fig.4 Words Matter Image n.d. giving.harthop.org Web. 30 April 2014
Discrimination Among the Mentally Ill
Brandon Hawley
In the world today we see many people with mental illnesses. We may not notice but some of them are being ridiculed or picked on and put down. They are made to feel inadequate and different. I believe everyone is created equal no matter what we see on the outside. People with mental illnesses are no different.
Mental illness is common in the U.S., one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives, and around one in ten children will experience a mental health problem. Most people who experience mental health problems fully recover, and are able to manage and live with them, especially if they get the right help early on. But even though so many people are affected, there is a strong social stigma and much discrimination in all aspects of their lives. This stigma or discrimination that they experience can cause many people's problems to become worse, they can get this from family, friends and employers. Approximately nine out of ten people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination have a negative effect on their lives.This occurs because society over all has stereotyped opinions about mental illness and how it affects people. Numerous people believe that individuals with a mental illness are violent and dangerous, then again they are more than likely at risk of harming themselves than harming other people. Stigma and discrimination can also make someone's mental health problems worse off and delay them from getting the help and treatment that they deserve. Social segregation, poor housing, unemployment and poverty are all related to mental illness. Stigma and discrimination can trap people in a cycle of illness. The media can also make tie situation much worse. Media reports often link mental illness with violence, or portray people with mental health problems as dangerous, criminal, or unable to live normal, fulfilled lives.
There is discrimination in the healthcare field as well. Most of this is prominent in the primary care facilities. this occurs when the practitioners lack the time, means and/or inclination to label these as mental health problems. people with certain mental disorders are often less welcomed for treatment by psychiatric staff, particularly people with a diagnosis of personality disorder (Department of Health 2003). Illogically, although individuals using this service with such a diagnosis claim to be for the most part rejected by the healthcare staff, there has been little research into this potential stigma. The few studies that have been conducted suggest that the staff perceives people with this diagnosis to be difficult, less deserving of care, controlling, attention seeking, aggravating and in control of their suicidal urges. The diagnosis is therefore interpreted by some mental health staff as judgmental. Individuals using this service have also reported that some practitioners are even more often stigmatizing than psychiatrists in reacting unsympathetically to people with mental illnesses.
Stereotypes are also a type of prejudice. Stereotypes make people easier to dismiss, and in doing so, the stigmatizer maintains social distance. The media also spreads stigma by giving the public narrow minded stories based around the stereotypes. Some of the stereotypes used against these people are maniac, tolerant, lewd, pathetic sad characters, dishonest, and hiding behind psychobabble. A negative attitude towards a person with a mental illness can start as early as preschool and can continue into early adulthood. Some of the factors that influence the stigmatizers are assumptions about the individual's disorder, the appearance of the individual, and the behavior of the individual.
There are a few levels of interventions that an individual can take. The starting point far all these groups is education. There are several articles, journals, and web sites the individual can access. Mental health professionals need to start teaching psych education in a full participation program in a public setting instead of just teaching it in an isolated setting (in the clinic). Each mediation should convince the individuals in the group to importance of challenging stereotypes in themselves and others, and continue the fight to undo the nature of the prejudice. Since the stigmatizers are unlikely to volunteer to attend these educational programs they don't always work like they should. Subsequently stigma is such a personal ordeal patients are unlikely to address the problem directly to the medical staff. Due to this being an issue psychiatrists should also address stigma as a separate subject in its own right. The psychiatrists should ask about the nature and severity of the discrimination and include that into their treatment plan. The next step in the education process is to convert the individual from patient to advocate. There are several different kinds of advocacy such as self-help, peer-group, legal, career, and citizen. (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1999) Joining a support group has the danger of a "them and us" situation to arise. But if the group includes contacts with, friends, partners and families, along with community groups, and even mental health professionals, then it can be a valuable experience. It is difficult to predict the progress over time of the anti-stigma initiatives. Regardless of the means, the end point is to promote social acceptance and reduce discrimination.
After considering all these facts its safe to say that even now, today there is way to much discrimination going on towards the mentally ill. So lets educate ourselves and our peers on how stigma and discrimination can really affect the lives of the mentally ill.
Brandon Hawley
In the world today we see many people with mental illnesses. We may not notice but some of them are being ridiculed or picked on and put down. They are made to feel inadequate and different. I believe everyone is created equal no matter what we see on the outside. People with mental illnesses are no different.
