The Effects Of Poverty On The Development Of Emotional Problems Essay

A key factor to understanding how poverty exists is to understand what it does to the victim’s brain. The conditions that come with living in poverty such as overcrowding and exposure to violence can affect a developing brain negatively in the same way drugs or alcohol does. The stress that comes with living in poverty during childhood has over time led people into depression and certain forms of addiction in their adulthood. According to Ostrander, “poverty perpetuates poverty, generation after generation, by acting on the brain.” The maternal stress response system is a very crucial thing to the development of a child’s brain and may crumble under pressure, releasing certain hormones that affect its development. While some children are able to

Poverty, a common problem in the US and yet, something that people consistently overlook. We are often unaware of the magnitude of poverty in the U.S and sometimes even disregard it. People living in destitution are at greater risk for behavioral and mental problems. Children or Teens who live in poverty are prone to poor academic achievements, become school dropouts , or grow subject to abuse or neglect. People in poverty also occasionally show signs of anxiety and depression.

Poverty is one of the most devastating realities of life. Those who live in poverty experience poor living conditions, worse health care, worse education, homelessness, low wages, lack of opportunity, and lower self-esteem. Poverty generally occurs mostly in children or young adults, minorities, and women more than any other age group, race/ ethnicity, and gender. Ultimately, poverty is more common in certain social categories such as race, gender, age, and ethnicity and will factor into whether an individual is more likely to be

These disproportions can occur by geographical region, gender, socioeconomic status, racial or ethnic background and sexual orientation (Ngui, Khasakala, Ndetei, & Roberts, 2010). All populations suffer from an inadequate system, but the prevalence of unmet mental health needs is especially high among children and youths. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (1999, pg. 124), “In the USA, 1 in 5 children suffers from a mental disorder, with 1 in 10 affected by a serious mental or emotional disorder.” However, less than a quarter of these children receive the care they need. Additionally, across the world, individuals living in poverty are at a higher risk of developing mental disorders compared to others. Poverty can be viewed as both a ‘determinant and a consequence of poor mental health’ (Ngui, Khasakala, Ndetei, & Roberts, 2010). Individuals with mental disorders are more prone to living in poverty, in part due to their inability to properly function and/or obtain and sustain employment. On the other hand, living in poverty has been known to increase the likelihood of developing mental

The vulnerable population of low income clients encompasses a large range of people who encounter special challenges other than just their income that contributes to the stratification of their vulnerability. Low-income families have “stressful social disorganization” as a normative reality of life, often needing additional support services in order to survive. The low-income population is normally represented by poverty, destitution, and unemployment. Many in this classification have not finished high school; do not have or seek proper medical care; they do not have affordable housing and insufficient food, decent clothing, poor parenting skills, unemployment, and they do not have any trade skills to acquire

As discussed previously women tend to have lower incomes then men this leads to higher levels of poverty in women. In the U.S 56% of people living in poverty are women, globally that percentage jumps to 70%. Not surprisingly women responsible for children are the largest group of people living in poverty. The combination of financial insecurity, heavy workloads with minimal pay and the emotional responsibility of caring for children can exact a heavy toll on women’s emotional health. Poverty also has an effect on a women’s physical health. Adverse health outcomes are two times higher amongst people in disadvantaged social position compared to those in advantaged social position. With a lack of access to proper housing and nutrition many women living in poverty experience distressing medical conditions and have no access to proper medical care. These issues can lead to adverse effects on mental health and psychological disorders (Astbury,

When analyzing children growing up in poverty a lot of factors come into play such as their physical, psychological and emotional development. To grow up in poverty can have long term effect on a child. What should be emphasized in analyzing the effects of poverty on children is how it has caused many children around the world to suffer from physical disorders, malnutrition, and even diminishes their capacities to function in society. Poverty has played a major role in the functioning of families and the level of social and emotional competency that children are able to reach. Children in poverty stricken families are exposed to greater and emotional risks and stress level factors. They are even capable of understanding and dealing with

Again, just living in poverty areas increases health issues and mortality due to health issues. Children raised in poverty in substandard homes located in high-crime areas have an increased chance of cognitive deficiencies, depression, or some other mental disorder (Anakwenze & Zuberi, 2013, p. 149). The children are the future; with this being said, an ugly cycle of poverty continues to be reinforced with each generation. Breaking the cycle with community outreach programs, increased mental health awareness, increased employment, and increased educational benefits for those in need are a few things that could potential help. As the old saying goes, “Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime” (Author unknown). Unfortunately, there is no right or easy answer for poverty but, I believe education is the key.

