Mental Illnesses Essay

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Mental illness is a largely stigmatized issue in society. Some mental illnesses are so completely misunderstood that actual diagnoses are tossed at people who display minor signs of a few of the disease’s symptoms by people who are sorely unqualified to diagnose anyone in the first place. An entire slew of words and stereotypes have been engrained to the unconscious minds of many people which in turns tarnishes the general depiction of people who suffer from mental illnesses. Topics associated with mental health stigma and the process to reducing it, are self-stigma, the concept of social distance, the knowledge of possible recovery, and general awareness of the populace about mental illnesses as a whole. Social Distance Many people, as a …show more content…

Many people go undiagnosed or untreated due to fear of ridicule or stigma involved with seeking help. One of the most popular yet intensely dismissive phrases about mental illness is that it’s only in the head of the person claiming to be troubled with an illness. A campaign done by Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Canada addressed this by stating that, “It’s ironic that one of the phrases people use to dismiss a mental illness actually contains more insight than you might think… By deepening people’s understanding of the brain and the science behind mental illnesses, we hope to overcome the stigma and prejudice” that are so strongly associated with them (Jacob & Skinner, 2015, p. 7). This phrase is a bit interesting as it insinuates that problems based in the head (or mind or brain) or not of concern. If someone were to experience difficulty with their leg, they would most likely be told to go visit a doctor to check out this issue. It is rare that they would be told it was only in their leg and they should move on from it. The brain is one of, if not the, most important organ in the human body and stigma behind mental illnesses can stop people from trying to keep it healthy and properly

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