Stigmatization Mental Health

Stigma can be expressed in various term, it can be a brand, labelling or identification. It is a differentiation of a person resulting to a boundary between “us” and “them” (Link and Phelan 2001). These affect consumers in a way they are discriminated and treated differently because they have mental illness. The effect of stigma can take away the rights of consumers who are suffering from mental illness causing social dilemmas (SANE Australia 2013). A survey shows 74% of consumers experience stigma from school, work, and social activities. Consumers had only one feedback, to reduce stigma so they can go with their life peacefully and engage in normal social activities without discrimination (SANE Australia 2006). It is

The disparity in treatment has been attempted to be remedied over the eras. Bills and Acts put into place in the 20th and 21st centuries have seeked to improve care and reduce stigma around those with mental illness. This began in 1942, when Harry Truman signed the National Mental Health Act, which requested the formation of a National Institute of Mental Health. Shortly after this, in 1949, the National Institute of Mental Health was established (“National Institute of Mental Health”). During the company’s 60 year lifespan they have focused on research about mental illness, educating the public, and improving the lives of the mentally ill by working to pass laws. One law that seeks to reduce the stigma of mental illness is the Mental Healths Service Act of California. "California 's Historic Effort To Reduce The Stigma Of Mental Illness: The Mental Health Services Act" from the American Journal Of Public Health illustrates how the Act will make improvements. Families and individuals who have experienced stigma had a big role in the process, specifically with developing a 10 year plan, the California Strategic Plan on Reducing Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination. One component of the Act discussed is the work plan developed by California Mental Health Services Authority, which has three components: stigma and discrimination reduction, student mental health, and suicide prevention. Organizations such as the NIMH have made efforts resulting in the evolution of mental

7. Lt Col Chris Karns, "Eliminating Stigma: A Leadership Responsibility," U.S. Air Force, 02 September 2014,

One of the biggest contributors for poor healthcare is the stigma against mental health. This stigma allows healthcare providers to view those with a mental illness as having low relevance, thus creating disinclination towards providing adequate resources and/or care. This negative stance, based on misinformation and prejudice creates those that have a mental illness to lose their self confidence. Because of this loss, people with mental illness decide not to contribute to their health or livelihood. In the past fifty years, many advances have been made in mental healthcare. However, with the attached stigma, many people choose to not seek out treatment.

To many a stigma is a disgraceful flaw, that of a negative presence. In mental health this stigma is overwhelming. Approximately 57.7 million Americans experience a mental health disorder in any given year. (National Alliance on Mental Illness) People in dire need of help are not seeking it. Mental illnesses are going undiagnosed. The mental health stigma is having a negative impact on the proper diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses.

The majority of people that have a severe mental illness are object to challenges in double measure. From one point of view, they wrestle with the symptoms and disablement that result from the illness. From another point, they are tested by the stereotypes and preconceived ideas that stem from the misunderstandings about mental illness. As a culmination of both, people with a mental illness are stripped of the chances that define a quality life such as a good job, safe housing, adequate health care, and a connection with a varied group of people. Although research has gone a long way to understand the affect of the disease, it only recently has begun to explain the stigma of mental illness (Corrigan). The lives of people who are living with a mental illness are many times drastically adjusted by the symptoms of the illness and everyone’s response to them. While symptoms can normally be diminished by a number of actions, the intrinsic stigma and prejudice that comes with mental illness may continue on for a lifetime and can manifest themselves in a number of understated and non-understated ways. Normally, when one thinks of a stigma, they think of disgrace that is associated with a particular event, circumstance, or occasion. People with a mental illness are most often branded as an effect of their behavior, appearance, therapy, their economic status, and also the negative depictions in the media of the mental illnesses. People with a mental illness often have a “stereotype

There are still many societies that view people with mental health problems as threatening or unstable. These attitudes often cause stigma and discrimination towards people with mental health problems. Many people who make these assumptions about people with mental health problems are often uneducated. Social workers today educate and help families that may may be struggling with this disease. Mental health disorders affect different people and are more prone to exist in areas where help can be found or is not affordable. Mental health disorders are often frowned upon by people because they do not understand it. Many people live throughout their lives not getting the help they need because of stigma on this topic. As a society Mental health diseases should be identified as problem that can be fixed and not be an identification for the person it is affecting.

