The Day Of Recognition For Mental Health

The social problem I have chosen to write about is mental illness. This problem is important to talk about “because of the number of people it affects, the difficulty of defining and identifying mental disorders, and the ways in which mental illness is treated” (Kendall, 2013, p. 227). “About 57.7 million people, or one in four adults, in the United States suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder” (Kendall, 2013, p. 229). “Many of these illnesses begin in childhood or adolescence, with the most common problems being anxiety disorder, mood disorders, impulse-control disorders, and substance abuse disorders” (Kendall, 2013, p. 229). I chose this topic because I wanted to learn more about how mental illness is a social problem and I have been interested in learning more about mental illnesses and how to help people with mental disorders.

The social construction of mental illness limit an individual’s life opportunities as they are labelled “psychotic stalkers, comic figures, neurotics who do everything to excess, or sometimes as sympathetic characters” (DeVoe 2003-2004, p. 926) rarely are they viewed as competent members of society as illustrated by Howard Geld experience, “many years ago, I was diagnosed manic depressive psychotic and ever since then I have tried to live up to it.” (Howard Geld cited in DeVoe 2003-2004, p. 925). However events such as NSW Mental Health Month (October) which emphasises the promotion of social and emotional wellbeing by encouraging people to maximise their health and increase their mental health literacy provides a great opportunity for reducing the fear associated with this group by raising awareness of mental illness which over time serves also to eliminate the stigma associated with

Although about 450 million people in the world currently are suffering from a mental illness, many untreated, the topic still remains taboo in modern society (Mental Health). For years, people with mental illnesses have been shut away or institutionalized, and despite cultural progression in many areas, mental illnesses are still shamed and rarely brought to light outside of the psychiatric community. The many different forms in which mental illness can occur are incredibly prevalent in the world today, and there is a substantial debate about the way that they should be handled. Some people are of the opinion that mental illness is merely a variance in perception and that it either can be fixed through therapy or should not be treated at

The conference was filled with valuable information that is extremely helpful to those in the field of helping with mental disorders. There is a need for these types of conferences which help those who are in attendance, to understand the issues that only those in the field can speak about and elaborate on, due to their experiences with mental health through their prospective occupations. Although cost may be an issue for some, this type of conference would serve well to be added to a class as part of the semester learning

Today, I am going to be talking to you about the stigmas associated with mental illness and what we can do to decrease this stigma.

Another famous speech regarding Mental Illness and the stigma/discrimination surrounding was presented by Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman - “Professor and Chair of Psychiatry at Columbia University and past President of the American Psychiatric Association” on the highly ranked Global talk conference format ‘TEDx Talks’. This is a perfect example of the role and usefulness of media in achieving just outcomes and protecting their rights as ‘TED’ is very well known and influential to society - Hundreds of internationally recognised celebrities are feature discussing various topics.

Mental health is often overlooked in today’s society. Some people don’t understand the seriousness of mental health towards a person’s and other peoples well being. Mental health can affect many different people. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, “Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S.—43.8 million, or 18.5%—experience mental illness in a given year.” (NAMI)Mental health is not acted upon as seriously as it should be, and should be treated like any other illness in the world. Living with poor mental health can affect the rest of your life. Mental health is one of the key components to living a healthy and long life, if your mental health is poor, it can affect your daily life and bring other health obstacles along the way. In today’s news, school shootings, along with other shootings around the world, have been taking place more frequently. The attackers of these attacks are often ruled out to have been suffering from a mental illness. Mental illness, as defined by the CDC, refers to as disorders generally characterized by dysregulation of mood, thought, and/or behavior, as recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th edition, of the American Psychiatric Association.(CDC)

Mental health is a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being. This assignment is completed in regards to the informing about the consequences of mental health patients being stigmatized and discriminated against. Based on the article, chapter one talked about how stigma is a mark of disgrace that is associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. With it being so powerful, stigma against the mentally ill has been codified into federal law for 50 years; and with that, only a few mental health systems even realize it. Embedded in Medicaid and Medicare laws, this system’s discrimination has accelerated the psychiatric state of the emptying of hospitals, leaving a majority of patients sick and the most defenseless patients with not anywhere to turn. This is an issue that needs to be addressed. With the help of USA TODAY, advocates and experts spoke up and were describing a system in shambles, and had been neglecting millions of starved funding people each year across the country. Patrick Kennedy, a former congressman from Rhode Island who has fought to provide for better care for the mentally ill, had organized a report. He says that he found in both the community and in hospitals the failure of providing treatment and supportive services to people with mental illness which has resulted to an overstrain in the emergency rooms. This has led to an effect which has congested the local and state jails as well as to the

Today, it is less of a social stigma to announce and therefore to seek treatment for a mental disorder. The advances in the past century that stemmed from in-depth

The program’s main goal is to address mental health issues. The program will work by providing education and counseling to students about helpful resources not only for the students but also for their families. The mental health awareness program will start by forming team that emphasizes on helping college students deal with mental health illness and stigma. The mental health awareness team will be able to reinforce protective factors and coping skills and recognize the necessity to provide campus referrals for students at risk.

