Mental Illness Research Paper

In today’s society there is a greater awareness of mental illnesses. With this greater awareness one might assume that there would be a substantial increase in government involvement or funding in the area of mental illness treatment. Unfortunately this isn’t the case in the U.S. today. There are hundreds of thousands of people with mental illness that go untreated. These potential patients go untreated for many reasons. These reasons are discussed in the Time article “Mental Health Reform: What Would it Really Take.

Throughout history mental illness is something that was often not talked about. Through history they believed mental illnesses were linked to supernatural phenomena. When society finally accepted that it was due to chemical imbalances in the brain, there was still a social stigma connected to individuals with it. Society believed that someone with a mental illness meant that there was a hereditary, disabling condition that ran in the family. Individuals with mental health problems didn't have the proper support or treatments to deal with their illness. As society moved forward, the issues of mental health came into light and it started to get better. Society has started to better it’s treatments for those in need of it. In the world, there are many different types of mental health conditions, some commonly known mental illnesses are Bipolar

When we imagine someone who is ill, with a cold or the flu, we picture the individual in clean conditions receiving gentle and compassionate care from a doctor, nurse or care giver. That was not the case for those suffering from mental illness in the 1950s. Individuals with mental illness were locked away in an asylum and treated in inhumane conditions. These patients were suffering but no one seemed to really care; they were viewed as hopeless. Mental health laws began to emerge due to the horrific conditions. As the growth of civil rights movement began to expand, lawyers were stepping up to fight for the rights of the individuals in the state mental hospitals. They are humans getting treated as though they are nothing and don’t belong in the community; so how do we change this already established system and stigma? Deinstitutionalization. The goal of deinstitutionalization is provide better treatment and quality care for patients. There were three main goals to accomplish: civil commitments made by judges, improvements in the conditions of the institutions and the “right to refuse treatment” for individuals suffering form mental illness. During the constitutional era, federal courts applied authority over state

One in every seventeen people in America suffers from a mental disorder. These disorders inhibit the afflicted person from functioning properly and coping normally with daily life. Many afflicted with a psychological disorder do not exhibit obvious symptoms, as medical advancements have made it possible for these disorders to be suppressed or even nonexistent. Today, however, harsh stigmas exist that unfairly categorize those with a mental illness as violent, unfriendly, and abnormal. The media and federal government are culprits in fabricating the unrealistic depictions of mental disability that define the portrayal of those who are mentally or psychologically disadvantaged.

Most people see mental illnesses as embarrassing or unacceptable but with the proper education on each disorder, we could drastically decrease the the amount of people that go undiagnosed with a problem like my mother’s. By teaching children that it’s okay to share their problems about mental illness and that they are not seen as a disappointment or be fearful of rejection, there could be so many less cases of depression and suicide around the world today. The decrease of stigma against mental illnesses in the Unites States, and worldwide, would raise the number of reported cases and ultimately help the worlds population as a whole.

We need to change the faces we are showing it not just of what mental illness look like it not the poor black man on crack. In other words we need to stop stereotype what we think mental illness should look like It could me are you it does it have a particular look. We need to do a better job educating that most mental illness are treatable provide we treat each individual the same whether they are wealth are indigent. That seems to be ware the barrier is. Why do we blame people who choose to shoot up a movie theater on mental illness that actually was personal choice? Individual with serious mental illness most times don’t think about harm others. We have to stop making mental illness shaming.

With the increasing population around the world, the population of mentally ill people also increases. Many of these people get treatment for their disorders, but others do not. According to Comer (2014), “…in any given year, 40 to 60 percent of all people with schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders receive no treatment at all” (P. 392). In the United States we have what seems like unlimited resources, but we can’t take care of the most severe mentally ill people. There should be more mental health care facilities that focus on caring for the patient, helping them function better all while treating them with respect.

In conclusion, the stigma of mental illness harms the society by dehumanizing people who have a mental illness. This creates the idea that having a mental illness is shameful and embarrassing when in fact it is not. This also promotes the idea that people who have a mental illness are intrinsically criminals, “crazy,” and dangerous. The media that has portrayed those who have a mental illness as dangerous people has made it difficult for people to confront their illness and seek treatments because they fear judgement from society. If people showed more support such as change the public attitude and educate themselves, those who have a mental illness can find more comfort in seeking treatment which will increase funding for institutions. Ultimately,

