My First Mistake With Mental Illness

Ever since the concept of mental illness became more mainstream, it has become a widely controversial topic. Based on what has been seen in society, people who are involved with mental disorders are often dehumanized in some way.

I valued the participants, with a mental illness, sharing their perspective and experiences of living with a mental health diagnosis. As social workers, it is beneficial to understand a clients experience and environment to the best of our ability. I will take away the stigmas faced by individuals with a mental illness and consider how this impacts their psycho, social, and emotional

Mental illness is not shameful, but stigma is. The stigma of mental illness is driven by fear and lack of knowledge. The solution to ending this stigma is education to dispel fear and lead to a society which acts with compassion.

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

I believe many of the serious mental illnesses (SMIs) that people develop over their lifetime are a result of some sort of trauma that happened either as children or young adults. There are even consumers who come through our agency looking for services, who have been licensed therapists, doctors, or lawyers, but have hit a mental health breaking point, because of the vicarious trauma they have developed over their career.

The labelling and stigma attached to mental illness has held and retained my interest over the course of the semester, as it has equipped me with future skills to be able to apply to my future practice as a social worker as well as to my own personal life. Having had a close family member of

I realized the ignorance and false accusations that the world holds on this illness. Therefore, I wish to treat, monitor, and understand mental health within the correctional system. I have taken steps to pursue this plan by having aspirations to go to graduate school and further my education. I have shown interest in the University of Wisconsin- Madison, the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities as well as, Georgia State University. All which have exceptional programs for my interests. I have also pursued my interests by applying to internships within mental health. Additionally, I volunteer at Piedmont Hospital in hopes to spark my understanding and gain knowledge of mental health illnesses. Lastly, I have worked with mental health patients within the Best Buddies Organization. This group works to assist students with differing illnesses. So far, my actions have been vast and successful. The reason I wish to work within the correctional system is because many individuals suffering from mental health illnesses unfortunately find themselves within the correctional system. As Bill Clinton once said, “Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.” Why the world is so blind to depression, eating disorders, and schizophrenia is beyond me. Running away from this reality is only hurting those that are suffering. Ignorance is no longer

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.

Specific Purpose: Persuade my audience to take steps to realize the truth behind mental illnesses instead of listening to the stigmas.

I learned early on that there are many stigmas in the world against individuals with a mental health diagnosis. Those stigmas do not just affect the individual with the diagnosis; in fact those stigmas affect the family as a whole. I remember when I was in fifth grade a friend of mine told me she was unable to come to my birthday party. Her father did not think it was a good idea to associate with someone like my father or my family. Her father also felt that we should no longer be friends since one day I would become like my father, crazy, it is genetic after

It is estimated that 43.5 million Americans, adults 18 or older, live with mental illness. This number represents 18.1% of all U.S. adults (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014). Stigma toward those who are seen as different have existed for as long as civilization itself, with the stigma for mental illness being one of the most prominent and long lasting that society has had to face throughout its ages (Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012). Increased understanding and awareness for those individuals suffering from mental illness is necessary for us to overcome the impacts stigma has on our society.

Mental illness is intertwined with my life, and it has been this way for years. It is hard to describe my relationship and journey through mental illness because it is so much a part of me, that I don’t truly consider it a journey through, but my life journey itself. I was first diagnosed during eighth grade, though I had been living with mental illness for years prior. I was able to start medication and cognitive behavioral therapy during 2013, which seemed to help. My mental illness was manageable, however difficult, until March of 2014, during my freshman year. I was ready to commit suicide when I admitted myself to be hospitalized. I stayed in Miller Dwan for five days, where I received inpatient care. I was put on a new medication, started

In the eighth grade, I was diagnosed with clinical depression and social anxiety. I was in and out of the psychiatrist's and therapist's office and frequented the hospital for uncontrollable panic attacks. I was a shell of a person. Thanks to the help of early detection and rigorous therapy sessions, I am still alive today. Ever since then, I have had to overcome and conquer the stigma that surrounds mental illness. It has been a challenge because I constantly second guess myself and have a hard time giving myself grace. I have pushed myself to become a better person and I've worked hard for my achievements. Depression and anxiety are labels that a lot of people are ashamed of, but it has had a positive impact on my life in the long run. My

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.

I also have mental illness. I’m diagnosed with a mood disorder and ADHD. I am medicated for depression, bipolar, psychosis, and ADHD.