Mental Illness: A Case Study

There are many ways in which people view mental illness. “Some analysts suggest that the difference in types of mental disorders is linked to gender-role socialization, which instills aggressiveness in men and learned helplessness in women” (Kendall, 2013, p. 231). “Social scientists Joe R. Feagin and Melvin P. Sikes found that repeated personal encounters with racial hostility deeply affect the psychological well-being of most African Americans” (Kendall, 2013). “Feagin and Hernán Vera found that white Americans also pay a high psychic cost for the prevalence of racism because it

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.

Within the past two decades there’s been a revival in efforts to reduce stigmatization attached to mental illnesses. It was concluded that if mental illnesses were perceived better as ‘real’ diseases by the public that stigma would go down greatly. Reports proposed the idea that better scientific understanding of mental illnesses by the general public could greatly reduce stigma. Stigma is intensely rooted in social and cultural norms it’s patterns devalue and dehumanize groups of individuals within society (in this case mentally ill people). Stigma constructs barriers for individuals, barriers that limit a person’s abilities to have equal opportunities for employment, safe housing, health care and social relationships.Efforts to reduce stigma in recent years have

Mental health stigma can be divided into two distinct types: Social stigma – Social stigma is extreme disapproval of (or discontent with) a person or group based on socially characteristic grounds that are perceived, and serve to distinguish them, from other members of a society. Stigma may then be affixed to such a person, by the greater society, which differs from their cultural norms. Self-stigma – Is the internalizing by the mental health sufferer of their perceptions of discrimination. Those with mental health needs have shame of reporting as they may think that no one believes them.

Critical Race Theory and Conflict Theory Society contains groups with diverse interests, where competing interests encourage conflict (Hutchison, 2013). The racial ideology in the United States is the belief in a hierarchy of races with whites at the top and other races grouped underneath (Robbins, Chatterjee, & Canda, 2011). One way minorities are depicted as different from whites is through imagery that creates detachment and seclusion between groups (Ortiz & Jani, 2010). Critical Race Theory Critical race theory (CRT) assumes this society was created to empower White people; CRT is focused on transforming the relationships between race and racial power assembled by law and culture (Delgado & Stefancic, 2012). This theory suggests that racism is embedded in American society (Helms, 2006), looking at how racial pride in being White can be exhibited in tolerable ways or as White superiority (Delgado & Stefancic, 2012).

The diagnostic label is the most positive outcome of the Rosenhan’s study because it advanced treatment patients and helped to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health. Labels started being handled more carefully so that a patient is not just seen as their diagnosis, the patients can receive better care with an unbiased opinion toward their actions and past. The psychiatric diagnostic label also became apart of Dr. O.F. Wahl’s research about the effect of the stigma surrounding mental health. This research showed the detrimental results of stigma “urged public education as a means of reducing stigma.” (Hock,

Critical theories of race and racism have been used by sociologists to not only describe modern societies, but also address issues of social injustice and achieve an end to racial oppression. Critical race theory is one of the most widely used for this purpose. Its utility rests upon the assumption that race is a social construct and not an inherent biological feature. In place of the concept of inherent race, critical race theory proffers the concept of racialization. The tenet that the concept of race is created and attached to particular groups of people through social processes. In tandem with this, critical race theory contends that identity is neither fixed nor unidimensional. It also places importance on the perspectives and experiences of racial minorities (Ritzer and Stepnisky, 2013:66).

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).

Applying a diagnosis to a client’s profile has complications as well. The labeling of a client with a diagnosis related to mental illness can have negative effects on his or her self esteem and also result in insurance and employment issues (Mears, 2010). Without careful attention to issues of culture and social justice in a person’s life, responses to oppression can be improperly diagnosed (Mears, 2010). A woman who is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder without exploration into the fact that she is being sexually harassed at work would be an example of this issue.

Mental health—and the stigma that comes along with it—is a very important issue, one of global importance. Shah and Beinecke explain that 450 to 500 million people suffer from mental illnesses (15). Just considering the amount of people who suffer from mental illness is enough to prove that this is a global issue. Despite the large amounts of people who are affected by mental illness, only one third of countries have some sort of program to help (15). This shows the lack of concern for those who suffer from mental illness. Stereotypes affect many people, and those with mental illness are no exception. Everyone has their own preconceived perspectives and notions of mental health, and many of them are uninformed and unjustified. It is up to us to start changing our viewpoints on mental health.

The experiment in this journal article sought to study the effect of exercise on the mental and physical wellbeing and overall quality of life of a person diagnosed with schizophrenia and currently taking medication for it. Usually, a person diagnosed with schizophrenia is affected by the disease in a multitude of negative ways. Persons diagnosed with schizophrenia tend to lack motivation to do tasks they once found enjoyable. The disease affects any personal relationships once held and hinders their mental and physical wellbeing. Exercise was chosen as the method of therapy for this experiment because overall, there is no negative effect of good exercise; in fact, it is recommended as the chosen form of therapy in the vast majority of medicinal

The case study depicts a female patient who is experiencing abdominal pain, but test results show that she is physically healthy. The doctor believes that the patient may have a mental disorder, but instead of diagnosing the patient, the doctor contemplates if he or she should give the patient a placebo drug. Lown states that “[equality and reciprocal respect are] the key [elements] in a sound doctor-patient relationship” (313). In the case study, the doctor is abusing his or her authority and manipulating the trust of the patient. The doctor is in the moral wrong because he or she is obligated to attempt to treat what ails the patient, and if he or she cannot, the doctor should refer the patient to a specialist who can.

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.