Mental Illness Portfolio Assignment

As Americans it becomes natural to undermine those with a mental illness. As a fact, many adults and children deal with mental illness each and everyday. There are many stories that have been told to Americans about depression, anxiety, along with bipolar disorders, with the outcome usually being a negative consequence. For the 1 in every 5 citizens that deal with a mental illness each year. Americans have neglected the fact that many adults and children deal with mental issue(s), the citizens that refrain from getting help; their well being can suffer detrimental effects, there is not a lot of awareness either taught in school, or in public perspectives, American’s stigma has perfected their

Baumeister, A. A., Hawkins, M. F., Lee Pow, J., & Cohen, A. S. (2012). Prevalence and Incidence of Severe Mental Illness in the United States: An Historical Overview. Harvard Review of Psychiatry (Taylor & Francis Ltd), 20(5), 247. doi:10.3109/10673229.2012.726525

The social problem I have chosen to write about is mental illness. This problem is important to talk about “because of the number of people it affects, the difficulty of defining and identifying mental disorders, and the ways in which mental illness is treated” (Kendall, 2013, p. 227). “About 57.7 million people, or one in four adults, in the United States suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder” (Kendall, 2013, p. 229). “Many of these illnesses begin in childhood or adolescence, with the most common problems being anxiety disorder, mood disorders, impulse-control disorders, and substance abuse disorders” (Kendall, 2013, p. 229). I chose this topic because I wanted to learn more about how mental illness is a social problem and I have been interested in learning more about mental illnesses and how to help people with mental disorders.

According to NAMI, The National Alliance of Mental Illness 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health condition yearly. 1 in 20 people live with a serious mental illness like, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Not only does the person who is directly experiencing a mental illness suffer, but the family, and friends are also highly affected. NAMI states that 50% of mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75% of mental illnesses develop by age 24. Each year, 1 in 5 children from the ages 13-18 experiences a mental illness reported by NAMI. That’s a large amount of our young generation. Three out of four people with a mental illness report that they have experienced stigma, a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart according to the

It not easy to determine how many people suffer from mental illness. This is due to the changing definitions of mental illness and problems classifying, diagnosing, and reporting mental disorders. There are social stigmas attached to mental illness, such as being labeled "crazy," being treated as a danger to others, and being denied jobs or health insurance coverage. These negative connotations keep many sufferers from seeking help, and many of those in treatment do not reveal it on surveys. Some patients do not realize that their symptoms are caused by mental disorders. Even though more is being learned about how the brain works a lot of information has still yet to be discovered, thus mental health professionals must continually reevaluate how mental illnesses are defined and diagnosed. The Surgeon General 's report estimated that roughly 20% of the United States population was affected by mental disorders and that 15% use some type of mental health service every year. Community surveys estimate about 30% of the adult population in the United States suffer from mental disorders.

Mental illness is nondiscriminatory, can affect any person and transcends all social boundaries. As a result, the issues surrounding mental illness have become common discussion pints among policymakers dedicated or required to formulate solutions around providing the long-term care needed by many patients. Healthcare reforms and changes to the systems that provide services to those living with mental illness and funding for services to the facilities providing care have become major social issues (Goldman, Morrissey, Ridgley, Frank, Newman, & Kennedy, 1992). The reason for this is primarily how it can affect a market economy and how much of a burden diseases of the mind can be in a country such as the United States. According to the 1991 Global Burden of Disease study conducted by the World Health Organization mental health burden accounted for “more than 15% in a market economy such as the U.S.” (The Impact of Mental Illness on Society, 2001). The study also states that for individuals over the age of 5, varying forms of depression are the leading cause of disability. A more recent study indicates that mental illness in general is found in more than 26% of the United States adult population, of which 6% are severe and limit the patient’s ability to function (Martin, p. 163. 2007).

“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)

The statistics on mental illness are surprising. NAMI's website gives the following statistics on reported mental illness. Bipolar disorder or manic

School shootings, genocides, and mass suicides all have one large point in common. The closeted issue that many see as dangerously controversial may finally see some spotlight; mental illness. As the years go on, the nation is seeing more and more cases of these illnesses. With the amount of people with these issues, mental illness should become a forefront of medical care due to its life threatening nature. Humanity is beginning to learn more and more about this epidemic, and with this knowledge, there is optimism for man’s psyche.

There are multiple criteria that come into play when determining a psychological disorder. One reason is because, it is hard to know for sure if an action is abnormal or not. Something could be abnormal in our country, but a custom in another.

Good job on your post! Our interview summaries are different because your agency deals mostly with individuals who have mental illness and developmental disorders. However, in my post, the client’s lack housing, are victims of abuse, runaway youths, as well as dealing with other stressors in their lives. The reason for the differences between our agencies can be because of their locations maybe the demand is higher for those services. However, I do see a connection to how they are the same. For instance, you mentioned that Hillcrest Educational Center provides treatment programs for students (counseling) to help them handle or cope with their issues. At 1736 Family Crisis Center, they also provide counseling services to their participants.

At the age of 11 years,my grandfather was sent to the nearest hospital after falling down to ground after coming home from a long day of work.He had the symptoms of dizziness and sweating which led him to an unconscious state. After doing a couple of investigations, doctors confirmed that my grandfather had a pontine haemorrhage . After staying in ICU for four days on ventilator,suddenly he passed away.Never in my life have i seen my father cry until that very moment.This only enhanced my curiosity to learn more about what a stroke was and why it happened .Being in such a helpless state as i saw my grandfather suffer made me want to learn about various brain diseases.Medical literature helped me understand and see the medical world in a new perspective by showing me how neurological diseases can be controlled as well as prevented.

The mental illnesses list can go on and on. As medical and mental science keeps growing, experts are able to take the actions of people and narrow it all down into a mental health disorder or illness. The following are mental disorders that are found on most, if not all, mental illnesses list and that are the most common.

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.

There are times when people are plagued with thoughts, behaviors or emotions that will inhibit them from normal behavior. These are known as psychological disorders. These disorders come in many forms but all will have large effects on a person’s life.