Morgan Hobbs. Mr. Bertelsen. English Iii. 22 February 2017.

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

Mental illness is a taboo subject in our society. It is something that too often gets overlooked because these types of ailments " do not bleed ". The negative stigma that surrounds mental illnesses prevents access to care for those in need because either themselves or those around them don’t want to believe that they have one. Mental illnesses are not seen in the same light as a common cold or the chicken pox. If someone have a mental illness, they are seen as broken and potentially unstable. Look at all of the horror movies that surround insane asylums, or people with schizophrenia who are cast as psychopathic murders. It 's no surprise that mental illness has become something that people are in denial for or want to be kept hidden. And its not just the media that is

According to the World Health Organization, mental illness will affect approximately 25% of people at some point in their life (“WHO Qualityrights”, n.d.). Despite that, the current mental health care system in the United States is inadequate. Many aspects of the system need improving, especially the barriers to service. In fact, approximately 20% of individuals are left without necessary treatment for their mental health disorder (“Mental Health”, 2016). Mentally ill individuals have difficulty accessing necessary mental health care services for various reasons; insurance, socioeconomic status, and mental health stigma can all function as barriers to treatment. Insurance discrimination can make it difficult for individuals to find treatment (Han, Call, Pintor, Alarcon-Espinoza, & Simon, 2015). Gaps in insurance coverage can also be a barrier, as they disrupt the long-term treatment process (Gulley, Rasch, & Chan 2011). Socioeconomic status has been found to negatively affect appointment scheduling (Kugelmass, 2016). Finally, stigma in our society can also stop people from seeking out treatment that they need (Bathje & Pryor, 2011). The mental health system in the United States is not capable of caring for the mentally ill, as insurance, socioeconomic status, and perceived stigma all act as barriers that prevent people from receiving the treatment they need.

Crazies, loonies, insane, disabled, idiots, nuts, and schizos are just some of the many derogatory terms used to refer to the mentally ill. Mental illness is pushed under the rug and is considered a taboo subject in today’s world. Many think that since you cannot physically see psychiatric disorders, they are not real. Some believe people claim to have a mental illness so they can act out or not take responsibilities for one’s actions. So, even though we as a society are at the height of our research of mental illnesses and now know more than before, why do we still ignore it? Why do we not take it seriously? Sadly many, many people have been affected by the lack of communication concerning mental illness, its causes, and treatment. One of

On any given day approximately fifty percent of individual’s, or 3.5 million people, with severe psychiatric disorders go untreated. In 2013, many of those became part of the more than forty-one thousand suicides in our country. These individuals may also have been the patients who were told on a daily basis, to wait thirty days to six months to see a psychiatrist. The numbers of diagnosed mental illnesses have rapidly increased in the past thirty years but yet the numbers of mental health providers have not been able to keep up with that drastic increase. While it is unclear if there is correlation with the increased recognition of mental illnesses and the number of diagnosed illnesses, it is clear to the Center for Disease Control and

Lack of access to mental health care and treatment is one of the top ten reasons that many mental health conditions go untreated. Many private and group health insurance plans only include minimal mental health care coverage or do not incorporate mental health care coverage at all. Over half of adult citizens of the United States of America, who possess a mental illness, do not obtain mental health care treatment. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one out of every five adults in America have endured their own mental health difficulty, and one out of every twenty-five American adults suffer from a severe mental illness, such as major depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. (Top 5 Barriers to Mental Healthcare Access, Social Solutions.com, 2017)

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.

As medical research progresses, and new technology advances the way we treat illnesses, people with mental illnesses are left in the dark without help. Mental Health America reports that one in five adults have a mental health condition, however, 56% of them do not receive proper treatment. Unfortunately, our society still has a stigma towards people with mental health problems. Many people fear judgement and choose not to tell anyone about their condition. These attitudes stem from the public perception of mental illness as a weakness. Hearing someone say, “That is not a real illness,” or “Get over it” is inconsiderate, and prevents people from seeking further help. Suicide in our society is increasing at an alarming rate, and as long as there is a social stigma towards mental health, we cannot work toward the solution.

Psychiatric illnesses just like most illnesses are highly variable in terms of when the diagnosis is made, severity and treatment options available. However, one difference to note is that there are less treatment options available for persons who have a psychiatric illness than for illnesses. In addition, stigmatization may affect whether an individual seeks help or not. Just to put this into perspective, “in 2011 it was estimated that one in five adults [living within the] United States had a mental illness and less than 40% had received mental services” (Malowney, 2015, 1). Furthermore, while schools in the United States offer counseling and mental health services for students, schools limit these services and not job offers counseling

What does mental illness look like? Is it the “weird” kid at your school that everyone bullies? Or maybe the latest hair-raising movie about a psycho killer? Mental illness is constantly construed and made to seem dangerous, unnatural, and sickening. Mental illness, as defined by Mayo Clinic, is simply a “disorder that affects your mood, thinking, and behavior”(). These people, who live with mental health issues, including one out of ten teens and one out of five adults, are often treated as if it is their own fault that they are different(). From uncharged jailing to not being able to choose what is best for them to plain everyday interaction, persons with mental illness are ostracized and treated unfairly. As a country, we are failing our

Mental illness is an important Public Health issue that needs to be addressed immediately. It is an overlooked health problem among many people. According to Henderson et al., (2013), over 70% of people suffering from some type of mental illness across the world do not receive medical treatment or care for it. People with mental illness are more likely to have their treatment and care avoided or delayed. One of the major problems associated with the lack of access to mental health care is discrimination and stigma towards mental illness. Thus, mental health patients often avoid seeking help for the services and care that they need (Henderson et al., 2013).

Mental illness affects people from all walks of life, yet a fierce stigma surrounds it to this day. People are viewed differently once they receive a diagnosis; they might be discriminated against, bullied, or even feared by others. I believe that the biggest contributor towards this stigma is ignorance.

There are many stigmas, or misconceptions and misperceptions in our society which need to be shattered. I believe that one of the worse possible effects of stigma is that it causes those affected by psychological disorders, or mental illness, to crawl more deeply into themselves because it provokes a sense of shame. Stigma thrusts those suffering with mental illness into a sense of isolation, social exclusion, and discrimination. “Stigma can lead to discrimination … It may be obvious or direct … Or it may be unintentional or subtle…” (Staff). Stigma is often as big as the illness itself and I confess to having been a perpetuator of this dreaded thing, although not consciously aware and without the intent of furthering the harm of someone.

Serious mental illnesses can lead to substantial disability and distress that weakens the eminence of life. Because of this, researchers, psychologists and scientists have come together to create evidence-based interpositions that help individuals overcome their mental illnesses and achieve their life goals. Despite the many ways of conquering mental illnesses, many people choose not to pursue treatment when they are in need, or complete their sessions once they have begun. The bias, discrimination and prejudice that encompass the stigma of mental illness is one key reason why people do not seek effective treatments and care.

Mental illnesses are a serious matter that affect a person as much as someone with a physical illness. Mental illnesses are medical conditions that affect a person’s mental health. They are as serious as other disorders such as diabetes and should be treated as so. The amount of talk by those who aren’t well informed and often assume has created many misconceptions about mental illnesses. In order to successfully make those around people with mental illnesses to be aware of the harm these disorders cause a person these misconceptions need to be cleared. Mental illnesses need to be treated like the threat they indeed are like real illnesses.