Mental illness is common in the U.S., one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives, and around one in ten children will experience a mental health problem. Most people who experience mental health problems fully recover, and are able to manage and live with them, especially if they get the right help early on. But even though so many people are affected, there is a strong social stigma and much discrimination in all aspects of their lives. This stigma or discrimination that they experience can cause many people's problems to become worse, they can get this from family, friends and employers. Approximately nine out of ten people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination have a negative effect on their lives.This occurs because society over all has stereotyped opinions about mental illness and how it affects people. Numerous people believe that individuals with a mental illness are violent and dangerous, then again they are more than likely at risk of harming themselves than harming other people. Stigma and discrimination can also make someone's mental health problems worse off and delay them from getting the help and treatment that they deserve. Social segregation, poor housing, unemployment and poverty are all related to mental illness. Stigma and discrimination can trap people in a cycle of illness. The media can also make tie situation much worse. Media reports often link mental illness with violence, or portray people with mental health problems as dangerous, criminal, or unable to live normal, fulfilled lives.
There is discrimination in the healthcare field as well. Most of this is prominent in the primary care facilities. this occurs when the practitioners lack the time, means and/or inclination to label these as mental health problems. people with certain mental disorders are often less welcomed for treatment by psychiatric staff, particularly people with a diagnosis of personality disorder (Department of Health 2003). Illogically, although individuals using this service with such a diagnosis claim to be for the most part rejected by the healthcare staff, there has been little research into this potential stigma. The few studies that have been conducted suggest that the staff perceives people with this diagnosis to be difficult, less deserving of care, controlling, attention seeking, aggravating and in control of their suicidal urges. The diagnosis is therefore interpreted by some mental health staff as judgmental. Individuals using this service have also reported that some practitioners are even more often stigmatizing than psychiatrists in reacting unsympathetically to people with mental illnesses.
Stereotypes are also a type of prejudice. Stereotypes make people easier to dismiss, and in doing so, the stigmatizer maintains social distance. The media also spreads stigma by giving the public narrow minded stories based around the stereotypes. Some of the stereotypes used against these people are maniac, tolerant, lewd, pathetic sad characters, dishonest, and hiding behind psychobabble. A negative attitude towards a person with a mental illness can start as early as preschool and can continue into early adulthood. Some of the factors that influence the stigmatizers are assumptions about the individual's disorder, the appearance of the individual, and the behavior of the individual.
There are a few levels of interventions that an individual can take. The starting point far all these groups is education. There are several articles, journals, and web sites the individual can access. Mental health professionals need to start teaching psych education in a full participation program in a public setting instead of just teaching it in an isolated setting (in the clinic). Each mediation should convince the individuals in the group to importance of challenging stereotypes in themselves and others, and continue the fight to undo the nature of the prejudice. Since the stigmatizers are unlikely to volunteer to attend these educational programs they don't always work like they should. Subsequently stigma is such a personal ordeal patients are unlikely to address the problem directly to the medical staff. Due to this being an issue psychiatrists should also address stigma as a separate subject in its own right. The psychiatrists should ask about the nature and severity of the discrimination and include that into their treatment plan. The next step in the education process is to convert the individual from patient to advocate. There are several different kinds of advocacy such as self-help, peer-group, legal, career, and citizen. (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1999) Joining a support group has the danger of a "them and us" situation to arise. But if the group includes contacts with, friends, partners and families, along with community groups, and even mental health professionals, then it can be a valuable experience. It is difficult to predict the progress over time of the anti-stigma initiatives. Regardless of the means, the end point is to promote social acceptance and reduce discrimination.
After considering all these facts its safe to say that even now, today there is way to much discrimination going on towards the mentally ill. So lets educate ourselves and our peers on how stigma and discrimination can really affect the lives of the mentally ill.
Works Cited
Stigma and Discrimination, http://www.mentalhealth.org web. 31 March 2014 Graham, Thornicroft, Diana Rose and Nisha Mehta. "Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness: What Can Psychiatrists Do?" Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 30 March 2014 Web. 31 March 2014 Byrne, Peter. "Stigma of Mental Illness and Ways of Diminishing It." Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. Jan 2000 Web 31 March 2014 |
BringChange2Mind Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness, Youtube Dec 18 2013 Web. 30 April 2014.
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