Meantal Health Illness

Mental health illness is often created and diagnosed from the subjective judgment of mental health professionals. Often times, diagnosis consists of undesirable traits perceived by the dominant society as a problem. Society creates beliefs and dictates social norms in order to instilling social order. Moreover, marginalized groups that are often disenfranchised are often diagnosed and labeled with mental illnesses, because of the inability to become resilient and successful from impoverished conditions. Delgado and Stefancic (2001) describe Intersectionality as multiple identities that oppress individuals that feature undesirable traits depicted in society. As a result, many people of color, features of disability and women may be diagnosed with mental health disorders due to multiple stressors in society. Hence, marginalized groups that are perceived as less desirable are likely to be diagnosed with mental health illnesses, because of their status and position in society. The mental health stigma is a form of social control, as mental health diagnosis is labeled from the dominant society’s beliefs and ideas. Furthermore, mental health diagnosis causes stigmas, and produces the inability for people to become resilient from the labels that have been created by the dominant society. Herein, many of these mental health traits are socially constructed in order to instill social control to disenfranchised groups. As a result, the placement of people in asylums and mental health diagnosis are attributed to socio-economic perspective due to social control.
The creation of asylums and mental health diagnosis became popular during the 1800s during the industrial revolution. During this period, many businessmen became wealthy from being ab...

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...opic medication. Moreover, the medical model is dictated by pharmaceutical corporations that want to increase profits by selling psychotropic medication. Hence, social workers must advocate for participants by being reluctant in using the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, and concentrating on the well-being of their clients.

References
Arben, P. (1996). Are Mental Illnesses Biological Diseases? Some Public Policy Implications. Health and Social Work, 21, 66-69.
Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2001). Critical Race Theory: an introduction. New York: New York University Press.
Kirk, S., & Kutchins, H. (1988). Deliberate Misdiagnosis in Mental Health Practice. The Social Service Review, 62(2), 225-237.
McInnes, S. (2001). The Political is Personal, or, Why Have a Revolution (from within or without) When You Can Have Soma?. Feminist Review, 68, 160-166.