Mental Health Sociology

The provision of mental health services in the U.S. is a social justice issue that affects vulnerable populations in a variety of ways, including: limited access to quality mental health programs, especially in rural areas; the stigma associated with seeking mental health help; and discrimination against those with mental health issues. The far-reaching implications on our current system and policies of mental health care mean that it is a pervasive issue in the United States. According to the Scientific American, “Mental health care is one of the biggest

Similar to healthcare in Appalachia, mental healthcare is greatly lacking in the region. Much of Appalachia is characterized by isolated areas that have shortages of mental health providers (Correll, Cantrell, & Dalton, 2011). Literature suggests that rural residents have higher rates of mental health concerns than their urban counterparts (Smalley, Yancey, Warren, Naufel, Ryan, & Pugh, 2010). Individuals often do not seek treatment, and often have difficulty gaining access care (Smalley, Yancey, Warren, Naufel, Ryan, & Pugh, 2010). Rural communities are also more likely to experience living conditions and engage in behaviors that increase risk for mental health issues. These risk factors are then augmented by harmful cultural behaviors such

The first obstacle that must be overcome when Appalachians want to get help for mental health issues is the lack of access to mental health professionals. While there are mental health treatment options available, they are mainly located in the more urban areas of the region (Susan Emily Keefe, Appalachia’s Children). All too often, people are unaware of the services available to them for the treatment of mental health disorders. Even if they do possess knowledge of what is available, it may not be feasible to get to these services. Many of the residents may not have insurance or the financial capabilities necessary to pay for treatment. Because the

Throughout the semester we have learned about DSM-5; what it is and how it classifies abnormal behavior patterns. DSM-5 stands for The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5th edition and was first introduced to us in the year 1952. It is a way that classifies abnormal behavior patterns as psychological disorders. But how does the DSM-5 relate to us? Many of us have heard of the word ADHD at least one time in our life. Some of us may even think that we have it. We may relate ADHD to that one hyper girl in class or that one guy that never can seem to sit still. Maybe even the girl who cannot stop tapping her pen on the desk or tapping her foot on the floor. Some of us may think we know exactly what ADHD is, you might say,

A limited number of behavioral healthcare organizations in the U.S., as found by (Knabb, Vogt, & Newgren, 2011), provide services designed to meet the needs of Amish communities. Philhaven, in central Pennsylvania, is a 15-bed facility for Amish from all over the nation to receive outpatient mental health services, provided in ways that are suitable for their cultural and religious standards. Amish are humble in behavior and language and they avoid drawing attention to themselves, therefore, an individual psychological study is usually avoided (Knabb, Vogt, & Newgren, 2011). It seems that the Amish do not easily wish to seek mental health services as well as medical services in general. Most likely there is the same sense of stigma associated with mental health care as it is experienced in traditional American

Access to mental health care is not as good as than other forms of medical services. Some Americans have reduced access to mental health care amenities because they are living in a countryside setting. Others cannot get to treatment for the reason of shortage of transportation or vast work and household tasks. In some areas, when a

Many cultural beliefs and values are held about mental illness and health in Americans of

Rural areas generally have less resources; a small town may only have one or two psychologists or psychiatrists so the wait-lists may be longer. Health practices and coping skills may influence barriers of mental health as well. One of the barriers of receiving the proper mental healthcare is fear of stigmatization, people with different coping skills and practice may have different attitudes toward the mental illness stigma. Gender may also influence barriers of receiving mental health as males are much less likely to seek out help than females, in addition to this 4 out of every five suicides in Canada are male (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2014) Culture and genetics also impact mental health.

