Myths About Mental Illness

Dr. Allen Frances (2013, May 4) suggests that people who need treatment aren’t getting it. Most people who have major psychiatric conditions are getting their treatment, if not they could not function. What we need to worry about are the people who are still able to function

When the phrase “mental illness” is spoken, the immediate thought that pops into the individual’s mind is the extremes such as Schizophrenia, or Bipolar Disorder. However, the majority of mental disorders fall into the spectrum of quite common disorders such as Depression, Anxiety, or Obsessive Compulsion Disorder (OCD). Why should the first thing that people think of be negative? What makes people think this way? Society has a negative view of mental illness because of media portrayal, the attitudes of individuals, and skepticism, and the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, makes a connection to these views of the world.

One in five American adults have experienced a mental health issue, and one in twenty-five Americans have lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also states studies show that individuals with mental health problems get better and may even recover completely, where they can continue living life healthily, with the help of treatments, services, and community systems. I, myself am one of the twenty-five.

Bernstein et al (2011) affirm that in the United States, “25% of adults have a diagnosable mental disorder” (as Cited in Ghodse, 2011, pg. 451, ¶2) and “the high rate of mental illness

Without the correct help most people with mental illnesses will struggle in society. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, while 1 in 4 adults live with a mental disorder, estimates indicate that nearly two-thirds of all people with a diagnosable

Throughout history, mental illness has been pushed aside by medical professionals as a defect of human nature and personality, but as we progress as a species, humankind is learning that mental illness is a deadly

Whenever we think of a mentally ill person, we almost always think that that person is dangerous. People fear because said patients are typically considered to be unpredictable and people are afraid of anything unpredictable. It’s time to break such stereotype, it’s time to change our perspective – these people don’t deserve to be feared, instead they deserve the care and attention as any sick person does. They need all the help and support they can get.

Mental illness is seen throughout society as a negative subject, many suffer through not only with the disorders but, also the shame that comes along. In this article we will look at one of the most severe mental disorders in hopes of achieving a better knowledge of the disorder and to debunk some of the misconceptions of having a mental disorder.

People don’t want to get help, because they are embarrassed. Doctor Marilyn Ricci who is the president of the National Alliance of Mental Illness or N.A.M.I. says that over 25 percent of people with mental illness will not get the treatment they need because they are too ashamed and think that they don’t have anyone that cares for them. They believe that people will look at them differently or think that they are crazy. Many will lose their jobs, and lose connections with family and friends. Uninformed people believe that mental illness are not real, treatable illnesses. The N.A.M.I. says that untreated mental illnesses cost the U.S. 100 billion dollars each year. Many people think that they are alone, but they are far from it. One in four adults, around 70 million Americans live with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, major depression, or bipolar

“When a mental illness is diagnosed, be sure that all other possibilities have been considered. Any diagnosis should be clearly explained and backed up with a careful observation by a child psychiatrist or psychologist” (Brazelton).

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words actually do hurt. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 43.8 million people in the United States are diagnosed with a mental illness each year, but less than 50% of these people report discrimination. Social stigma of mental illness has caused those with these illnesses to not seek medical attention, to cause themselves harm, and to be anxious in social environments; it is imperative that society becomes more sympathetic to those with mental illnesses.

Study have proven that one in five people suffer from mental illness. “They are our children, our boyfriends, our husbands, and our mothers and fathers. They are our co-workers, our

Following the global issue of mental illness is the social stigma that is associated with it. Different misconceptions casted throughout society including, the prevalent belief that mental illnesses are regarded as a symbol of moral weakness, discourages people deliberated by mental illnesses from seeking help. Another corresponding factor of this stigma is the idea that mental illnesses, lacking the formal visible confirmation that physical illnesses provide, causes those incapacitated by mental disorders to persistently be challenged to “prove” that they are truly ill (Bustle).

One in five Americans deal with a mental disorder in a given year, 20% of adolescents ranging from ages 13-18 deal experience severe mental disorders. 3.3 million Americans are diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, which many people refer to as “OCD.” One in ten American children go through a major depression (“Mental Health”). Mental illnesses are not partaking to a small amount of the population, these are only the numbers for people who have seen a psychiatrist and have been clinically diagnosed. 90% of people who have committed suicide, had an underlying mental illness (“Mental Health By The Numbers”).Mental illness is not something to joke about. Using bipolar to describe the weather is not funny; using schizophrenia to describe a character trait is not funny; using OCD to describe how clean something must be is not funny.

Mental illness is a controversial subject. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) (2015), 1in 5 adults in the USA suffer from some form of mental illness. That’s roughly 40 million adults. You probably know someone who suffers from a mental illness, or you yourself suffer from one.