Essay On Mental Illness

The National Institute of Health or the NIH define mental illness as a health condition that changes a person’s thinking, feelings and/ or behavior. It is normal for a person with mental illness to have difficulties functioning. Some may experience severe symptoms, while others only have a mild condition leaving them to appear and act normal. Mental illness can appear in various forms such as schizophrenia, obsessive- compulsive disorder, autism depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which in recent years became a popular diagnosis amongst kids. A person with ADHD will display symptoms such as being disorganized, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt. While someone with schizophrenia may have false beliefs such which includes theories such as conspiracies, mind control or persecution (NIH, 2013).

According to Woodside & McClam (2013) before all these new scientific discovery people used to believe that mental illness was caused by evil spirits. As a result of lack of research/knowledge, barbaric methods were used to treat the mentally ill. One form of early treatment was trephining the skull, which involves using a crude saw to remove circular disks of bones. It was believed that a hole in the head would allow the evil spirits to escape. Exorcizing evil spirits through religious rites was another method that was utilize as treatment. Other forms of treatment included chaining, beating, starving and bleeding the human host. During this era there were very few people who believed in the scientific approach to treat symptoms of mental illness. One such person was Hippocrates, a physician who had different beliefs from those who were utilizing barbaric treatment methods. It was his belief that prob...

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... are homeless and are without jobs. Therefore in addition to treatment they also need basic items such as shelter food and clothing. This is where the human service personnel come in as they would be the ones to ensure that community base care is being provided. So far community base treatment seems to be working as there are not many mentally ill patients floating around the community helplessly. The only thing I see happening is many are still being arrested and given prison time instead of being institutionalized. However the government does recognized this and has provided continued treatment while the mentally ill is incarcerated. This also include them working with case workers in prison to ensure successful integration into society upon being released. Overall it is my opinion that the government has a good system in place to care for the mentally ill.