The impact that the social-structural position has towards health are clearly evident, and has been a problem for generations. The fundamental towards this is that those individuals of high social economical classes are less likely to face illnesses then those of lower social economical classes. Throughout this essay, I will discuses how poorer individuals are more likely to face extreme amounts of stress, and how this stress is directly related to poor health and several health issues. Throughout the article, Five Ways Poverty Hurts Mental Health, by Toni Paz (2018), he discusses the several ways that poverty and health are correlated.

This paper will explain how poverty and mental illness go hand in hand. Mental illness seems to be a cause and effect situation. Sometimes mental illness causes poverty and other poverty causes the mental illness. This paper will also give possible solutions for the problem.

One common cause of depression that can be found no matter where you are in the world is poverty. In “What’s Behind the Gender Gap in Depression”, reporter Gretchen Cuda looks at how major depression is developed in both sexes, focusing mainly on women and their day-to-day struggles with the illness. “Being poor brings many types of stress, not the least of which is a feeling of loss of control over your life. That, in turn, can lead to negativity, passivity and lack of self-esteem--- and all those feelings increase the risk of depression.” (Cuda). Although Cuda focuses her report on women and depression, poverty is a factor that can lead to depression no matter what gender. The importance of financial stability and the stress that comes with worrying about money can take a toll on one’s physical as well as psychological health. Certain situations can occur in either gender but what occurs in the mind as well as methods of coping are what make the risk of depression differ for males and females.

Currently, there is a broad consensus that a negative correlation exists between socioeconomic status and mental illness in adolescents. By establishing the specific socioeconomic factors that induce mental illnesses in youth, disorders can be predicted early on. Many experts believe that wealthy children are likelier to develop mental health problems as they feel pressure to succeed or are isolated by their parents (Luthar 2003). However, it has been proven that poorer adolescents are more likely to develop mental illnesses than wealthier adolescents are. A negatively perceived social status, low parental education and income, and lack of social mobility have been proven as important socioeconomic causes of mental illnesses in adolescents.

Poverty can destroy someone's life. People struggle to acquire and keep access to food, water, homes, and basic necessities. But what are the consequences of poverty other than economical. In this essay I will show that poverty can and does have negative impacts on mental health, people’s social interactions, and their physical health. People in poverty don’t just lose their money, they can also lose quality and life. In this essay, I will focus on the social, mental, and physical tolls that poverty has on people. I want to look at the changes and impacts they cause, and I want to convince you, the reader, that these problems are caused by poverty and in turn affect it. By the end I would like you to recognize that these factors can come from poverty and take an affect on the lives of those in poverty.

Poverty can lead to serious effects. Children who grow up in poverty are likely to have frequent health problems than the children who grow in better financial circumstances. For example, infants who are born into poverty have a low birth weight, and they grow up with mental or physical disabilities. Not only are they sick, but they are most likely to die before their first birthday. Children who are raised in poverty might miss school often because of their illnesses, and they have a much higher accident rate than the other children. Nearly a billion of the world’s population can’t read nor write. Poor families experience stress much more than a normal family does. They are more likely to be exposed to negative events such as illness, job loss, death of a family member, and depression. Homelessness is another effect of poverty. Homeless children are less likely to receive proper nutrition, protection and they experience more health problems. Around 1.4 million children die each year from lack of access to safe and clean water and proper nutrition. Homeless women experience a high rate of low birth weight infants as well as miscarriages. Families who do not have homes receive much more stress than other families. They also have disruption in school, work, friendships, and family relationships. There are other effects of poverty such as drug abuse and addiction, child and woman abuse, debts pressure, and increase in crimes.

The health and well-being of a person depends on lots of different circumstances. It is about finding a good work / life balance and feeling healthy in body as well as mind. It is about feeling good in what you do and who you are as a person, it is about achieving personal goals and accomplishing your hopes and dreams.