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Cultural stigma mental health secondary essay
Essay on the history of treatment for mental health
Mental health stigmas in our society
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Psychiatry has been a science and study, of and for, the treatment of mental illness. Since the 1900s, a cultural and social stigma has solidified the fear of men and women who have been touched by the unpleasant management of the treatment of those with these illnesses. The way we teach the individuals how to cope with and care for the loved ones that have a mental illness, seems to have fallen short of the way we show those how to care for loved ones with diabetes or heart disease. The average person’s response when they are frightened by something in the twenty-first century is that all answers can now be found on the world wide web. Unfortunately, the web can be a source of misinformation, miscommunication, and all sorts of ludicrous opinions …show more content…
In the medical world, defining mental illness can be as equally diverse as an Olympic opening. Much negativity has gained in popularity and is not only directed towards the patient but also the psychiatrist and other mental health professionals who diagnose and then treat the many different issues that may come with these illnesses. How does one single issue bring together citizens, psychiatrists, and critics at a global level? And how does it tear them all apart, initiating verbal brawls over who is “right,” what is “real,” and if mental illness is not even real – is the stigma “all in our …show more content…
Nevertheless, by insisting “the business of psychiatry is control and coercion, not care and cure” or that it is “human activity governed by human interest” (Szasz 18-19), Szasz neglects to add to the solution. In turn, adding more confusion to the melting pot of stigma the public eye has to sort through while searching for answers. Furthermore, without physical proof of such acts of coercion or control by any person(s) or entity, Szasz is in turn, feeding careless propaganda to the public and the media as well as other professional and medical communities. In 1951, a humanistic psychologist by the name of Carl Rodgers, organized a few propositions that would later be a foundation in most cognitive therapies for the next few generations. Rodgers argues that: First, an organism has a basic striving to actualize, maintain, and enhance itself. Second, all persons are in the center of a continually changing world of experience (phenomenal field). Meaning the person’s perception of this field is his or her “reality.” Finally, as a result of interacting with the environment, the person develops a sense of self of self- concept, consisting of images and
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to diagnosing and treating various mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Although a well-known science, psychiatry and psychiatrists have often been ethically questioned on their “inhumane” methods, dating back to its origins in the 1700s. To the nurses, in varied psychiatric institutions, it was customary to employ the practices of confining, restraining and isolating people with mental problems. In “The Most Shocking Psychiatry Documentary Ever” (MSPDE) the barbaric practices that psychiatry has tried and developed over the years in blatantly revealed and validly proves the need for reconstructing assorted tactics used to cure mental patients around the world.
Mental illness describes a condition which causes serious disorder in a person’s behaviour or thinking. Stigma describes a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality or person. The media’s misrepresentation of mental illness has led to a rise in the glamorization and prejudice surrounding mental wellbeing, because popular retail stores have glamorized mental illness, people do not know how to react when they find out that someone close to them has been diagnosed or hospitalized due to a mental illness, and both entertainment and news media provide overwhelmingly dramatic and distorted images of mental illness that emphasize dangerousness, criminality and unpredictability.
Schizophrenia is a devastating and costly mental disorder that affects 1% of population worldwide. Patients manifest clusters of positive, negative and cognitive symptoms in early twenties and are often left with life-long severe mental disability and social stigma. Cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia are considered core symptoms of this disorder, and can manifest at the initial stage (Elvevåg and Goldberg, 2000). Atypical antipsychotics ameliorate positive symptoms but may only modestly improve cognitive symptoms (Richelson, 2010). In addition to this, some of the typical antipsychotics are even have deteriorative effects on cognitive symptoms (Heaton and Crowley 1981). To find the appropriate treatments for cognitive deficits of schizophrenia, it is important to know the underlying pathophysiology.
With admittance to Indiana University I would be apt to pursue a degree in Neuroscience. This degree plan would fully prepare me for focusing my attention on admittance to graduate school to become a Psychiatrist. With a degree from such a prestigious medical school I would possess the knowledge and experience necessary to achieve this aspiration.
Why is there a cloud of judgment and misunderstanding still surrounding the subject? People with a mental disorder or with a history of mental health issues are continually ostracized by society. This results in it being more difficult than it already is for the mentally ill to admit their symptoms to others and to seek treatment. To towards understanding mental illness is to finally lift the stigma, and to finally let sufferers feel safe and accepted within today’s society. There are many ways in which the mentally ill are degraded and shamed.
