More handpicked essays just for you.
Essays on the impact of mental health
Essays on the impact of mental health
Essay on mental health awareness
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Since the late nineteenth century, there has been an increasing interest in the study of psychology. In recent years, in the field of psychology, researchers and other professionals have been seen to have a specific interest in the mental health of adolescents. Studies done by these researchers over the past century have proven a steady increment of diagnosable and treatable mental illnesses in young adults and children. There has been much speculation as to why this number has seen such a dramatic rise over the past century; studies have linked it with many issues facing contemporary society including the excessive use of technology and pressures to excel and be perfect in all areas of life, especially in school and one’s physical appearance. …show more content…
In the released research, the National Alliance on Mental Illness told the public that, “1 in 5 children ages 13-18 have, or will have, a serious mental illness” (Source A). This proven fact, along with the other statistics provided, emphasize the rapidly growing issue of the large number of untreated and treated mental illnesses in adolescents. New processes and technologies have made the screening process easier; however, it is still not available to everyone who needs it. The cost of the technology is not the primary concern of those who are discouraging the allowance of making screening processes available at schools; their concern is that once a mental illness is detected many believe the schools, who have the ability to screen, must also have the resources available to service every uncovered mental health issue and many facilities do not have the funds to even allow for screening or can barely afford the screening processes (Source D). Experts say, in concern to the rising number of reported violence in schools, that these issues may be related to the amount of students who struggle with untreated or undiagnosed mental illness; in light of this, schools are working to find “the best way to offer mental health services in a …show more content…
It is unknown to many that mental health issues can be “caused by biology, environment, or a mix of both,” and that, “ at least one in ten—as many as six million young people—may have a ‘serious emotional disturbance’” (Source C). There is very little education for the general public, especially for young people, which leads to inaccurate self diagnosis. Even until recently, it was a common belief that children and adolescents could not suffer from major depression, but experts have proved that depression disorders and other mood disorders can affect any one of any age, and now, especially, it is “being recognized more and more in young people” (Source C). Once again, this augmentation of cases being seen and treated among adolescents is disquieting, and it should be encouraging people to try to solve and help those who suffer from mental
Mental illness plagues one out of four American citizens. Mental illness varies greatly from person to person. The spectrum of mental illness includes many illnesses including, depression and anxiety as well as some more serious illnesses such as Down syndrome. All mental illness plays a role in how this person is going to function in society. These individuals have unique needs and individual strengths that need evaluated for proper care.
Lewinsohn, P.M., Hops, H., Roberts, R.E., Seeley, J.R. & Andrews, J.A. (1993). Adolescent psychopathology: I. Prevalence and incident of depression and other dsm-iii-r disorders in high school students. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 102(1), 133-144.
In the 1800’s people with mental illnesses were frowned upon and weren't treated like human beings. Mental illnesses were claimed to be “demonic possessions” people with mental illnesses were thrown into jail cells, chained to their beds,used for entertainment and even killed. Some were even slaves, they were starved and forced to work in cold or extremely hot weather with chains on their feet.
...will have a very easy time of teaching students. Less time will be used by the teachers to issue punishment threats to the student. Studies have shown that students who attend mental health programs for a period of at least one year will have increased attendance rates in schools and have better grades in their exams. If the mental health care is introduced in schools, then the rates of violent incidents in school will decrease by about 15 percent.
Patel, V., Flisher, A. J., Hetrick, S., & McGorry, P. (2007). Mental health of young people: a
In the 1840’s, the United States started to build public insane asylums instead of placing the insane in almshouses or jail. Before this, asylums were maintained mostly by religious factions whose main goal was to purify the patient (Hartford 1). By the 1870’s, the conditions of these public insane asylums were very unhealthy due to a lack of funding. The actions of Elizabeth J. Cochrane (pen name Nellie Bly), during her book “Ten Days in a Mad-House,” significantly heightened the conditions of these mental asylums during the late 1800s.
In the 1950’s, it was common so see people with frightened, uneasy, rejecting, and even arrogant attitudes towards people with mental illnesses. They considered those who were mentally ill as psychotic, violent and frightening. In the today, people are more accepting and understanding when it comes to mental illness, but some people are still ignorant with their responses, just like back then. In the 1950’s mental health treatment was typically provided in large state hospitals and other intuitions. Back then, topics like mental health were kept hush hush; people much rather putting those who were mentally in away in a state facility where someone else could monitor them. Today, people are more understanding.
In the book, “Rampage”, it is discussed, because many kids who go through the school system are not known well enough to see the warning signs. No one wants their child to have this negative stigma that goes along with mental illness, so they blind themselves to what is there. Most parents make excuses for why their child is exhibiting behaviors of mental illness, and hope that it goes away. However, for some children it does not. And these are the children who slip through the cracks in the school system and go unnoticed by others.
