Mental Health Disorders And How Can One Be Effectively Diagnosed?

Our progress in learning the causes and treatments for mental illness has been steady as we build on the medical model of mental illness, which Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman (2010) describe as a model that, “views emotional and behavioral problems as a mental illness, comparable to a physical illness (pp. 341). Only in modern times have we been able to effectively treat mental illness with behavioral therapy, social support, medicine, and other research-based programs. However, there is still much work to be done in regard to access, proper facilities, policy and a host of other challenges that affect this issue.

Mental illness is an increasing problem in America. Currently about 26.2% of Americans suffer from a mental disorder. A mental illness/disorder is a medical condition that disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, and ability to relate to others and daily functions. Mental illness can affect humans of any age, race, gender and socioeconomic status. However the care that is needed to effectively cure and help the people affected by the illness is not equal for everyone here in American, especially for African Americans.

“A mental disorder (mental illness) is a psychological pattern that is generally associated with a defect or disease of the individual’s mind. It causes a disability that may affect an individual’s behavior patterns in ways that are not part of one’s normal development or culture. Mental disorders are common in the United States. Within any given year, nearly 25 percent of adults and slightly over 20 percent of children are diagnosable for one or more mental disorders. While mental disorder appears to be widespread among the population, the main burden (or threat) emanates from about 6 percent of those who suffer from a debilitating mental illness.” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2011)

Psychotic disorders can be described as a mental health disability in which a person experiences changes in thinking, perception, mood and behaviour which can severely disrupt their lives. Some of the main psychotic disorders include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychotic depression, schizo affective disorder and drug induced pychosis. Some common symptoms when a psychotic disorder is developing include depression, anxiety, irritability, suspiciousness, blunted or flat or inappropriate emotion, changes in appetite, changes in thinking, difficulties in concentration or attention, a sense of alteration to ones self or the outside world, odd ideas and unusual perceptual experiences. Some behavioural symptoms can include sleep disturbance, social isolation or withdrawal and/or reduced ability to carry out work and social roles.

What honestly did kill Robin Williams?“ He WAS suffering from dementia but that wasn’t what killed him, ” it was asphyxiation!” many would say, but the real cold killer is Lewy Body Dementia-- that’s exactly what he was secretly suffering from. Folks who do not know what Lewy Body Dementia is would just shrug it off as just another name for dementia, but actually it is the other way around. My personal childhood friend, even though we never met, he touched my heart along with so many other before me, that he has entertained, in his life. He played numerous memorable film roles, both comedic and dramatic: Robin Williams. (Bio)

On July 21, 1951 Robin McLaurin Williams was brought into the world by parents: Laura McLaurin and Robert Fitzgerald Williams. Robert Williams was a Ford Motor executive and Laura was a former model. (Robin Williams). Robin is said to have suffered “Childhood Emotional Neglect”.

Throughout Robin Williams' 40-year career, his private life was described by extreme swings between cocaine-induced hallucinations — vividly and profoundly detailed in a famous 1986 one-man show — to extreme depression, that his publicist said he was struggling when he was found dead in his California home at the age of 63. While many therapists and psychologists and even pop culture analysts admitted that Williams had a severe bipolar disorder, yet Williams is not known to have ever said that in public himself. He later informed The New York Times that he had not faced the underlying issues because of his cocaine

The award winning actor Robin Williams died at the age of 63 by suicide. He had suffered from severe depression, addiction, and bipolar disorder for a portion of his adult life as a comedian. The media portrays many of these diagnoses to be depraved and caused by a lack of one taking care of themselves in the western culture; however, this is not always the case with most mental illness diagnoses. The awareness of mental health disorders has grown significantly in the public’s eyes in the past few decades, partly contributed to medical science advancements and the rest is due to celebrities in our culture bringing awareness to the public. Even with more mindfulness than ever before about mental health there is still much to learn and teach about mental health so that we can prevent mental illnesses ending in suicide.

Over forty million Americans suffer from a mental health condition; and, unfortunately, fifty six percent do not receive any treatment at all. “Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in thinking, emotion and behavior”(Psychiatry.org). People live with their conditions even though their quality of life and personal relationships may be negatively affected. When one lives in a state of denial about having a mental illness, they are cheating themselves out of living life to their fullest potential and will achieve true freedom only when they face the illness head on and seek recovery.

Robin Williams the famous actor from Chicago Illinois. Was born July 21st, 1951 and he died August 11th 2014. Williams was an actor in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He was married three times for a total of Twentyfour years he had three kids. Williams was diagnosed with depression and Parkinson’s disease. Sarah Larimer and Medical history authorities said that “Williams had an increase of paranoia”(Robin Williams).

Many celebrities have been known to have mental illness, with depression being one of the forerunners. Just like everyday people, they can be burdened with depression and other mental illnesses. More recently, the case of Robin William’s depression was brought to life. What perhaps, was most shocking to fans, friends and family, was how deeply rooted the depression that Robin Williams faced.

According to the 2014 U.S. census there are approximately 318 million people residing in the United States and 1 in 5 people are diagnosed with a mental condition. As a society we have continued to evolve physically, mentally, and emotionally. With this growth we have become better equipped to handle many situations that we once found difficult to understand and treat, such as mental conditions. With the rise in the number of people diagnosed with a mental condition, society has become more interested in studying the causes and possible treatments of these conditions. Not only are mental conditions widely studied by scientists, the entertainment industry has capitalized on our fascination and has made many others aware of the mental conditions

Mental health disorders are becoming more and more prevalent in the United States today, especially since the world consists of more prestigious medical professionals that can diagnose individuals. What does a mental health disorder entail and how can one be effectively diagnosed? Many people do not realize they are suffering from a mental illness, which can sometimes be extremely detrimental to a person’s health and can eventually lead to death if not treated. Extensive research has provided the world with more knowledge on the causes, symptoms, and treatments of several mental health disorders with the help of the DSM-5. Any individual can be diagnosed with a mental health disorder, even those “perfect” celebrities people idolize. Robin Williams, a well-known actor and comedian, took his own life in August 2014 from the detrimental effects of bipolar disorder and depression.

There are lists upon lists of mental disorders and illnesses, and a lot of them people are not aware of. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), bulimia, anorexia, anxiety, schizophrenia, and depression are just a few of the most well-known and common mental illnesses. In America, about 18 million people are diagnosed with depression, 15 million with anxiety, 5 million with OCD, and 3 million with schizophrenia (Raley and Johnson 50). There are even more people

Mental illness is a broad term encompassing all diagnosable mental disorders. And for some disorders— especially mood disorders, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders, and personality disorders—it’s hard to know if a person is suffering from such. You never know who might be the people affected; who are suffering because they are emotionally unstable; who are hallucinating and hearing voices inside their own heads; who are having dark thoughts; and those who have anxiety. It may be the ones who are close to you—your friends, your mother, your father, or even your siblings—or they could even be the person sitting right next to you. Some people who suffer from mental disorders may even be sharing laughs with you, and you wouldn’t even know.