Mental health Stigma in Society

Today several people suffering from mental illness have reported cases of stigma and discrimination by others. They have experienced stigma in workplace, schools, social places and courts among others.



Current Literature on the Problem



Corbiere et al. (2012) describe stigma as a serious social discrimination as a result of actual or believed individual characteristics, behaviors and beliefs that are seen to go against norms such as political, economic, cultural or social norms. According to the authors, today about 87% of the individuals with mental health problems experience stigmatization and discrimination (Corbiere et al. 5).



On the other hand, two-thirds of individuals with mental disorders say they are unable to do things they wanted due to stigmatization by their colleagues. Individuals with mental diseases confirm that discrimination and stigma affect almost all aspects of their lives including education, work, community participation, friendships, addressing group of people and going to social places among others. More than a half of people suffering from mental disorders have poor socialization behavior compared to only 6% of general population (Corbiere et al. 7).



Article indicates that people suffering from mental disorders say that stigma and discrimination render them vulnerable to violence. About 71% of people suffering from mental illnesses are victimized in the society at least once in their life time. Therefore, stigma denies individuals with mental disorders crucial opportunities important in accomplishing life goals and living independently in comfortable and safe homes (Corbiere et al. 10). Stigmatization and discrimination of individuals with mental illnesses originate from various stakeholders in the society and can be manifested differently and some instances are resulting to self-stigmatizations. Due to fear and stigma, people may stop seeking assistance at early stages of their mental illness. Above, 40 stigmatization incidences have been reported in literature today. The general perception is that stigmatization only affects the individuals with mental problems, but this is far from the truth since it also impacts the lives of their relatives and close friends who may experience high degree of embarrassment and shame (Corbiere et al. 15).



According to Corrigan et al., people with psychological problems suffer public humiliation by being depicted as individuals who are unpredictable, dangerous, responsible for their condition or incompetent and this normally leads to discriminations such as segregation from other people denying them social opportunities (Corrigan et al. 38).



Article observes that, in medical environment, negative stereotyping may make the healthcare providers less likely concentrate more on their patient instead of the illness itself. Authors indicate that such incidences of discrimination may become internalized and lead to development of self-stigmatization. Individuals with mental disorders may start believing in negative thoughts showed by other people and can perceive themselves liable to the society and begin to feel shame and inability to achieve their goals.



Authors say that, apart from self-stigma, structural stigma presents another large-scale hurdles to mental care by underestimating the opportunities for people to look for help (Corrigan et al. 59). Currently, there is a lack of equality, between coverage for mental healthcare and other forms of care. Also, mental health research receives low funding in comparison with other areas of health research. Mental health history in legal contexts including custody cases presents structural excuses why people suffering from mental illnesses may not seek medical treatment. Authors also indicate that social and cultural networks may influence relationship between stigmatization and access to healthcare (Corrigan et al. 67). For instance, myths about mental disorders and their treatment may result in development discriminatory and stigmatization behavior.



History of the Problem



Walker gives a thorough account of the history and context of depression's stigma. The article asserts that there is a well-established link between stigma and illness (32). The primary aim of the reference is to discuss how the perceptions about mental illness were born and reasons they are prevalent from people suffering from depression today.



In the ancient Greece, people such as Plato believed that condition arose from absence of sex and many of the patients were sent to their bed. Further, the author holds that the discussion of the ancient Greece is not adequate without mentioning the perceived role of gods in the occurrence of mental illness. People saw development of any of the mental diseases as punishment from gods for misdeeds. Christians perceived it to be a test of faith send to the person by the devil.



Also, Walker focuses on the discrimination of people if mental problem was in the dark and middle age and states that it was a form of punishment for a soul that had sinned (33). Such people were not suffused with the God's love and glory. Similarly, those that showed melancholy were perceived to be possessed by demons and were not sent to work under the presumption that exception them from their occupation would cure them. Therefore, disorders of the minds were seen as a threat and deserved punishment.



Finally, the author shows that the concept changed in modernity, nineteenth and twentieth century. However, in the last section Walker indicates that people with mental illnesses still face considerable challenges in their places of work. Individuals with mental challenges encounter considerable problems when it comes to employment. The article notes that the discrimination and stigma have also made them vulnerable to violence. The writer illustrates that 71% of mental sick population is victimized in the community and believes that the outcome is related to the mental health history.



