The 's Infamous Dead Dutchman

From there, the article talks about how mental illness is a global problem and how societies all over the world see it as a burden. Because of this, mental illnesses have become a chronic disease, especially in the United States; this because nothing is being done to help those affected. The article has a focus on creating strategies to help resolve or improve the problems there are with mental illness. The author looks at past resolutions and asks people who are actually going through this themselves in order to better understand what society can do to help alleviate some of the pain and

Mental health is essential to overall health as well as efficiency. It is the foundation for thriving contributions to family, district, and culture. All through the lifespan, mental health is the source of thoughts and communication skills, knowledge, pliability, and self-esteem. It is all too easy to dismiss the worth of mental health until troubles emerges (Brager, G. & Holloway, S., 1978). Mental health troubles and illnesses are factual and disabling conditions that are experienced by one in five Americans. Those who do not get treatment, mental illnesses can consequence in disability and desolation for families, schools, societies, and the workplace.

Many of those with mental illnesses, disabilities and disorders are met with stigma and excluded from society and lack basic human rights such as food, clothing and shelter. A significant number are also denied rights to vote, marry and have children and discriminated against within the workplace, education and housing. As a result, people with mental illnesses are a vulnerable group and are generally forced into situations of poverty from the lack of treatment or extreme discrimination. In turn, people are forced into situations where they are not able to access the mental care they require in order to cope with their situation and thus, perpetuating a vicious cycle.

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.

Mental illness is nondiscriminatory, can affect any person and transcends all social boundaries. As a result, the issues surrounding mental illness have become common discussion pints among policymakers dedicated or required to formulate solutions around providing the long-term care needed by many patients. Healthcare reforms and changes to the systems that provide services to those living with mental illness and funding for services to the facilities providing care have become major social issues (Goldman, Morrissey, Ridgley, Frank, Newman, & Kennedy, 1992). The reason for this is primarily how it can affect a market economy and how much of a burden diseases of the mind can be in a country such as the United States. According to the 1991 Global Burden of Disease study conducted by the World Health Organization mental health burden accounted for “more than 15% in a market economy such as the U.S.” (The Impact of Mental Illness on Society, 2001). The study also states that for individuals over the age of 5, varying forms of depression are the leading cause of disability. A more recent study indicates that mental illness in general is found in more than 26% of the United States adult population, of which 6% are severe and limit the patient’s ability to function (Martin, p. 163. 2007).

As proclaimed by The National Coalition for the Homeless, “Serious mental illnesses disrupt people’s ability to carry out essential aspects of daily life, such as self-care and household management.” Those suffering from mental illnesses are prevented from properly carrying out the intrinsic skills of livelihood. A mental illness may prevent one from possessing the ability to get a job, eat, earning wherewithal, and perform the multitudinous imperative skills entailed for survival. The preventions of mental illness undeniably can cause one to become

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

Mental health disorders are a problem not only American’s face. It is a worldwide problem that today we still are unclear of what causes these disorders. “Mental health can be defined as a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well being” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2016). Mental health disorder can affect children all the way to the elderly. Stigma and discrimination can add to the suffering for mental health patients. It often leads to potential clients turn away and never find help because of the labels people put on

Mental health has been a recurring topic in present society and it is a very large section of health care in general. Health can be termed as an absence of disease, but it really is much more than that and should encompass every facet of the human, mind and body. The WHO defines mental health as a state of well-being in which an individual can function properly and productively, cope with life stressors, and contribute to community. Mental health is dependent on many factors, mainly social, biological, and psychological (WHO). A mental disorder is a condition of alterations

“40 percent of countries have no mental health policy” (Nullis). Ghana and other third world countries do not have the financial means to care for those with mental disabilities. This is due to the fact that they do not understand the seriousness behind these disorders, and see it as less of an epidemic then it truly is. Clare Nullis reported that “two thirds of countries spent 1 percent or less of their health budget on mental health, and half had only one psychiatrist per 100,000 people.” For most of these countries they either cannot afford to spend their budgets on taking care of the mentally challenged, or they do not understand how serious the problem actually is, and feel that their finances are better spent elsewhere. Mentally ill people all over the world are not being seen as human beings, who still possess the same rights and protections as everyone

Mental illness refers to all diagnosable mental disorders defined as “health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.” (Williams & Torrens, 2008, p. 221) With one in every five American adults experiencing mental illness, the resulting economic burden exceeds $300 billion per year to include approximately $100 billion in direct health care expenditures, $24 billion in disability benefits, and $193 billion in lost earnings. (Insel, 2008) This estimate is conservative as it excludes the components of incarceration, homelessness, comorbid conditions, early mortality and the incalculable costs to families that absorb much of the financial and emotional burdens of these illnesses. Despite the fact mental illness contributes over 6% to the nation’s health care spending; the United States (U.S.) mental health system has historically lacked integration with physical medicine and public policy support. (Insel, 2008)

Mental illness comprises a wide range of disorders and varies in its severity. The effect of mental illness can be severe on the individuals and families concerned and its influence is far-reaching for society as a whole. Social problems commonly associated with mental illness include poverty, unemployment or reduced productivity and homelessness. Those with mental illness often experience problems such as isolation, discrimination and stigma.

When people are mentally ill, they suffer social stigma, have higher health costs, and are at an increased risk of becoming poor. Every one out of five Americans is diagnosed with a mental illness. That 20 percent of the population can negatively influence the normal stresses of life, working productively and fruitfully, and being able to make a contribution the community. When humankind as a whole cannot recognize that mental illness is a serious issue, there is more harm being done than good. Any kind of mental illness can be caused merely by society, but also can worsen due to humanity not understanding how injustice can make a serious impact. The mental health problems that people face can be limited to society learning about the injustice of these illnesses.

The treatment and prevention of mental illness can be difficult, and as with physical illness, no case or result is the same for everyone. Treatment varies for each illness, as well as for individual client needs and level of severity. With the numerous choices of treatment available today, people around the world have a greater chance at not only preventing or decreasing mental illness, but also the opportunity to enhance their mental health through the public health model of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.

Liberia, a country with 3.5 million population has only one mental specialist, Dr. Benjamin Harris and one psychiatrist hospital, E.S. Grant Hospital, which is not even a public hospital. It is practically nonexistent because of little or no support: wreck facility, lack of more psychiatrists and outpatient service dysfunctional. This is a gross disproportion to the increasing mental health related illnesses budding in a country where citizens suffered 14 years of civil war with increasing post war traumatic mental health problems.