Mental Health And Poverty

Enormous amounts of research have linked socioeconomic status to mental health, especially in children and adolescents. Low poverty levels have been specifically identified as a key causal factor in developing mental health problems in children. There has been much discussion over the different theories as to why this is the case, but only two of these theories seem to hold a lot of evidence. Certain interventions and preventative measures can be employed in order to improve an individual’s mental health by altering socioeconomic status and they have proven to be successful. Low socioeconomic status has a profound impact on mental health in children; however, if the appropriate interventions and preventative measures are used, mental health outcomes can be drastically improved.

People that live in socially deprived areas are more likely to have mental illness, poverty, poor education and low socioeconomic status. This is mainly because of the conditions they have been brought up in and live in; if they lived in better conditions then they probably wouldn’t have health problems like this.

Poverty, a common problem in the US and yet, something that people consistently overlook. We are often unaware of the magnitude of poverty in the U.S and sometimes even disregard it. People living in destitution are at greater risk for behavioral and mental problems. Children or Teens who live in poverty are prone to poor academic achievements, become school dropouts , or grow subject to abuse or neglect. People in poverty also occasionally show signs of anxiety and depression.

Optimal mental health has been associated with improved health, social, and professional outcomes (Centers For Disease Control and Prevention "Mental Health Basics”). Thus, mental health care is the process of maintaining this well-being for individuals through various health-related services. Because those with mental health disorders are unlikely to “live productively and fruitfully,” many of these people are likely to be in low-income brackets, which also means they are less likely to be able to afford or have sufficient access to the necessary care and their mental and physical health may further deteriorate, thus signaling a vicious cycle. Unfortunately, because poor mental health is not commonly treated or prevented in primary care, these individuals continue to suffer until they are able to be treated for a specific mental illness. Often mental health care and medical care do not coincide. This is a substantial issue because individuals who are in serious need of mental health services are more likely to have serious physical illnesses that accompany mental illnesses. In addition to driving up prices of care, this type of disorganization also reduces the quality and effectiveness of mental health care and medical care

People living in poverty think about what their next meal is or how they are going to feed their child. Poverty makes a person mentally stress causing them to have depression. The depression then leads to drugs or alcohol which is bringing them down. “Poor black men won't support their families, won't stick by their women -- all they think about is the street, dope and liquor, women, a piece of ass, and their cars. That's all that counts” (). Poverty impacts the individual’s health because they can’t afford the healthy food because it is expensive. The individual will purchase the white bread because it is cheaper but, they know it is not that healthy. People living in poverty might not buy that many fruits and vegetables. Not eating healthy leads to being obese or other health problems. “Poverty and illness together make people much more vulnerable and needy at all stages of their lives, and even more so in old age. Mental health is often both a cause and a consequence of poverty, compromised education, vulnerability, difficulty accessing housing, health-care and employment, and lack of access to welfare, social security, and community public

Mental health has been a recurring topic in present society and it is a very large section of health care in general. Health can be termed as an absence of disease, but it really is much more than that and should encompass every facet of the human, mind and body. The WHO defines mental health as a state of well-being in which an individual can function properly and productively, cope with life stressors, and contribute to community. Mental health is dependent on many factors, mainly social, biological, and psychological (WHO). A mental disorder is a condition of alterations

Poverty affects us all in society because money can cause all different types of types of stress. Some of the subjects I will be going over are how mental illness can be a contributing factor to poverty, drug addictions and the solutions I think would assist with these illnesses as well as employment opportunities that are diminished because of addictions and mental disorders. Sometimes this stress can lead to a mental disorder or in some cases addictions depending on how one manages their financial stress. Stress can lead to mental disorders. The percentages range from 30 to 40 percent of homeless individuals that suffer from a mental illness. “Sociological research from as far back as the 1030`s has found that the mental health of the lower class is worse than that of the higher class” (Faris and Dunham 1939; Srole et al 2011). Mental health plays a large part in the everyday life of those who live in poverty and are suffering from mental illness have difficulty to function when they do not have the medications need to function in society. Part of this issue is not having a stable income to afford medications and treatment. Once an individual is homeless and living in poverty the employers make it close to impossible for them to find a job this can be due to their mental illness or the fact they do not have the qualifications most employers require. This can be extremely discouraging for those that want to make money to afford shelter and food.