Vulnerable populations face many challenges and difficulties. Populations such as the homeless, the intellectually disabled, the elderly, and those living with HIV/AIDS face greater health risks than others. They have greater health-related problems and lack the means or ability to access needed health care. Furthermore, in addition to the many challenges, such as health-related problems, having no permanent living situation, social isolation, stigma, and poverty, they also may suffer from several mental illnesses. Unfortunately, as a result of their vulnerability, accessing appropriate mental health care is a challenge to these populations. Their health needs are often underserved. However, one way in which mental health treatment and assistance

Some of the barriers that individuals face in this community and similar areas are poverty, stigma, lack of anonymity, culture of self-reliance, lack of culturally acceptable treatment and long travel times. Individuals who live in these areas and have a mental health disorder are less likely to receive any treatment (formal or informal) for their disorder. As one begins to examine the life of people living in poverty, specifically women, it quickly becomes evident that their quality of life is drastically different from that of their suburban

Latino culture sees mental illness as weakness (Abdullah & Brown, 2001). This becomes a barrier since Latinos fear the stigma associated with mental health treatment (Vega, Rodriguez and Ang, 2010). According to Dr balbaskdjfdks, “Latinos usually seek help when the problem has reached a head and feel they have no other choice.” (personal communication). She also reported that “Latinos face many barriers to seeking mental health services. They fear the stigma associated with going to a mental health provider. They lack the insurance to get treatment. They also lack the knowledge for seeking mental health treatment.” (personal communication) According to one study, the most commonly reported barriers were lack of awareness of available mental health services, lack of knowledge, and lack of awareness of location of services (Aguilar-Gaxiola, Zelexny, Garcia, Edmondson, Alejo-Garcia, & Vega, 2002). According to the same study 58% of participants did not know where to obtain mental health services. Research shows that a key factor in seeking treatment is knowledge of where to find it (Ortega and Alegria,

America is branding people like cattle. No, this is not a physical mark seared onto skin by the government, but it is still an invisible mark on our own people that sets them apart and makes the government recognize people based on differences instead of recognizing the similarities that can bring us together. Mental illness has been branded as one of these differences. Yet, mental illness is simply “a condition that impacts a person's thinking, feeling or mood and may affect his or her ability to relate to others and function on a daily basis” including depression, bipolar disorder, OCD, schizophrenia, and autism as some of these conditions (Conditions 1). Therefore, the American government must break the stigma of mental illness and

Major obstacles to accessing health services found in the literature include: the lack of medical coverage, the significant challenges in the recruitment and retention of suitably qualified staff, the absence of public (or reliable private) transportation, lack of childcare, limited flexibility in work schedules, and lengthy waiting lists for mental health services (Boyd, Hayes, Rhonda, & Bearsley-Smith, 2008; Cartreine, Ahern, & Locke, 2010; Feil et al., 2008; Griffiths et al., 2009). In addition, psychological barriers to mental health service utilization also pose significant difficulties for some families. In particular, concerns about confidentiality, lack of privacy, dual relationships, perceived lack of helpfulness of care providers,

Urban areas are both the focus and the concentration of human progress. They enable society to achieve its most noteworthy potential. The state of mind towards mental health fluctuates among people, families, ethnicities, societies, and nations. Social and religious lessons frequently impact convictions about the inceptions and nature of psychological sickness, and shape towards demeanors towards who suffer from mental illness.

1) Mental health treatment has seen substantial improvements within the developed world. However, mental health patients continue to experience difficulties receiving mental health care as opposed to physical health care. There are many barriers to receiving mental health services in the developed world even with the advances in technology and treatment seen in medical treatment. When compared with physical health care services, mental health services delivery continue to face issues (Andrade et al., 2014). The barriers to mental health services can be linked to issues of structure and issues related to the patients themselves. Many people do not seek treatment as they may not think they require treatment or believe that they are healthy. Others may seek assistance from a mental health professional and drop out after treatment had already been initiated. This may be due to lack of satisfaction with the quality of service provided. This increases the likelihood of dropping out of treatment (Andrade et al., 2014). Some people do not seek treatment for fears of social stigma and discrimination in the work place. They may become worried about being labeled mentally ill and be denied job opportunities (Andrade et al., 2014). For such reason, many people retrain from disclosing mental illness or treatment. Structural barriers speak to the person’s ability to pay for services and the availability of services. In some developed countries like the United States, a large proportion