There appears to be a common outlook on mental illness. Relating social norms theory to mental illness, individuals who perceive others to have negative attitudes toward mental illness may themselves be more likely to devalue and avoid people with mental illness in order to fit the perceived social norm. On the other hand, contact with individuals who express positive views of people with mental illness may lead to reduced stigma and discrimination of individuals with mental illness. Therefore, interventions that involve people without mental illness who discuss their positive experiences with people who do have mental illness may also serve to reduce mental illness stigma. Family members and friends of individuals with mental illness may be especially good candidates for sharing their positive perspectives. (Wainberg, Cournos, Wall et al., 2016). History tells us there is a need to protect the privacy of people who are diagnosed with mental health issues in a world filled with stigma and misperceptions. People with mental illness and substance use problems may be legitimately concerned that employers, insurance companies, financial institutions, medical practices, and educational institutions could use their health information to discriminate against them, often without their knowledge. In addition, with the advent of the Internet, social media, govern- mental data collection, and the constant threat of online hacking, privacy is fast becoming a fragile concept and is

Tee See Tee offers unique, Michigan themed T-shirts on its website and soon; its new storefront MI Happy Place. Our clients are People in their 20’s-30’s who like to go out and enjoy social activities, all while wearing fashionable gear of course. Tee See Tee has a fully operational website that allows for 24 hour purchase of all available Tee See Tee wears. They stock their shirts in other clothing stores in Michigan, although most are in grand traverse county. The main objectives of the campaign is to develop brand recognition, increase website traffic and increase storefront traffic. Brand recognition will be accomplished by improving the current logo to something that would compliment the shirt theme, so that it could be easily incorporated into the designs.

This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week and this year's theme is stigma. The Stigma-Free initiative encourages us to educate others about mental illness, to see the person and not the diagnosis, and to take action on mental health. Despite all the initiatives to reduce stigma, it continues to discourage and shame many from getting help.

When most people hear the two words “mental illness”, a stigma comes to mind of human beings who are “stupid”, “retarded”, “hopeless”, and “incapable”. Society as a whole undermines the serious and harsh realities of hardships ones with mental health issues face each and everyday. Mental health awareness and advocacy has recently come more into focus, as celebrities such as Demi Lovato are using their voice to speak out and make an impact in our world. Demi inspires and advocates for those who are too ashamed and too scared to stand up for themselves. In November 2010 after an intervention by her family and friends, Demi Lovato checked herself into a treatment facility to receive support for her severe depression, bulimia, anorexia and cutting (Vena). Since she left the program in January 2011, she has been an extreme advocate in the fight for mental health awareness (MacKenzie). On September 4th 2014, the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) honored her for her actions, encouragements, and support efforts. She is one of the leaders in the movement, and is not backing down from the fight. With her influential status, Demi Lovato spoke at the NAMI National Convention in support to effectively decrease the stigma of mental illness by education and providing awareness to implement a much-needed change in our world.

Have you ever felt so mentally exhausted to the point where you feel like you need a break from the world? If so, then you probably need a mental health day. A mental health day is a day that you take off in order to de-stress. One example is an anecdote from Annie Reneau. She tells the story of how she took a mental health day in high school. She says, “I usually walked the ½ mile trek to school, but one day during my sophomore year, I asked my dad to drive me. I had been up late studying for a test that I did not feel prepared for, and I did not think I’d make it to school on time if I walked. As my dad drove me to school, I could feel it welling up inside – the pressure, the overwhelm, the exhaustion. I looked out the window and tried to pull it together, but my dad could sense something was wrong. He asked if I was okay, and the dam broke. “I think I need a mental health day,” I squeaked, as the tears started to fall. My dad did the best thing he could have in this moment – he immediately turned the car around… I exhaled, the weight of my young world slipping off my shoulders (scarymommy.com).” Annie missed school for a personal day, yet she will receive an unexcused absence. Society does not support the fact that mental health is just as important as physical health, and the adolescent brain is very sensitive (Chris Iliades, everydayhealth.com). The developing brain can easily be damaged by stress that leads to mental illness (Chris Iliades, everydayhealth.com).