Mental Health And The Stigma Of Mental Illness - 3249 Words

Confronting Stigma Related to Mental Illness This paper is an analysis of mental health and the stigma that is associated with mental illness. The reputation accompanying mental illness causes detrimental effects on those with a psychiatric disorder, such as discrimination, poor health outcomes and social suffering. This is partly due to a lack of public education on the matter, along with attributions of violence related to mental illness caused by news reports. A multi-faceted campaign to increase the public’s knowledge about mental health is critical to assuage the negative attachments affiliated with mental illness. Mental health, by the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, is â€Å"a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his/her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his/her community† (â€Å"Mental health: a state of well-being,† 2014, Aug.) Mental illness is a medical condition caused by biological changes in the brain. Symptoms of a mental illness can include a change in a person’s thinking, altered mood or feelings, an incapability to relate to others, or having difficulty coping with ordinary demands of life (â€Å"Mental illness: What is mental illness?† 2014). A person’s mental illness is considered serious (as defined as federal regulations), when a person who is eighteen years or older has any psychiatric disorder, and the symptoms markedly hinder a person’sShow MoreRelatedMental Illness And Mental Health Stigma1253 Words   |  6 PagesManic-depression illness or what is now referred to as Bipolar disease is not created overnight. It is a form of chemical imbalance that causes one to display both manic and hypomanic behaviors. It is a serious illness that affects all aspects of ones life. The omnipresence of mental illness is increasing in our time era. Our society’s mental health stigma is the basis for why countless of people do not receive the needed help, even as their lives begin to crumble. The prejudice faults placed onRead MoreStigma Of Mental Health Illness Essay2033 Words   |  9 Pagests our study of the stigma related to mental health illness. There is a lack of research investigating the portrayal of psychologists, those affected by mental illness and issues of mental health; this lack of research prevents any interventions from being made to protect those at risk. â€Å"With the continued portrayals of therapy in the media, it is important to consider how these images may affect attitu des and beliefs that can contribute to help seeking behavior†. (Maier, et al., 2013, p.1). AlthoughRead MoreMental Illness : The Stigma Against Mental Health2273 Words   |  10 Pagescontributors 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 fiftyRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness1602 Words   |  7 Pagescenturies 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 He alth. Shortly after this, in 1949, the National Institute of Mental Health was established (â€Å"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 ofRead MoreReducing Mental Health Stigmas1195 Words   |  5 PagesReducing Mental Health Stigmas According to the National Alliance of Mental Health, 1 in 5 adults in the United States of America experience mental illness in a given year (NAMI, 2017). Out of those adults, not all will seek out mental health services. If there are services in the community being offered, why are the services not utilized more often by these individuals? There may be many barriers that preventRead MoreA Proposal For Anti Stigma Training Program861 Words   |  4 PagesHealth care providers, in general are viewed as trustworthy and non-judgmental individuals who care for others with sickness and in health. On the contrary, individuals with mental illness have different experiences with health care providers. One article reported that these individuals feel incompetent and unworthy to be cared for after their clinical visit. These psychological factors may prevent patients to seek future care until they are in crisis. In addition, health care providers’ negativeRead MoreThe Stigma of Menta l Illness1656 Words   |  7 Pagesdiagnosis might exacerbate the stigma of mental illness. In Corrigan’s study clinical diagnosis adds groupness for the collection of people with mental illness which worsens the level of prejudice (Corrigan 34). Corrigan states that this ultimately leads to overgeneralization, as there is an assumption that all individuals diagnosed with the same mental disorders behave the same way (Corrigan 34). According to Corrigan the stereotypic description of mental illness perceives to the public that, peopleRead MoreMental Illness And Its Stigma1363 Words   |  6 PagesMental Illness and Its Stigma â€Å"One in five adults in America experience mental illness,† (Mental Health, n.d., para 1). Many people define mental illness as a characteristic that makes one irrational or delusional and derives a belief that those who have mental disorders are not suffering from a real disease, resulting in a negative view of those who suffer. There are three ways to defy this stigma that everyone, from media producers to the sufferers themselves, must participate in to break downRead MoreAlicia Kate O. Borja. English 27 A. Andre Dominic Peralta.1260 Words   |  6 PagesAlicia Kate O. Borja English 27 A Andre Dominic Peralta Reducing Stigma in Mental Health Conditions Background on Mental Health Mental Health is often used as a representation of mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and others. According to the World Health Organization (2016), mental health is a state of well-being wherein an individual has the capacity to realize his or her own potential, can manage with the normal stresses of life, can work efficientlyRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Health Care Essay1711 Words   |  7 PagesMental health issues have been an ongoing hot topic in this country for over a century. Though many strides have been made to increase awareness and lessen the stigma, there continues to be a barrier to mental health care, especially for our nations’ youth and young adults. I will be discussing the history behind mental health care, current policies regarding it, how the presence of stigma reduces the likelihood that youth and young adults are receiving the adequate mental health care they require