Schulze and Angermeyer conducted a study to explore the stigma from subjective perspective of individuals with schizophrenia, one of the mental illnesses (111).



The authors also provide a historical view of the disease and contemporaneous attitude and treatment of people with illnesses. The source also offers a comprehensive story of stigma across diverse culture and time. For example, the researchers argue that western communities have often linked the idea of mortality with reason and health. On the other hand, the Christian society has always associated with stigma with madness and demonic possession, pervasiveness and sin. The knowledge of such connection is crucial to understanding the perpetuation and origin of psychiatric stigma. In other words, ancient age viewed mental illness as a form of punishment for a supreme being.



For instance, in the 5th century B.C, people began treating individuals who were mentally sick with method not based on religion and recommended change of environment (Schulze and Angermeyer 112). In the middle ages, the mentally sick people were believed to be possessed and needed guidance from religious leaders. As such, the source shows that mentally ill individuals have always been discriminated due to existence of negative attitudes. For instance, they confined in unhygienic places and punished for their sins, particularly, during the 18th century.



Further, Schulze and Angermeyer give details about the early mental health hospitals and contend that in the 1840s, governments started building psychiatric hospitals (114). However, the places ostracized the mentally ill people. The institutions have also become a place where families could take mentally sick people because they were unwilling to take care of them. Therefore, the source is important as it provides an account of how humanity has for a long time complicated their relationship with mental illness, the history of how people with mental sickness have always been viewed and treated. Further, the reference makes it clear that such individuals have commonly struggled to receive care and needed attention.



Debate about the Solutions to the Problem



Davidson argues that stigmatization is common among less educated people and groups (22). Therefore, the author advocates for dissemination of facts about mental illnesses to the public and mental patients. More importantly, there is a need to educate the young people to increase awareness regarding the nature of mental disorders. The objective can be achieved by training individuals attending schools, nursing, medical and ancillary mental health programs. Additionally, the source asserts that there is a need to focus on stigmatized since education does not always yield the intended outcome (Davidson 22). More specifically, the methods are important because the more people feel discriminated, the more they develop severe mental illness.



According to Sewilam, Watson, Kassem, Clifton, McDonald, Lipski, and Nimgaonkar, it is imperative to educate the public as well as the families to support their affect member in dealing with shame and seeking treatment (112). The scholars state that surveys conducted in Egypt demonstrate that social support is the most fundamental support for the disorders and can be attained by building teams that are qualified in the psychiatric facilities which can start educating families whose member has been admitted (Sewilam et al. 112). Another proposes strategy is to engage with religious leaders to marshal teachings that admonish people from discriminating mentally ill people. Churches can use their position to reduced social distance between mental patient and the community.



Conclusion



It is clear from the above information that people with mental illnesses suffer from stigma and discrimination from other members of community. These individuals are stigmatized at workplace, schools and legal courts among other places. During ancient times, mental illness was seen as a punishment from gods. During Christianity era, Christians saw mental illness as test from the devil and people suffering from it were stigmatized because other members of community perceived it as a punishment from God for a person who sinned. There is a need to support people with mental illnesses to make them feel appreciated and accepted in the society.



Works Cited



Corbiere, Marc, et al. "Strategies to fight stigma toward people with mental disorders: perspectives from different stakeholders." The Scientific World Journal 2012 (2012).



Corrigan, Patrick W., Benjamin G. Druss, and Deborah A. Perlick. "The impact of mental illness stigma on seeking and participating in mental health care." Psychological Science in the Public Interest 15.2 (2014): 37-70.



Davidson, Michael. "What else can we do to combat stigma?." World Psychiatry 1.1 (2012): 22.



Schulze, Beate, and Matthias C. Angermeyer. "Subjective experiences of stigma. A focus group study of schizophrenic patients, their relatives and mental health professionals." Social science & medicine 56.2 (2003): 299-312.



Sewilam, Ahmed M., et al. "Suggested avenues to reduce the stigma of mental illness in the Middle East." International Journal of Social Psychiatry 61.2 (2015): 111-120.



Walker, Carl. "The stigma of depression: History and context." Depression and Globalization: The Politics of Mental Health in the 21st Century (2008): 31-57.

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