Mental health is currently not being taken as seriously as physical health. Why? David Cameron (former PM) says, “We have focused a lot on physical health and we haven’t as a country focused enough on mental health.” Since the NHS was founded in 1948 there has been a strong barrier of separation between the two. It seems to be that physical health is generally strongly favoured over mental health. This needs to stop - they need to be treated equally in society, workplaces and hospitals. An outstanding ninety-two percent of people with physical health problems receive the help and support they need, but only a minuscule twenty-six percent of people with mental health problems do. These shocking figures emphasise just how much physical health is prioritised. Although we have this gap between the two there is a link as the Kings Fund, an independent charity working to improve healthcare, states that “people with severe mental illnesses also have significantly higher rates of physical illnesses” This shows that no matter how much we see a separation between them, mental and physical problems are linked and having one can cause the other. I can see how physical health is easily favoured over mental health. It is easier for us to look at someone with a mental health issue and view them as being healthy because we can’t …show more content…
This would mean more people could be offered help and basic support that could help them understand their diagnosis and maybe even save their life. My auntie, who works and has dealt with mental health issues herself, states “people with mental health problems can be helped by having a ‘label’ / diagnosis as they feel they can be taken seriously having being diagnosed from a health professional.” However, the current balance between mental and physical health is so uneven it can almost be impossible to get that one appointment to be given their
Mental health problems are considered to “interfere with how a person thinks, feels and behaves” (Australian Government Department of Health, 2007, para. 3). Considered to be more prominent, yet less severe than mental illnesses, mental health problems are experienced for
The ‘medical model’ (Beecher, 2009), also called the ‘biomedical model’ (Germov, 2009), basis its beliefs on the theory that there is not a connection between the mind and the body (Sarafino & Smith, 2014) and illness is caused by ‘biological’ (Germov, 2009) factors that can be diagnosed and treated with medications (Germov, 2009). The biomedical model becomes problematic when applied to the treatment of mental health illness due to the cause being widely unknown and so how can mental illness be successfully treated using this model? Social factors that may have a contributory effect or allowance for preventative measures to be implemented are also not taken into consideration with the ‘medical model’ (Germov,
Mental and physical health should not be separated, as poor physical health can lead to an increased risk of poor mental health. Furthermore, mental and physical health means that individuals are able to realise their own abilities to cope with normal stresses by making a contribution to society, where they are physically and mentally well (Mental Health Foundation, 2017).
“Nearly 5 million children in the U.S. have some type of mental illness” (Goldberg). It is agreeable that there are many young children that deal with mental illness every day. Schools should be concerned for every student’s well being. Moreover, mental health is a part of a person’s overall “well being.” Therefore, schools need to make the mental health of students a stronger focus and implement plans to keep students mentally well and educated. To help create a positive, mental health aware environment where students feel open to seek help, high school students should be educated on how to be mentally healthy, be given a safe place to seek help, and be encouraged to monitor and maintain their mental health. Mental illness and mental health care need to be a more eminent priority in our society, starting with high schools.
The lack of treatment for mental illnesses — due partly from the stigma with which it is associated with — comes with a number of public issues: economically,
Both should be treated equally, as there are similarities between mental and physical illnesses. According to The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, “People without insurance put off treatment and their mental health deteriorates... A patient must be institutionalized for an illness that could have been treated effectively months earlier” (Williams). Just as a physical condition deteriorates without treatment, mental conditions do too. If patients cannot afford to pay for treatment without coverage, they put it off (Williams). Therefore, both illnesses should be treated equally, because both require treatment to prevent them from
The National charity ‘Mind’ aims to help people experiencing mental health issues to take control of their condition. In providing more information and training, it should help promote more positive public views
Mental health is a real problem that many people struggle with everyday.Critics say that since mental health isn’t a new thing we should know how to deal with it. Just because mental health is
It has been reported that the number of people with mental disorder is increasing in our communities at an alarming rate. Environmental and social changes are among the most mentioned causes of the accelerating rate of mental illness in society (Häfner, 1985). Despite the prevalence, about one fifth of the adult population will battle with mental illness every year ("Facts and figures about mental illness," 2014) and the acknowledgement of authorities mental illness is still given less attention then is needed to treat the problem successfully. Health bodies need to be putting more resources into this area as
Mental health is finally starting to be recognized as just as important as physical health
Mental illness becomes a bigger issue with a long lasting cultural stereotyped due to the manner in which it has long been labelled (Miles, 1988). Although mental illness is very much connected to instabilities in one’s mental health state, as previously mentioned, a person can be mentally healthy but still suffer from a mental illness. What is understood by mental illness is that it
It is essential the mental health is addressed as a 'normal' matter as it is such a common occurrence within society. However, for some reason it is usually a completely
One of the main arguments for mental and physical wellbeing receiving the same funding and attention is that mental health can impact physical health drastically (and vice versa). There are various ways in which bad mental health has been shown to be harmful to physical health, mental issues account for 23% of burdening diseases in the UK, these issues also have a dramatic effect on life expectancy. Mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia have been linked to heart disease and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, approximately 24 million people suffer from schizophrenia and over 350 million people have depression worldwide. People suffering from serious mental health issues also often experience high blood pressure and high levels of stress hormones therefore an
Imagine a world where a third of the human population suffered from the same type of illness. Imagine a world where the government does little to help those who suffer from this terrible illness. Imagine a world where nobody acknowledged the pain and suffering that comes along with this illness. This is, unfortunately, the world we live in today. The illness is not one that others notice, but it can have terrible consequences to those who suffer from it. The type of illness are the ones that plague people mentally.
Mental health is as important as physical health. Mental health is a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people and the ability to adapt to change to cope with adversity.