Essay Confronting Stigma Related To Mental Illness

Stigma can be expressed in various term, it can be a brand, labelling or identification. It is a differentiation of a person resulting to a boundary between “us” and “them” (Link and Phelan 2001). These affect consumers in a way they are discriminated and treated differently because they have mental illness. The effect of stigma can take away the rights of consumers who are suffering from mental illness causing social dilemmas (SANE Australia 2013). A survey shows 74% of consumers experience stigma from school, work, and social activities. Consumers had only one feedback, to reduce stigma so they can go with their life peacefully and engage in normal social activities without discrimination (SANE Australia 2006). It is

The disparity in treatment has been attempted to be remedied over the eras. Bills and Acts put into place in the 20th and 21st centuries 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 (“National Institute of Mental Health”). During the company’s 60 year lifespan they have focused on research about mental illness, educating the public, and improving the lives of the mentally ill by working to pass laws. One law that seeks to reduce the stigma of mental illness is the Mental Healths Service Act of California. "California 's Historic Effort To Reduce The Stigma Of Mental Illness: The Mental Health Services Act" from the American Journal Of Public Health illustrates how the Act will make improvements. Families and individuals who have experienced stigma had a big role in the process, specifically with developing a 10 year plan, the California Strategic Plan on Reducing Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination. One component of the Act discussed is the work plan developed by California Mental Health Services Authority, which has three components: stigma and discrimination reduction, student mental health, and suicide prevention. Organizations such as the NIMH have made efforts resulting in the evolution of mental

7. Lt Col Chris Karns, "Eliminating Stigma: A Leadership Responsibility," U.S. Air Force, 02 September 2014,

One of the biggest contributors for poor healthcare is the stigma against mental health. This stigma allows healthcare providers to view those with a mental illness as having low relevance, thus creating disinclination towards providing adequate resources and/or care. This negative stance, based on misinformation and prejudice creates those that have a mental illness to lose their self confidence. Because of this loss, people with mental illness decide not to contribute to their health or livelihood. In the past fifty years, many advances have been made in mental healthcare. However, with the attached stigma, many people choose to not seek out treatment.

There are still many societies that view people with mental health problems as threatening or unstable. These attitudes often cause stigma and discrimination towards people with mental health problems. Many people who make these assumptions about people with mental health problems are often uneducated. Social workers today educate and help families that may may be struggling with this disease. Mental health disorders affect different people and are more prone to exist in areas where help can be found or is not affordable. Mental health disorders are often frowned upon by people because they do not understand it. Many people live throughout their lives not getting the help they need because of stigma on this topic. As a society Mental health diseases should be identified as problem that can be fixed and not be an identification for the person it is affecting.

Until recently, few health insurance plans provided coverage for mental health services 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 people view something in a negative way because of a distinguishing characteristic or trait that is thought to be, or is, a disadvantage. The stigma surrounding mental illness has led to direct and obvious discrimination and one of its results, and the focus of this paper, is the discrimination to the mentally ill and mentally infirm by not providing health insurance that adequately covers mental illness diagnosis and treatments. Despite the progress of mental health parity legislation, the passing of the ACA and the advances in mental health research that have revealed that mental illnesses are biologically based, a stigma still remains around individuals with mental illnesses, that has led to exemptions, road-blocking the goal of full parity. This paper demonstrateS that while advances in the availability of private insurance coverage for those with mental illnesses has improved, there are still loopholes that private insurance

People with mental disorders were considered as vulnerable in the society due to the limitations in their rights. Such a situation of individuals cause oppressions as a result of dominant discourse prejudice. The capabilities of people with mental health histories often underestimated by the community. The result of such discrimination is devastating for individuals with mental health concerns. The focus of mental health intervention has undergone changes since its introduction. The treatment services have become more respectful of the rights of the individuals as the institutionalized services became more community oriented services (Rodriguez del Barrio et al., 2014). If a person is diagnosed with a mental disorder, the society tends to ostracize the individual and stigma attached to such situations can be termed as sanism (Morrow & Weisser, 2012). Sanism contributes to an organized suppression and oppression of mental health consumers (Perlin, 1992, 2003; Poole et al., 2012 as cited in LeBlanc & Kinsella, 2016). An intersectionality analysis coupled with anti-oppressive approach can be used to unpack sanism and other multiple oppressions faced by the marginalized population (Mullaly, 2010).