“People who are mentally ill are completely incompetent and are at fault for having the illness”, “The mentally ill are severely dangerous”, “Someone who has a mental illness is childlike and could no way hold down a job or take care of themselves”. These are just a few of the stereotypes and beliefs held by those who stigmatize people that suffer from a mental illness. The issue of stigmatization has become a factor that can severely affect the overall quality of life of those labeled with a mental disorder. This has led some to believe, particularly labeling theorists, that a psychiatric label does more harm than good. However, due to treatment such as psychotherapy and drug therapy available to those who receive a psychiatric diagnosis,
Doward, J. (2013), Medicine's big new battleground: does mental illness really exist? The Observer 12 May.
There are people in this world that have a problem understanding the difference between what is real and what is unreal. Most of us think that is just silly and childlike, but it is a reality for about 51 million Americans (Coon). These people suffer from schizophrenia, a psychosis characterized by delusions, hallucinations, apathy, and a “split” between thought and emotion (Coon). Schizophrenic suffers my show inappropriate emotions to certain situations. They laugh at the death of a loved one, or show no emotion also known as flat affect to news of happiness. To an onlooker they may appear to be crazy, rude or even mentally disturbed. Unfortunately schizophrenic suffers have to deal with these judgments, when they don’t understand why they are getting these reactions. Schizophrenia comes in more than one form. There is disorganized schizophrenia, Catatonic schizophrenia, paranoid schizophrenia and undifferentiated schizophrenia.
Mental health is a topic that most people find uncomfortable or difficult to understand. It’s one that contains a lot of controversy. Mental illness is a rising problem in the United States, yet there are groups of people who don’t even believe it’s a real issue. Additionally, mental illness isn’t taken as seriously in this country as other diseases. The legitimacy of the issue is left up to debate while millions of victims are left untreated and vulnerable. Stereotypes also have quite an effect on the issue. They have become such a staple in our society and stigma surrounding it has become quite negative. Those with mental illness are seen as broken, insane, damaged, etc. Many believe victims of mental illness are only doing it for attention.
I chose to be a psychiatrist for this career project. I chose to be a psychiatrist because I've always had an interest in the brain and mental health. It always baffles me how someone can be perfectly normal one day and then can be completely different the next day. I believe that this career is right for me because I would interact with new people every day, so my job would never bore me. It is extremely important to invest your time and energy into something you love to do. For example, for my upcoming research report, I chose Schizophrenia as my topic. I am looking forward to learning more about the disease and its side-effects on the people that have it. Psychiatrists have may difficult duties and responsibilities. They evaluate, diagnose and treat
In fear of social exclusion, embarrassment, or dishonor, many patients do not seek care, leading to an underestimation of the global burden of mental health. Not only are patients affected, however; stigma is embedded in “structures, policy, and legislation,” causing a lower number of healthcare workers to enter the field (p. 171, Vigo, Thornicroft, & Atun,
As a child I have grown up with a history of mental illness in my family. My uncles, grandparents, and even my dad, currently have some sort of disorder. I also have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and it has affected me not only through my social life, but in my own personal health. Mental illness is something very frowned upon in our society, and I am upset since I grew up with it and see the obvious problems with it. There is always much stigma on how mental disease is not a “real” disease in some cultures, and I find this to a be a big injustice. This has fueled my passion in neurological and chemical disorders in people’s brains. Seeing my family and I in this state, I want to dedicate my profession in treating this type of problem through neurology or psychiatry.
In this review, there will only be research included that classifies depression as a mental disability among adults. In these studies, depression is handled as a illness that requires proper treatment to overcome. Besides the use of pharmaceutical drugs an alternative type of therapies, such as acupuncture, can be used to help suppress and resolve these taxing symptoms of depression. When looking at the criteria that would be used for this study, it was determined that only studies that contain Eastern acupuncture would be used. This includes the methods of cupping, heat lamp acupuncture, electrical stimulation and moxa. It was also determined that studies that focused on human trials would be allowed. This systematic review only includes CINAHL
Stigma is negative and unfair beliefs that are imposed on a group of people, which causes rejection, isolation, and fear (Abdullah & Brown, 2011, p. 936). People with mental illness have been stigmatized against for centuries and remains to be today despite of new awareness and knowledge around the topic (Arboleda-Flórez, 2003, p.645). Furthermore, individuals with mental illness face challenges avoiding stigma due to their debilitating condition (Arboleda-Flórez, 2003, p. 645).
Mass media “references to people with mental health problems found more than four in ten articles in the press used derogatory terms about mental health and nearly half of press coverage related mental illness to violence and crime” (Esseler, 244). This is causing for people to look down upon the mention of mental illnesses and many times ignore the importance of confronting this issue. Therefore the importance of removing this stigmatization is crucial. Education allows to make more informed decisions and then changing the perception of mental illness can lead towards policy changes toward the improvement of mental health (Sakellari,