Gendered Mental Disorders Paper

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)

Individuals with a mental health illness tend to experience discrimination due to misinformation, assumptions and stereotyping. Many people in our society are not educated on the subject of mental illnesses and often have misconceptions about the conditions and what affects these pre conceived ideas can have on the individual suffering from the

Some people feel that when diagnosed with a mental illness they are being labelled into a category they are seen as mentally ill instead of them having a mental illness unfortunately there are so many negative stereotypes which are pinned with mental illness, according to the labelling theory it’s the thought of a person being labelled mentally ill which can cause you to be ill mentally as a result of its effects described as a self-fulfilling prophecy according to a modified version of this theory. There are assumptions about the negative impact on self-concept, this impact is described in later research about stigma and self-stigma, stigma can have some negative results for self-concept by lowing self-efficacy which can make impaired coping

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.

In the United States the Mental Health Care field is one of the most underserved areas of healthcare. The mental healthcare field faces many challenges to the proper treatment of patients from both a societal and professional standpoint. From a societal perspective a negative stereotype is associated with patients seeking psychiatric care. Patients seeking care are often labeled as defective or damaged. Add in the complication that most patients with mental illness appear to be normal, accepting that someone is ill without outward symptoms can also be difficult for a society to understand. From a professional perspective the challenges within the mental health care industry include personal prejudice, staffing issues, and problems with coordinating care. The combination of these factors has a direct negative impact on the willingness of individuals suffering from mental illness in seeking the care needed to treat the symptoms of mental illness.

The majority of people that have a severe mental illness are object to challenges in double measure. From one point of view, they wrestle with the symptoms and disablement that result from the illness. From another point, they are tested by the stereotypes and preconceived ideas that stem from the misunderstandings about mental illness. As a culmination of both, people with a mental illness are stripped of the chances that define a quality life such as a good job, safe housing, adequate health care, and a connection with a varied group of people. Although research has gone a long way to understand the affect of the disease, it only recently has begun to explain the stigma of mental illness (Corrigan). The lives of people who are living with a mental illness are many times drastically adjusted by the symptoms of the illness and everyone’s response to them. While symptoms can normally be diminished by a number of actions, the intrinsic stigma and prejudice that comes with mental illness may continue on for a lifetime and can manifest themselves in a number of understated and non-understated ways. Normally, when one thinks of a stigma, they think of disgrace that is associated with a particular event, circumstance, or occasion. People with a mental illness are most often branded as an effect of their behavior, appearance, therapy, their economic status, and also the negative depictions in the media of the mental illnesses. People with a mental illness often have a “stereotype

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

Stereotypes seem to be everywhere especially when it comes to race and gender, but for everyone suffering from a mental illness, they are never one in the same. Some of these stereotypes include falsehoods that people who suffer from mental disorders look different than others. People diagnosed with Schizophrenia are said to look unkempt, as portrayed in video games, TV shows and movies, have the frumpy hair, rumpled clothes, crazy eyes and lack of care for themselves. According to US News, most people who have mental disorders have routines just as anyone else. They get up, shower, eat, and go to work yet have to do so with either their diagnosis, or treatment from a psychiatrist. (Fawcett, 2015)

In society, there is much stereotyping and stigma surrounding the issue of mental health. Stereotyping happens because humans take common characteristics and behaviours, and link them to groups in society known as social groups; because of the amount of stereotyping that exists in today’s society there is a great deal of stigma surrounding mental illness and the mentally ill. A common misconception about individuals suffering with mental illness is that they are all unintelligible and are a danger to other members of society, this opinion has been largely criticised by mental health professionals as it is viewed as narrow minded and potentially very misleading. Stereotyping mentally ill individuals causes them to lose a sense of identity as

In conclusion, my overall findings indicate that gender does affect attitudes towards mental illness. Male participants reported having more negative attitudes towards individuals with mental illness. This may be due to the fact that in in American society, males tend to be socialized to think and behave in ways that society has labeled as masculine which are then reinforced though the media and institutions. Males are expected to be strong, physically, and emotionally, thus any sign of weakness is seen as non-masculine and therefore, feminine, which is deeply looked down upon. Unlike the majority of physical illnesses, mental illnesses are often associated with weakness. My findings reinforce the existing research that mental illness is stigmatized,

Stigma has been said to be “a feeling of being negatively differentiated owing to a particular condition, group membership or state in life”(Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012, p. 458). There are typically two types of mental illness stigma that are discussed. Public stigma, also known as societal stigma, is the stigma associated with the prejudicial attitudes the public holds towards those people who suffer from mental illness (Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012; Corrigan, Markowitz, Watson, Rowan & Kubiak, 2003). Self-stigma, also known as internalized stigma, is the loss of self-esteem, withdrawal, and personal shame that some with mental illness will experience. Self-stigma is usually developed when those who suffer from mental illness associate the negative stereotypes the public holds with themselves (Chronister, Chou, & Lieo, 2013; Corrigan et al., 2003).

This theoretical framework is grounded on an understanding that stigma occurs in socio-cognitive context. Stigmas can be understood as phenomena arising from an existing negative perception by the general public regarding people with mental illness. Stigma therefore arises relatively quickly as a way in which particular social groups are identified and categorized by the general public. Under attribution theory, stigmas arise in a social context when a collective public consciousness agrees on preconceived ideas about a specific defined group of people. Stereotyping is a significant component of socio-cognitive stigmatization under attribution

There are many stigmas, or misconceptions and misperceptions in our society which need to be shattered. I believe that one of the worse possible effects of stigma is that it causes those affected by psychological disorders, or mental illness, to crawl more deeply into themselves because it provokes a sense of shame. Stigma thrusts those suffering with mental illness into a sense of isolation, social exclusion, and discrimination. “Stigma can lead to discrimination … It may be obvious or direct … Or it may be unintentional or subtle…” (Staff). Stigma is often as big as the illness itself and I confess to having been a perpetuator of this dreaded thing, although not consciously aware and without the intent of furthering the harm of someone.

There is a stigma in our country regarding mental health and its treatment. These stigma are divided between social stigma and perceived or self-stigma. Social stigma are those that society places negative feelings towards a certain group, which can lead to discrimination. Perceived or self-stigma are those internalized feelings of the mentally ill individual on how they feel society views them. Both types of stigma can lead to negative feelings of the mentally ill individual through feelings of shame, depression, hopelessness, and anxiety. Current policies on mental health are limited by federal legislation and may only address the aspect of public discrimination.

Individuals with serious mental illness are doubly affected by their disease; not only do they experience the often debilitating symptoms of their condition, but they must also endure mundane mental health stigmas and prejudices. Stigmatized attitudes are perceived to be one of the greatest impediments to living a complete and fulfilling life. Stigma has been defined as a combination of three related problems: ignorance, prejudice and discrimination (Rose, Thornicroft, Pinfold, & Kassam, 2007). Ignorance implies a lack of knowledge, prejudice entails negative attitudes, and discrimination involves exclusionary actions against people deemed to be different. Two forms of stigma are commonly distinguished in literature. Public stigma describes the attitudes of society towards people with mental illness, while self-stigma results from the internalization of prejudice by people who suffer from mental health conditions (Corrigan, Powell, & Rüsch, 2012). The World Health Organization announced that stigma was the most crucial obstacle to overcome for a community to functioning effectively and efficiently (Ontario Hospital Association, 2013).