Mental health can be seen to be surrounded by prejudice, ignorance and discrimination. (Time to Change, 2016) In this essay, the visualisation will be identified and its meaning to this student will be discussed. The visualisation issue being explored is related to the stigma surrounding mental health. The visualisation itself was a jar with a sticker attached stating, ‘label jars … not people.’ This issue is really interesting and enlightening. It opens your eyes to what is really happening to individuals who have a mental health illness. Understanding why the public and the media have this stigma towards people with mental health problems and the theories in place can help to identify the effects on people. Services, strategies of care and

Is treating people with schizophrenia by heavily sedating them with meds humane, and does it give them a fair shot at life?

Stigmatization of mental illness is a universal struggle. Media and politicians calling non-mentally ill criminals ‘crazy’ or ‘insane’ has been a common issue and further increases the defaming of people with mental illness by associating them immediately with violence and crime. Studies throughout the world have shown stigmatization is a global issue though there are different degrees of stigmatization through different cultures and communities. For example in India people with somatic forms of depression less stigmatized than people with more, visible symptoms of depression. It was also found that people living in urban environments are more likely to experience stigma. Families are also known to stigmatize a mentally ill relative through

The stigma around mental illness acts as a barrier to the mentally ill. Individuals desire to avoid the public stigma which causes them to drop out of treatment. The prejudice and discrimination of mental illnesses are just as disabling as the illness itself (Corrigan).

The stigma in mental health system is deep rooted and its origin goes back by centuries. The stigma is powerful that it has been codified in federal since last 50 years. But the realization that the stigma attached adversely affects mental health care system is still lacking. The discrimination against mental illness has invaded the systemic structure causing more worries to sufferers of mental illness and their families. While every individual and system is well aware of mental illness and the biggest constraint in its prevention, there is a huge gap between literature and real practice (Kelly et al, 2010). This essay is a reflection on two newspaper articles on schizophrenia to provide a brief account of personal observation, common misconceptions, scientific truth and mainstream issues that needs an immediate attention.

It is estimated that 43.5 million Americans, adults 18 or 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 had to face throughout its ages (Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012). Increased understanding and awareness for those individuals suffering from mental illness is necessary for us to overcome the impacts stigma has on our society.

The stigma of mental illness was highlighted in a recent news article in Australia which sees the Victorian State Government overseeing plans to build housing for the homeless in Brighton, Victoria. Locals are fearing for their safety after hearing of the mental status of the people who may be residing in these homes, as one resident stated in the news article, “these people might have mental illnesses… I can’t come home at night and feel safe” (Yahoo7 News, para. 5, 2017). If the community were educated with up to date knowledge in regards to mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders, they may be better equipped to understand that someone with mental illness is able to be an active member of the community.

This article was prompted by a five year campaign to decrease of stigma towards mental illness. It aims to measure and reveal the evidence of stigmatizing behaviour of British people regarding seven mental disorders. The results of the research paper are intended to be employed in intervention campaigns to change the misconceptions and to confirm that it is a slow process to change stigmatizing opinions. Stigmatization is not a recent phenomenon, previous researches show its widespread occurrence. Goffman (1961) reported between mental institution staff and patients no respect and conceptualization of adverse hostility, Brockington, Hall and Levings (1993) confirmed that people 's attitude towards mental illness are characterised by sympathy, benevolence and fear. Researches by Bordieri and Drehmer, (1986), Whal (1999) found evidence that stigmatization affects employment and renting housing (Page, 1995; Whal, 1999). Corrigan (2012) notes that stigma deprives people with mental illness from proper schooling and healthcare. The term of stigma refers to disgrace and discredit (Byrne, 2000) and includes two levels, public stigma and self-stigma (Corrigan & Watson, 2002). Goffman, (1963) furthermore coined the term courtesy stigma which occurs when relatives experience stigma by association. However one weakness of the subject article is that it addresses public stigma only. The paper has no hypothesis specified, hence it is an exploratory study. The authors attempted to