Mental Illness And Its Stigma - 1363 Words

Mental Illness and Its Stigma â€Å"One in five adults in America experience mental illness,† (Mental Health, n.d., para 1). Many people define mental illness as a characteristic that makes one irrational or delusional and derives a belief that those who have mental disorders are not suffering from a real disease, resulting in a negative view of those who suffer. There are three ways to defy this stigma that everyone, from media producers to the sufferers themselves, must participate in to break down the shame and dishonor surrounding mental illness. Mental illness is a real disease and causes a stigma that those who suffer are dangerous and are the cause of their disorder What exactly is a mental illness? â€Å"Mental illness refers to a wide†¦show more content†¦In turn it leads to a hindrance in efficient and effective recovery. There are three main contributors to the stigma surrounding mental illness. The portrayal of sufferers through the media, lack of understanding in our society, and the way sufferers view themselves. Media subtly influences are way of thinking, whether we are aware of it or not. This is effects are view on topics such as mental disorders. The recent release of a movie entitled â€Å"Split,† is a representation of how media contributes to the stigma that those who suffer from mental illness are dangerous. The movie follows a man who has dissociative identity disorder, or multiple personality disorder. A mental disorder where a person’s identity is split into distinct separate personalities of two or more, and is usually caused by extreme and severe physical and sexual abuse, (Psychology 2017). In  "Split,† a man named Kevin, who suffers from dissociative identity disorder and has over 20 personalities, kidnaps three teenage girls. In the end, he kills two of the girls as well as his therapist, to rid the world of those who aren’t pure hearted and have yet to experience true suffering, (IMDB n.d.). This movie portrays a truly negative and harmful view of those who suffer from this mental illness. Films such as previously mentioned, inform viewers that those with mental disorders are a threat to society. They are harmful to those who suffer from related diseases as theyShow MoreRelatedThe Stigma Of Mental Illness Essay1657 Words   |  7 Pagesor older, live with mental illness. This number represents 18.1% of all U.S. adults (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014). Stigma toward those who are seen as different have existed for as long as civilization itself, with the stigma for mental illness being one of the most prominent and long lasting that society has h ad to face throughout its ages (Arboleda-Florez Stuart, 2012). Increased understanding and awareness for those individuals suffering from mental illness is necessary for usRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness1599 Words   |  7 PagesPeople suffering from mental illness and other problems are often the most discriminated, socially excluded, stigmatized, and vulnerable members of the society. They have to constantly struggle and face a double problem. Firstly, they have to struggle with the symptoms of the mental illness itself. They may face with problems such as illusions, delusions, hallucinations and other symptoms, which depend on a particular mental disorder. These symptoms do not allow the person to live a satisfactoryRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness1745 Words   |  7 PagesThe majority of people that have a severe mental illness are object to challenges in double measure. From one point of view, they wrestle with the symptoms and disablement that result from the ill ness. From another point, they are tested by the stereotypes and preconceived ideas that stem from the misunderstandings about mental illness. As a culmination of both, people with a mental illness are stripped of the chances that define a quality life such as a good job, safe housing, adequate health careRead MoreThe Stigma of Mental Illness1656 Words   |  7 Pagesdiagnosis might exacerbate the stigma of mental illness. In Corrigan’s study clinical diagnosis adds groupness for the collection of people with mental illness which worsens the level of prejudice (Corrigan 34). Corrigan states that this ultimately leads to overgeneralization, as there is an assumption that all individuals diagnosed with the same mental disorders behave the same way (Corrigan 34). According to Corrigan the stereotypic description of mental illness perceives to the public that, peopleRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness2582 Words   |  11 Pagesplans provided coverage for mental health service s to the same extent as physical health services, if they were covered at all. The reasons for the discrimination in health insurance vary, but mental illnesses historically have not been well understood by the public, and people have had a hard time understanding that mental illnesses are biologically based diseases that affect the mind and body just like any other disease that has solely physical manifestations. A stigma is said to occur when peopleRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness984 Words   |  4 PagesSo how do we eliminate the stigma on mental illness that has been shaped and formed fo1r centuries? Now that we know the role mental health plays in our society and how it affects people who suffer from it. We must find a way to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with this term. I propose the first step to solving this issue is through the media education and information. The media, from new to movies, plays a crucial role in shaping the minds of young people a nd even adults. Media hasRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness1042 Words   |  5 PagesBreak the Stigma In today’s society we are becoming more aware of the way our words or judgement can hurt others. However, there’s still a lot of stigma around mental illness. This judgement we have towards people with mental illness is what keeps some of them from seeking the help they need. The stigma isn’t just from those without mental illness though. People with mental illness often have their own stigmas as well. We need to come together and show men and women with mental illness that it isRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness1602 Words   |  7 Pagescenturies have seeked to improve care and reduce stigma around those with mental illness. This began in 1942, when Harry Truman signed the National Mental Health Act, which requested the formation of a National Institute of Mental Health. Shortly after this, in 1949, the National Institute of Mental Health was established (â€Å"National Institute of Mental Health†). During the company’s 60 year lifespan they h ave focused on research about mental illness, educating the public, and improving the lives ofRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness1212 Words   |  5 Pagesexperiencing symptoms of mental illness. Patients suffering a physiological illness rarely hear these words, but they have begun to sound like a broken record to the mentally ill. Everyone sympathizes with the stomach, the liver, the eye, and many other organs in the body when they begin to malfunction, but no one sympathizes with the brain. It is unimaginable and almost abominable for the brain to get sick. Mental illness is probably the most misconstrued and trivialized illness, and this misconceptionRead MoreThe Stigma Of Mental Illness Essay1243 Words   |  5 PagesMental illness has dated back as far as anyone can remember it was first documented as an illness by 5th century B.C., Hippocrates when, â€Å"He was pioneering and treating mentally ill people with techniques not rooted in religion or superstition; instead, h e focused on changing a mentally ill patient’s environment or occupation, or administering certain substances as medications (Unite for Sight, 2016). This was unheard of since then and now most cultures believe that mental illness is a demonic punishment