People with mental disorders were considered as vulnerable in the society due to the limitations in their rights. Such a situation of individuals cause oppressions as a result of dominant discourse prejudice. The capabilities of people with mental health histories often underestimated by the community. The result of such discrimination is devastating for individuals with mental health concerns. The focus of mental health intervention has undergone changes since its introduction. The treatment services have become more respectful of the rights of the individuals as the institutionalized services became more community oriented services (Rodriguez del Barrio et al., 2014). If a person is diagnosed with a mental disorder, the society tends to ostracize the individual and stigma attached to such situations can be termed as sanism (Morrow & Weisser, 2012). Sanism contributes to an organized suppression and oppression of mental health consumers (Perlin, 1992, 2003; Poole et al., 2012 as cited in LeBlanc & Kinsella, 2016). An intersectionality analysis coupled with anti-oppressive approach can be used to unpack sanism and other multiple oppressions faced by the marginalized population (Mullaly, 2010).

Your topic is very interesting, but need more development to help readers who are not familiar to that field to understand it.

A stigma associated with this mental health policy is people with mental illness are more violent. This is true if all mental ill people go off treatment to help them from being psychotic, hospitalized, or violent. But according to The Mental Health Policy Organization, only five percent of people with the most serious mental illness of schizophrenia and treatment resistant bipolar disorder are violent making this myth false (MHPO, 2015). This stigma has affected The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act HR3717. Due to this stigma it has created discrimination by unfounded facts between mental illness and violence. According to John Grohol, Psy.D ., HR3717 policy is really about helping the families of the mentally ill and how to help

Stigmatization of mental illness is a universal struggle. Media and politicians calling non-mentally ill criminals ‘crazy’ or ‘insane’ has been a common issue and further increases the defaming of people with mental illness by associating them immediately with violence and crime. Studies throughout the world have shown stigmatization is a global issue though there are different degrees of stigmatization through different cultures and communities. For example in India people with somatic forms of depression less stigmatized than people with more, visible symptoms of depression. It was also found that people living in urban environments are more likely to experience stigma. Families are also known to stigmatize a mentally ill relative through

Stigma would hinder the ability for those to seek treatment by the fact that it would cause this discrimination to be put forth upon them. It is a common problem that most people who suffer from a sort of mental illness feel as if they are going to be treated as a burden. They may have trouble finding an actual person to help them because many view the problem as not that big of concerning issue. It is quite common for many people who suffer from mental illnesses to go through many people before they find one that helps. In the process of finding this person, they see signs and gestures that “they are a bother” or “why are you wasting my time” kind of deals. This discourages them from seeking help in the first place.

Although society has made small steps towards the stigma of mental health there still needs to be significant changes that need to be made. It has taken several years and our journey to work through my own negative thoughts about mental health, but I believe that our journey is a small part in changing the views of society on mental health. If everyone took the time to consider their own attitudes and behavior towards mental health it would provide a better understanding of how negative view affects those who are suffering. This would be another small step to eliminating the stigma and discriminations of mental health.

Many people worldwide that have a mental illness are faced not only coping with their health, but the stigma that comes with it. Many will go untreated or self-treat to avoid the derogatory effects of society. Why is having a mental illness stigmatized the way it is?

It could be said that each member of society must uphold their mental and physical health to produce an orderly, functional society. Thus, is it possible for modern society to have developed an aversion to mental illness? The paradigm that, those who have fallen ill to an unseen sickness of the mind are somehow weak, dangerous, crazy, lacking in moral character, or hopeless has permeated modern society and been ingrained into the cultural beliefs. First, I will be examining the existence of the social stigma against psychology, and second, I will investigate possible motivations or reasoning for the stigma.