Mental illness is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society and learning more about it can benefit both people who struggle with it and those who do not. “Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in thinking, emotion or behavior (or a combination of these)” (What is Mental Illness). The subject of mental illness is nothing new, in fact it has been around for centuries. The first public understanding of what mental illness was and how to treat it came about when a man named Hippocrates, a pioneer in treating mentally ill patients, began to use techniques not rooted in any religious or superstitious beliefs, but rather in changing the environment and occupation of the patient (Early). Any mental illness recorded before …show more content…
Mental illness comes in many forms and many people within the U.S. have to deal with it daily; luckily, the U.S. is taking further action to help fight and prevent it. According to the “Prevalence of Mental Illness”, over 1.1% of adults living in the U.S. are affected by schizophrenia, 2.6% are affected by bipolar disorder and 6.9% have been affected by at least one depressive period within the twelve months. Not only are adults affected by many forms of mental illness, but a large part of the youth population is as well. Over “90% of children who die by suicide have a mental health condition” (Mental). Suicide is a leading cause of death in youth. For children ages 10-14 it is the 3rd leading cause of death and for children ages 15-24 it is the 2nd leading cause of death; however, in the U.S. alone it is the 10th leading cause. Fortunately, the government …show more content…
According to Hannah Wingett from the National Catholic Reporter, she believes students with mental illness and even perfectly healthy students should consider their spirituality, ways to create positivity in the community, their place in the universe, and how they can combine both their “passions” and “values” to make a difference in the world. However, President Trump has a different idea. According to Olga Khazan and The Atlantic, President Trump states that he is “going to be talking seriously about opening up mental asylums that have been closed over the past few decades.” By opening up the asylums people who have mental illness have easier access to the help and treatment they need. The question is, which one is the right answer? Whatever the cure to this may be, many people, both children and adults, are affected by this daily and need help immediately; thus, something must be
I always assumed that someone’s health could only be treated by a doctor. Nonetheless, as my education flourished I soon realized that programs that focus on preventing adverse health outcomes could reduce the incidence of disease. Furthermore, public health provided the opportunity to develop prevention programs to assist those who suffered from mental illness. To learn this was not only exciting, it provided a break in the current gap of mental health prevention programs currently being offered in my county’s school districts.
“Thanks to advancements in diagnosis and treatment, more children and teens than ever before are currently on medication. This fact has some people worried that caregivers today are perhaps too eager to seek out medical solutions to behavior problems.” Though certain prescribed antidepressants and other medications are suggested to patients by doctors, they indeed have side effects that should be taken seriously. Suicide is one of these side effects, and many teenage suicides are linked to such medicines. Because of this, patients are instructed to be extremely careful when taking medication to treat mental illnesses and depression.
Throughout recent years, mental illness has become a belittled and “taboo” topic in a multitude of different societies. As a result, a majority of the world’s population isn’t exactly clear as to how one should approach those suffering from mental instability. Unlike physical illness, where an entire system of doctors and hospitals and medical research developed in order to cater to those who were physically ill, mental illnesses do not get nearly as much attention. Some would argue that a physical illness proves to be significantly more detrimental to one’s day to day life. However, observation of mentally ill individuals proves that mental illness can be as equally debilitating (you probably know someone in your life who has died from the
Common mental health diagnoses that are commonly seen among American prison inmates are bipolar disorder(depression and mood disorders) and schizophrenia which is a group of disorders characterized by recurrent episodes of psychotic behaviors, which may include abnormalities of thought process, delusions, auditory hallucinations and judgement. With lifelong medication therapy, many mentally ill patients are able to function well in society and carry out Activities of Daily Living(ADLs), though a small number of these patients do not, especially during psychotic episodes, which typically occur during periods of noncompliance with medications(Mosby). Recently, advocates have also classified substance abuse as a mental illness. Six states have repealed public drunkenness from statue and now consider alcoholism a disease rather than a crime(Person, p
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.
The insane are known to have been cursed with unclean spirits ever since the beginning of America who takes its views from the Old World. It was only during the Second Great Awakening that people, Christian activists and often women, sought to reform the prisons and asylums. For Americans, asylums are now remnants of the past; the mentally ill are now bestowed the right to live normal lives and they are now even given the choice to decide if they wish to seek help and take medication. Even so, it is undeniable that people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are unwillingly trapped inside a mind often not their own. Some of them, if left alone and uncared for, face dangers in society.
Edgar Allan Poe, a man who has changed literature through his numerous pieces of writing, such as The Cask of Amontillado, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Fall of the House of Usher. In Edgar Allan Poe’s famous work, The Raven, the main character is confronted with a raven. The character speaks to the raven, thinking it couldn’t respond, but the raven did respond, but only speaking one word, “Nevermore” (Poe 331). In some cases of mental illnesses, one can experience hallucinations, hearing voices, paranoia, and even persecutory delusion. Is it possible that the Raven could have symbolized something other than a bird.
Jeanette is a 67-years old white female who resides at one of the helping hands Outreach Services facility in Stroudsburg, PA. Jeanette has delays in her gross and fine motor skills. She requires physical assistance in order to navigate her steps and on uneven pavements. Jeanette did a psychiatric evaluation on 6/15/09 to address her aggression and inappropriate behaviors.
As of 2015, 5 in 100,000 girls and 14 in 100,000 teenagers commit suicide (Lewis). Teenagers are becoming more vulnerable and schools seem to be taking no notice. If these lives could be saved, it would help so many families across the united states. The National Institute of Mental Health states that there “are as many as 25 attempts of suicide to every one that is actually committed” (Eco Child’s Play). Suicides can be prevented by treatment of the illness.
Mental health in America, especially among students, is declining increasingly fast. If this issue isn’t dealt with soon it could cause many issues in the future. This issue needs to be
Marcia Webb, Anna M. Charbonneau, Russell A. McCann, and Kristin R. Gayle’s article, Struggling and enduring with God, religious support, and recovery from severe mental illness, issued in the Journal of Clinical Psychology in 2011, examines the ability of religion to be used as a coping and support mechanism for individuals suffering from mental illnesses. The authors begin by creating detailed analysis of mental illness as well as previous use of religion as a treatment. Webb et al. set up the study as a self-report measure. With a collection of 81 participants, each suffering from a mental illness, surveys were then administered.
One in ten children and adolescents will experience a period of major depression (“Mental Health Myths and Facts”). Many avoid the topic of mental health like the plague. In truth, people should be able to talk about mental illness and its repercussions on society and the individual. A minority of those affected with mental illnesses get help. Therefore, it is important to discuss possible solutions to helping those who suffer get treatment.
Mental disorders and rehabilitative psychiatry has always been taboo in Philippine culture, and the subliminal portrayal of inpatients in media rarely helps. Media portrayal on the topic shows inpatients as encased in strait jackets in rubber-covered wards, cared for by similarly insane nursing staff. Consequently, this brings undeserved discrimination on the part of both the inpatients and psychiatric nurses. But, studies published abroad have pivoted the spotlight on mental patients, and it lead to the clearing of their tarnished names. Very few, however, have provided studies on the nurses’ camp.
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.
Firstly, learning about mental illnesses can decrease rates of teen suicide. In fact, there is a direct connection