“Attitudes and views toward psychopathology in the medical and larger social community have undergone drastic transformation throughout history, at times progressing through a rather tortuous course, to eventually receive validation and scientific attention.”(fool) Mental illness is a serious problem in the united states, ‘‘According to the National Institute of Mental Health, or NIMH, an estimated 26.2% of adults aged 18 and older, nearly 63 million people, will suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year. These diseases range from more moderate mental illnesses -- those that lifestyle changes and medicine can help relieve -- to the more severe mental illnesses that affect 6% of the population.’’(fool) Mental illnesses can

All through my childhood and especially in present day, I have always wondered why people act the way they act. I’ve seen people intentionally hurt the ones they love and react unexpected to situations in times of insecurity, conflict and even joy. I’ve seen and heard of mass shootings, tragic events and international tragedies occur the past years. Although it may have different purposes, messages, and targets, it has all concluded to the perpetrator/s dealing with mental illnesses. When people hear the words mental illness their first thought is most likely a negative one. What people fail to realize is that the stigma on mental illness is contributing to these devastating outcomes. I believe if highlighting the importance of mental health, recognizing signs of mental illness and knowing how to not only handle but understand people struggling with their mental health in a positive, empathetic and level-headed way is extremely necessary and important. The majority of people in the U.S. believe the problems are guns and how easily it is to obtain firearms without a background check of any sort. Even though I agree to an extent, it is likely that if you have a mental illness and may have been bullied, belittled and shamed because of it then you have mastered the art of holding things in. Just like anyone else, people have breaking points. Our illnesses do not define us but they have a way of controlling us. A mentally ill individual may not see things as logical or as clear. We need to understand the signs and how these illnesses work. We need to educate students, teachers, parents and any human being what it is, what triggers it, and how we can help in situations of breakdowns. I strongly believe this starts with our children. In teaching our children to be kind, to empathize with things they don’t understand and to serve others, we are showing them to not bully, belittle or exclude the unknown or the

Mental illness is a large problem in American society today. Not only is mental illness a problem in itself, it has the ability to lead to further social problems in this country. The three government policy solutions will provide insight into how this problem could be minimized and controlled to prevent further complications in American society.

During the “Change Direction” mental health event First Lady Michelle Obama said, “At the root of this dilemma is the way we view mental health in this country. [...] Whether an illness affects your heart, your leg or your brain, it’s still an illness, and there should be no distinction.” Unfortunately, there is a difference in the way society views mental illness compared to other ailments in the body. Stigma around mental illness has had very immense adverse effects on the willingness of undiagnosed suffers to seek treatment when they need it. As a result of this one in five people with a mental illness will not get the treatment they need which has the effect of significantly higher suicide rates. In an effort to reduce stigma around mental illness, so that more undiagnosed sufferers seek treatment, schools should devote more time to increasing awareness of mental illness and its effects.

Mental illness is real, it is here, and it is not a joke. Well, if it is such a big deal, what exactly is it? According to the Mayo Clinic, the term “mental illness” refers to “a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior” ("Mental Illness", 2015). Back in the 1900’s when the words “mental illness” was said, society had a drastically different reaction to it than they would have today. Mental illness has a long and complex history with varied public reactions throughout time and a variety of dangerous treatments. Though the mistakes of the past have left their mark, we are surely more aware and more educated about the subject than we have ever been before.

Mental illness is a part of every person's life, whether it is themselves that have been affected, a family member, or a coworker. Although mental illness has become more vocalized and open for discussion in society, it still carries a dark stigma that creates fear and breeds anxiety in the general population towards the mentally ill. Lack of understanding and the constant focus of mass and social media continue to hinder society from gaining a true understanding of what mental illness truly is and how it affects each person differently. The daily portrayal of those who commit heinous crimes are often linked with some type of mental illness by media as a form of explanation for the act and this in turn only fuels the fear of the mentally ill. Insinuating that having a mental health issue makes you likely to hurt others (school/mass shooters) or harm yourself(teen/celebrity suicide) is revisited almost every day in the media. While the attention does bring light to mental issues it is almost always shadowed by negative attention that overplays the root cause.

Since the mid twentieth century, funding resources provided to American mental and psychoanalytic hospitals from government based agencies, has been decreasing to an unbelievable point, in millions of dollars per state to be exact. It seems that today people have completely forgotten about those in need of support and care; instead of help, these struggling people, having no intensions to hurt neither themselves nor anybody around them, get thrown into jails where their mental conditions further become worse. Jonathan Martin, a columnist at The Seattle Times, reports his experience: “I watched one class recently as four offenders, in orange jumpsuits shackled to the desks, went through something like an [isolated] group therapy lesson”