Literature Review On Mental Illness Stigmatization

Nursing has become a very dynamic role as it is constantly changing and evolving. The number of people entering the nursing field continues to increase. The responsibilities nurses are held accountable for are very diverse and demanding. Mental health nursing is one of the many diverse fields a nurse must be educated in. A nurse must be competent in attending to a patient’s mental health as it is something that pertains to all patients regardless of race, origin, or religion.

80). They both argue that “deinstitutionalization became more of a cost-saving measure than a human rights initiative” and was the catalyst for the mass incarceration issue of mentally ill individuals (Etter et al 87). In contrast to the aforementioned authors, Kincaid does not look at deinstitutionalization as the cause of the incarceration of people who are mentally ill. Instead, the article focuses on how the current problem can be addressed. Kincaid states that mass incarceration of the mentally ill is not a direct result of the deinstitutionalization process but rather because ‘suitable treatment, alternative care, and community support’ is not made readily available and she offers a program that aims to combat the

Stigma can prevent individuals from seeking help and can lead to feelings of shame and isolation. This can worsen mental health outcomes and prevent individuals from receiving the care they need. Solutions: Addressing Historical

In the book Girl, Interrupted, by Susanna Kaysen, one of the biggest focal points is mental illness. Mental illness can be tough to talk about, simply because the phrase “mental illness” encompasses such a wide range of conditions and conjures up images of deranged people, but it is very important, especially in this book. There is a certain stigma that people who are put into mental hospitals because they have medical problems or are insane and a possible danger to society. While this is sometimes true, it is far more common for patients to need help for a disorder, but just don’t know where to go or what to do, and can end up putting themselves or someone else in danger.

In the editorial "The health crisis of mental health stigma," the editorial utilizes ethos pathos, and logos, to shed light on the crisis of mental health. According to the editorial mental health is not seen as a significant health issue as others are. This issue is overlooked by many peoples and doctors. The two strongest rhetorical appeals that this editorial uses and applies very well are ethical appeal and logical appeal. Also, manages to include an emotional appeal.

Over the last few decades changes in need for mental and behavioral health services have become more prevalent (Angermeyer, Matschinger, & Schomerus, 2013). Americans underutilize mental health services due to the following: absent awareness in lower social economic communities, poverty, inadequate funding for mental health services; lack of collaboration and coordination among primary care, mental health providers, access barriers; stigma surrounding mental illness and treatment; denial of problems; and

1. INTRODUCTION Stigma and discrimination in mental illness is a long existing problem that often tormented the lives of people with mental health conditions. It a negative stereotype that, emerge as one of the greatest barriers for them to lead a satisfying life. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organization, 2006). Mental illnesses are characterized by modifications in thinking; mood or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with significant distress and impaired functioning over an extended period of time (World Health Organization, 2006).

Media presentation of mental illness validate negative attitudes and stereotypes that provide a false association between mental illness and violence (Francis et al., 2001). A common theme from studies of news reporting is that media representation of mental health is often negative in tone. This is largely due to the type of news story covered, with a large amount of coverage focusing on crimes committed by those with mental health problems. This type of media reporting has often been criticized as helping propagate structural stigma around mental

Understanding Stigma and Mental Illness The two characters that I have selected to analyze are Carrie Matheson and Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren. Carrie Matheson is a character from the television show Homeland and is played by actress Clair Danes (Homeland, 2011). Homeland is based on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which tracks down terrorist around the world. The television show follows Carrie Matheson who is a lead CIA agent, and shows all the hardships she has to go through to catch the terrorist.

3. Mental Illnesses/Disorders are socially constructed There is a true side to this as well as a side that is somewhat false. It matters about how one classifies a “mental illness” and what mental illness really is. On one hand, mental illness can be classified as a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling or mood and this in turn impacts the way they are able to relate to others and function in a “normal” way on a daily basis (NAMI). But some others might say that mental illness is actually just behaviors that some people show that are not accepted within society.

Caregivers are an important part of the mental health care delivery system. As it was aforementioned, caregivers usually lack mental health literacy and also increases the stigma felt by PWMDs. Caregivers should be included in education programs since it will increase their awareness about mental illnesses (Yuen et al, 201). Furthermore, since caregivers are interacting with PWMDs they can watch for new symptoms, monitor patient's progress and help the patient to better manage their care. Education programs are not only shown to be helpful for PWMDs but also can increase the mental health literacy rating among the youth.

Stigmatization of mental illness existed well before psychiatry became a formal discipline, but was not formally labeled and defined as a societal problem until the publication of Goffman’s book (1963). Mental illnesses are among the most stigmatizing conditions, regardless of the specific psychiatric diagnosis. Unlike other illnesses, mental illness is still considered by some to be a sign of weakness, as well as a source of shame and disgrace. Many psychiatric patients are concerned about how people will view them if knowledge of their condition becomes public Mental health stigma can be divided into two distinct types: • social stigma is characterized by prejudicial attitudes and discriminating behavior directed towards individuals with mental health problems as a result of the psychiatric label they have been given and has those types stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination Stereotypes are based on knowledge available to members of a group and provide a way to categorize information about other groups in society Prejudiced persons agree with these negative stereotypes, and these attitudes lead to discrimination through negative behaviors toward mentally ill individuals those negative perceptions create fear of and social distance from mentally ill persons. • perceived stigma or

Why do the people of today still associate stigma, shame and blame with mental health issues? Mental health issues are extremely and widely misunderstood. Despite the fact one in four people are likely to experience some kind of mental health problem a year in the United Kingdom. “Mental health is a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being and it affects how we feel, think and act. It also helps to determine how we handle situations such as stress, how we relate to others and how we make decisions.

They also believe that children and teenagers may not handle learning about mental health the correct way. Those who argue against teaching about mental health in schools argue that “[educators] are causing widespread confusion among the majority when we engage [children] in discourse about mental health” and that they “might be encouraged to pathologize their emotions” after watching a video. (Gill n.p.). The author of the article is claiming that only a minority of people are affected by mental illness. She is also arguing that children might think of their emotions as “wrong” even though they are not, suggesting that they cannot handle learning about mental illnesses.

A VISION FOR MENTAL HEALTH POLICY IN IRELAND The current policy framework for mental health in Ireland is called, ‘A Vision for Change (2006). This policy sets out a framework for mental health strategy in Ireland and emphasizes how a collaborative approach between Government, professionals, service users and carers is the best way forward. My rationale for choosing this policy is the fact that I have suffered from depression and a general anxiety disorder since the age of 14, and this will be the main subject of the essay. The intention is to define what a mental health issue actually is, how it can have an effect on the life of the client, and who is responsible for promoting and maintaining an individual’s mental health.