, incompetent, and unkempt”, and these stereotypes have only strengthened from the 1950s to the present. (Thoits, 2011) Despite educational campaigns, there is still a strong desire among the public to keep a social distance from the mentally ill in an attempt to avoid awkward social interactions. Studies have shown that there’s a direct correlation between discrimination and low self-esteem issues among mental patients. Low self-esteem is also linked to negative health effects. Not all patients who experienced social rejection report a low self-worth. It is stated that patients who experienced social rejection already demonstrated low self-worth and self-esteem issues. Some studies even find that stigmatized patients have a very high self-esteem. (Thoits, 2011) A study done by National Alliance for the Mentally Ill consumers, Wahl (1999) expressed that eighteen percent of the sample took the stigma as a form of empowerment. Another study done by Lysaker (2007) showed that patients with a high insight on their stigma were associated with lower depression, lower quality of life, and lower self-esteem. It was also found that these associations are stronger for patients with a high self-stigma than for those with a low self-stigma. Low

Corrigan, P. a. (2002). Understanding the Impact of Stigma on people with Mental Illness. World Psychiatry , 1 (1), 16-20.

With that being said, anti-stigma programs have been developed to enhance the understandings of those labeled as mentally ill. The anti-stigma programs are aimed at both specific target groups and the general public (Henderson, 2013), to provide individuals with an opportunity to become knowledgeable and experienced with mental health (Corrigan, 2007a). Two messages that these programs address are for the public to stop reporting misrepresentations of mental illness, and for individuals to stop believing the negative views of mental illness (Corrigan & Watson, 2002). By addressing the concern of stigma, the programs also use the medical model as discussed in lecture on mental health (Savelli, 2016), to persuade the public that having a mental

Unfortunately the stigma that has been placed on person with mental illnesses, serves as the barrier force for what keeps the patients from ever seeking help to correct or alleviate their disease. In their article, The Power of Language and Labels: “The Mentally Ill” Versus “People With Mental Illnesses,” Darcy Haag Granello and Todd A. Gibbs found that, “28% of the U.S. adult population has a diagnosable mental condition, only about 8% of these people actually seek treatment.” Granello and Gibbs identify this low turnout of people as a direct result of Americans low level of tolerance towards mental illnesses, as well as Americans general discomfort with people struck by mental illness, which ends up demonstrating Americans revulsion towards mental illnesses. Humans, being primarily social creatures, depend on social interactions and feelings of connectedness in order to properly assimilate into society. In order to properly assimilate into society, it is imperative that human beings are able to read social cues and establish a sense of social values, when a person discovers that mental illnesses results in negative social cues that person will naturally strive to ensure they are free of mental illnesses – fearing that if someone discovers that they have a mental illness, they too, will

In 2014, there were an estimated 9.8 million adults, about 4.2% of the population, in the United States with one or more severe mental illness. (Center, 2015). Of these adults with severe mental illnesses, 41.7% of them report having been affected by self-stigma (Gerlinger et al., 2013). Self-stigma, or internalized stigma, is the process of picking up on the negative stereotypes of people with severe mental illness in the everyday world and applying it to themselves (Ritsher et al., 2003, Livingston and Boyd, 2010 and Bos et al., 2013)., Self-stigma often results in psychological distress, social withdrawal, unwillingness to disclose diagnoses, and reduction in sense of self-worth (Ritsher et al., 2003, Livingston and Boyd, 2010 and Bos et

It is estimated that 43.5 million Americans, adults 18 or older, live with mental illness. This number represents 18.1% of all U.S. adults (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014). Stigma toward those who are seen as different have existed for as long as civilization itself, with the stigma for mental illness being one of the most prominent and long lasting that society has had to face throughout its ages (Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012). Increased understanding and awareness for those individuals suffering from mental illness is necessary for us to overcome the impacts stigma has on our society.

Mental illness in general carries an enormous stigma. People have respect for and take seriously physical ailments but when it comes to mental illness there is still immense discrimination. The stigma that comes from having a mental disorder such as, bi-polar depression, schizophrenia, or panic disorder comes with an enormous societal cost and can cause people not to talk about it. They may feel ashamed, embarrassed or fear stigma. Not seeking treatment causes people living with a disorder to live an unfulfilled life and suffer in silence. This paper will discuss how the media perpetuates the myth that people with mental illness are violent, unpredictable, and evil and how that contributes to stigma.

Stigma is when someone judges you based on a personal trait. Unfortunately this is a common experience for people who have a mental health condition. Stigma may be obvious and direct, such as someone making a negative comment about your mental illness or treatment. Or it may be subtle, such as someone assuming you could be unstable, violent and dangerous. Some of the issues facing those suffering mental illness may include:

Depression, anxiety, disordered thinking; These grave, frightening topics have become all common in today’s world as the knowledge, reveal and frequency of cases of mental illness continue to rise {8}. The prevalence of mental illness has become more common than in any era before, but despite the increase of awareness the mark of shame has not ceased to exist {1}. In today’s society the number of mental illness cases has increased and will continue to increase However, stigma – the mark of shame – prevails and hampers the ability for the mentally ill to get help and treatment and instead alienates them from a normal social life.

Stigma is a significant barrier to recovery, and its effects are often felt the strongest after an official diagnosis is received. Park et al. (2013) describe three levels of stigma which collectively increase the challenges individuals with mental illness face on their road to recovery. They are structural, social and internalized stigma. Structural stigma occurs within institutions, such as when applying for jobs or within hospital care. Social stigma occurs within groups and is often presented by family and friends. Internalized stigma is the result of a person subconsciously incorporating external stereotypes into one's self till they believe the misconceptions about mental illness endorsed by society.

During a mental health event the First Lady, Michelle Obama said, “At the root of this dilemma is the way we view mental health in this country. [...] Whether an illness affects your heart, your leg or your brain, it’s still an illness, and there should be no distinction.” This shows that mental illness stigma in society is based on mental illness being perceived more negatively than other physical illness when it should actually be seen as the same. Stigma around mental illness has had very immense adverse effects on the willingness of undiagnosed suffers to not seek treatment when they need it. As a result of this one in five people with a mental illness will not get the treatment they need which has the effect of high suicide rates among the untreated sufferers. In an effort to reduce stigma around mental illness, so that more undiagnosed sufferers seek treatment, schools should devote more time to increasing awareness of mental illness and its effects.

Many people around the world struggle with mental illnesses, like depression and anxiety. With these mental illnesses, comes a stigma. A stigma is “the extreme disapproval of a person on socially characteristic grounds that are perceived, and serve to distinguish them, from other members of a society.” Those with these disabilities are usually frowned upon, because of their differences; people with mental illnesses are also often perceived as dangerous and insane by society. Although there is a few who are dangerous, most of them are not, and they are no different than the rest of us. This stigma affects not only the patient’s emotion, but also makes being able to cope with their illness much harder. The stigma gives the