The treatment of the mentally ill started back in the far past. In 400 BC, Hippocrates, who was a Greek physician, treated mental illness as diseases of disturbed physiology, and not displeasure of the Gods or demonic possession ("Timeline: Treatments for," ). Greek medical writers found treatments such as quiet, occupation, and the use of a drug called purgative hellebore ("Timeline: Treatments for,”). During these times, family members took care of the mentally ill ("Timeline: Treatments for,”). In the middle Ages, the Europeans let the mentally ill have their freedom, as long as they were not dangerous ("Timeline: Treatments for,”). The mentally ill were also seen as witches who were possessed by demons ("Timeline: Treatments for,”). In 1407, the first mental illness establishment was made in Valencia, Spain ("Timeline: Treatments for,”).
In the 1950s mental illness wasn’t as big of a deal is it is now. There wasn’t as many treatment options or institutions with good conditions. Mental ill people had a hard time with discrimination to where they would be in poverty and/or homeless. Most people looked at them like they were freaks. They feared them, rejected them, and thought they were very violent and dangerous. That was only because they were different and people didn’t know how to react to something they didn’t understand. That’s understandable though, but it still doesn’t seem right to treat someone like that just because they have problems they can’t control and never wanted. Mental illnesses were treated, approached and look at differently in the 1950s than they are nowadays.
Children are a crucial part of society. They participate in almost all aspects of a society whether it is in schools, community activities, or in the workforce. However, not all children develop the same skills and are granted the same opportunities as others because of a mental illness. Mental illnesses are as serious as physical illnesses and they negatively affect a child’s life. There are a variety of mental illnesses children may have with different levels of severity; mental illnesses hinder childhood development, and they affect a child’s social and home life.
In present day America the way mental health is handled is very different from the treatment of mental health in the 1990’s. Today the mentally ill have effective medication and therapy. Back in the 1990’s treating mental health was very new. Unlike today before the 1900’s most of the mentally ill were in prisons. Around the 1950 the United States Government invested in making a safe haven for mentally ill patients where they could be protected and could be medically help. Sadly this took a turn for the worse. Mental hospitals soon became the quite opposite of what it was once hoped to be. The rise and fall of mental asylums changed mental health in America forever.
Teenage Depression. Everywhere you look these two words appear together as one, in newspapers and magazines, as well as in scholarly reports. Teenage depression is one of today's "hot topics" this among other teenage mental health problems, has been brought to the forefront of public consciousness in recent years after several incidents involving school shootings (CQ 595). The environment that teens grow up in today is less supportive and more demanding than it was twenty years ago. Not only are the numbers of depressed teens rising, but children are also being diagnosed at younger and younger ages. Studies have found that, "There is an estimated 1.5-3 million American children and adolescents who suffer from depression, a condition unrecognized in children until about 20 years ago" (CQR 595). This increase in depression is due to social factors that teenagers have to deal with everyday. A recent study found that, "About five percent of teenagers have major depression at any one time. Depression can be very impairing, not only for the affected teen, but also for his or her family-and too often, if not addressed, depression can lead to substance abuse or more tragic events" (NAMI.org). Gender roles and other societal factors including the pressures on girls to look and act a certain way, the pressures on boys to suppress their emotions and put on a tough front and the pressures on both sexes to do well in school and succeed, all contribute to depression in teens today. Depression is a growing problem which crosses gender lines and one that needs to be dealt with with more than just medication.
The media may have started a battle against the taboo with stars admitting to problems, in most schools in America silence wrings through the halls about mental health. School should be the first place to start informing students that they could be at risk of a serious problem that could affect them the rest of their life. Research done by the University Mental Health Advisers Network showed that ‘half of all lifetime mental disorders start by the mid-teens and three quarters by the mid 20s” (Time). Avoiding mental health and not informing students of the possibility only puts them at a disadvantage for the rest of their lives. Furthermore, phrases that stigmatize mental health are commonly used, but no one realizes the effect they have on people suffering from problems. A survey of 546 teachers concluded that “88% of teachers and 96% of teaching assistants had heard pupils using phrases which stigmatise mental health in school”(Barber). Always hearing those phrases puts students suffering in a mindset that their pro...
History shows that signs of mental illness and abnormal behavior have been documented as far back as the early Greeks however, it was not viewed the same as it is today. The mentally ill were previously referred to as mad, insane, lunatics, or maniacs. W.B. Maher and B.A. Maher (1985) note how many of the terms use had roots in old English words that meant emotionally deranged, hurt, unhealthy, or diseased. Although early explanations were not accurate, the characteristics of the mentally ill have remained the same and these characteristics are used to diagnose disorders to date. Cultural norms have always been used to assess and define abnormal behavior. Currently, we have a decent understanding of the correlates and influences of mental illness. Although we do not have complete knowledge, psychopathologists have better resources, technology, and overall research skills than those in ancient times.