Once one is stuck in poverty due to mental illness, it is almost impossible to get out of the vicious cycle. Advancing Science, Serving Society’s magazine, Science, did a report on the psychology of poverty. In this article, it states, “In addition to happiness and life satisfaction, poverty is also more broadly related to mental health. According to the 2003 World Health Report, the poorest population quintiles in rich countries exhibit a depression and anxiety disorder prevalence that is 1.5 to 2 times as high as that of the richest quintiles”. This shows that poorer people, such

Unfortunately, associating well-being with economic health is not unique to recessions. Poverty and prolonged unemployment influence the mental health of those who live in a perpetual state of either of those conditions. The Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health explains that ongoing and increasing occurrences of economic difficulties were associated with below average mental health when compared to those in better financial situations (Lallukka et al., 2013). The National Center for Health Statistics provides backing for this data, expressing that depression was most common in those below the poverty level (2011). As seen in the data to the right, “among adults 20–44 and 45–64 years of age, depression was five times as high for

Again, just living in poverty areas increases health issues and mortality due to health issues. Children raised in poverty in substandard homes located in high-crime areas have an increased chance of cognitive deficiencies, depression, or some other mental disorder (Anakwenze & Zuberi, 2013, p. 149). The children are the future; with this being said, an ugly cycle of poverty continues to be reinforced with each generation. Breaking the cycle with community outreach programs, increased mental health awareness, increased employment, and increased educational benefits for those in need are a few things that could potential help. As the old saying goes, “Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime” (Author unknown). Unfortunately, there is no right or easy answer for poverty but, I believe education is the key.

Jonathan K. Burns (2009) emphasized the findings of a community survey that indicated that Americans do not have equal opportunity to receive proper mental health care treatment. (Burns, 2009) “A community survey in the US (a high-income country), for example, reported that low-income individuals cited financial barriers to accessing care. However, this was not the case in the Netherlands or in Canada, both HICs, where economic disparities and income inequality are lower. Also “ in the US, a house hold survey of adolescents found that those of low income status reported far more structural barriers to accessing mental health services than did their middle and high-income counterparts.” (Burns, 2009: 23) Victoria Ojeda and Sara Bergstress (2008) conducted a research study by administering surveys to measure the perceptions and attitudes of participants who indicated that they needed mental health care treatment and were not receiving it. 44.5% of participants indicated that finances were a barrier as to why they were not receiving mental health care treatment. (Ojeda, Bergstress, 2008) Charles Zastrow (2014) expressed that studies have shown that when one has a mental illness, they tend to face financial difficulties due to their illness as it “results in a lowered social status and decrease in earning power” (Zastrow: 2014: 159) Social class also dictates the quality of treatment the individual will receive as studies have

This essay will explain how contemporary issues in mental health influence people’s social wellbeing. Mental health is a fundamental element of resilience, health assets, capabilities and positive adaption that enable individuals to cope with both adversity and to reach their full potential and humanity. The impact on inequalities of health and other outcomes are sourced from mental health. For example, chronic stress of struggling with material disadvantage is intensified to a very considerable degree by doing so in more unequal societies.

This paper will explain how poverty and mental illness go hand in hand. Mental illness seems to be a cause and effect situation. Sometimes mental illness causes poverty and other poverty causes the mental illness. This paper will also give possible solutions for the problem.

One common cause of depression that can be found no matter where you are in the world is poverty. In “What’s Behind the Gender Gap in Depression”, reporter Gretchen Cuda looks at how major depression is developed in both sexes, focusing mainly on women and their day-to-day struggles with the illness. “Being poor brings many types of stress, not the least of which is a feeling of loss of control over your life. That, in turn, can lead to negativity, passivity and lack of self-esteem--- and all those feelings increase the risk of depression.” (Cuda). Although Cuda focuses her report on women and depression, poverty is a factor that can lead to depression no matter what gender. The importance of financial stability and the stress that comes with worrying about money can take a toll on one’s physical as well as psychological health. Certain situations can occur in either gender but what occurs in the mind as well as methods of coping are what make the risk of depression differ for males and females.

Currently, there is a broad consensus that a negative correlation exists between socioeconomic status and mental illness in adolescents. By establishing the specific socioeconomic factors that induce mental illnesses in youth, disorders can be predicted early on. Many experts believe that wealthy children are likelier to develop mental health problems as they feel pressure to succeed or are isolated by their parents (Luthar 2003). However, it has been proven that poorer adolescents are more likely to develop mental illnesses than wealthier adolescents are. A negatively perceived social status, low parental education and income, and lack of social mobility have been proven as important socioeconomic causes of mental illnesses in adolescents.