Essay on Cmh 302

Describe the main types of mental ill health according to the psychiatric (DSM/ICD) classification system: mood disorders, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, substance-related disorders, eating disorders, cognitive disorders?

Although stigmatizing attitudes are not only relatable to mental illness, the public attitudes towards mental illness tend to be more disapproving than towards people with physical illnesses (Piner and Kahle, 1984; Socall and Holtgraves, 1992; Weiner, Perry and Magnusson, 1988). Those with mental illnesses are viewed as being more likely to be responsible for their mental illness (Corrigan et al., 2000; 105). This assumptions is more towards those who suffer from substance additions and eating disorders rather than those who suffer from conditions such as schizophrenia (Angermeyer and Matschinger, 2004). Such attitudes as these therefore lead to discrimination. People in society are less likely to employ (Bordieri and Drehmer, 1986) and rent apartments (Page, 1977) to those suffering from mental illness, citizens are also more likely to direct false accusations of violence to the mentally ill. (Explaining the increased arrest rate among mental patients: a cautionary note, 1980; Steadman, 1981)

Mental illness is often wrongly portrayed in the United States’ media creating stigmatization and misrepresentation. Mental illness “refers to a wide range of mental disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). Examples of disorders include anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Any “negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are called stigma” (Wilson et al., 2016, p. 2) and stigma can contribute to progression of mental illness because of its harmful effects due to misrepresentation in the media. In the recent years, the United States media has began to address the reprehension around the topic of mental illness, as it has began to develop into a rising problem in citizens across the nation. In the past, any portrayal of a figure or character with a mental disorder would be wrongly depicted, therefore, creating a distorted perception for the viewers (Stout et al., 2004, p. 1). Television shows have started to establish characters with mental illness in hopes to lessen the stigma behind ill characters due to the wrongful associations viewers may make. The way media viewers’ stereotype the mentally ill into categories can be harmful to the well being of those with disorders. Stereotypes can be so harmful that even medical professionals “contend that stigma is a major reason why one-fourth of the estimated 50 million Americans experiencing mental illness yearly will not seek

We have a tendency of shadowing out individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Despite our human nature of caring, we place those individuals in prisons or understaffed psychiatric facilities, leaving them to be the burden of others. People with mental illness may not be able to hold employment and may not have that family support. This public perception (stigma) “limits opportunities for individuals with mental illnesses and often prevents them from seeking appropriate help”. (Jeglic, 2015) How is it that the public perception is so strong when most people do not have expertise within the field of abnormal psychology?This perception is influenced by the media. “Information presented in the media can be

Select one mental health disorder of your choice based on a valid diagnostic category in the DSM-5.

Although there’s a stigma associated with mental illness, there are people stepping forward and being honest about their mental health experiences. How come mental health stigma exists? This question should be important to society because mental illnesses are common throughout the United States, affecting tens of millions of people each year. This question’s important to me because I’m a crisis counselor for two organizations and I’m going to receive a master’s degree in counseling. After obtaining a master’s degree, I hope to continue my education to become a psychiatrist. Mental illnesses typically aren’t portrayed correctly in the media. I’m going to explore how news reports have contributed to the false belief that people who have mental illnesses are “violent” and/or “crazy,” but keep in mind that there are several other types of media that give this impression.

One in every seventeen people in America suffers from a mental disorder. These disorders inhibit the afflicted person from functioning properly and coping normally with daily life. Many afflicted with a psychological disorder do not exhibit obvious symptoms, as medical advancements have made it possible for these disorders to be suppressed or even nonexistent. Today, however, harsh stigmas exist that unfairly categorize those with a mental illness as violent, unfriendly, and abnormal. The media and federal government are culprits in fabricating the unrealistic depictions of mental disability that define the portrayal of those who are mentally or psychologically disadvantaged.

Despite the recent advancements in education and medical care, mental illness continues to thrive in modern society, destroying the lives of an estimated 60 million individual worldwide, which is precisely what Lexi Lyon discusses in Sustaining the Stigma, where she implores that healthy individuals around the world recognize the real and detrimental affects that mental health has. Unlike other health diagnoses, mental illnesses are not openly discussed nor does the majority of society accept it as a real health issue. Lyon explains that the culmination of false stereotypes, prejudice, and a lack of understanding have led to the perpetuation of ill-willed treatment toward those who suffer from illnesses that affect an individual’s way of thinking,

Self-stigma is the idea that an individual does not feel like they are socially acceptable. This negative view a person may have can prohibit them from seeking treatment (Maier, Gentile, Vogel, & Kaplan, 2014). Depictions of medical professionals and people with mental illness in mass media can be internalized, furthering self-stigma in reality. Studies have shown that people with mental illness, those who seek therapy, and the professionals shown in movies, correctly corresponds to real-life perceptions (Maier, Gentile, Vogel, & Kaplan, 2014). This is another way to show how powerful images in the media can affect the

Sadly, these are the only three ways that those with mental illnesses have been portrayed in both print and film media. The media has also proved to have an effect on those in the field of mental health. Heflinger and Hinshaw, leading child psychologists, performed a study in which mental health professionals were asked to fill out surveys on prevalent stereotypes within their field. The study revealed that about 75% of the survey group treated their mentally ill patients negatively compared to those without mental illnesses. Heflinger and Hinshaw then went deeper into the study and it revealed that those in the survey group who watched more T.V. were also more likely to have negative attitudes towards the mentally ill. Other than the media, another large problem that is perpetuating the stigma is that most “stigma theories have

grounds for its criticism and praise of stories about mental illness are also often tenuous

Mental illness in general carries an enormous stigma. People have respect for and take seriously physical ailments but when it comes to mental illness there is still immense discrimination. The stigma that comes from having a mental disorder such as, bi-polar depression, schizophrenia, or panic disorder comes with an enormous societal cost and can cause people not to talk about it. They may feel ashamed, embarrassed or fear stigma. Not seeking treatment causes people living with a disorder to live an unfulfilled life and suffer in silence. This paper will discuss how the media perpetuates the myth that people with mental illness are violent, unpredictable, and evil and how that contributes to stigma.

“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” -Malcolm X. It can be said without a doubt that media plays a massive role in how society views certain things. A negative media portrayal ultimately leads to negativity and stigma towards whichever group. One of the groups that is severely impacted by these dismissive representations is mental illness. The portrayal of mental illness in mass media as violent, amusing, or downright “nuts”, is inaccurate and vilifying, but can be resolved by the inclusion of mental health specialist in program planning.

1. Discuss the concepts of stigma and distress as they apply to an individual with a psychological disorder.

It is a common occurrence for people to experience fear or sadness at one point in their lives. While this is acceptable dealing with fear or sadness has proven to be a challenging situation, calling for professional intervention. When fear or sadness becomes hard to deal with, people often use such diagnostic words as anxiety and depression. Apparently, anxiety and depression are the leading cause of global mental health problem. For this reason, diagnosis and treatment of mental health has attracted the attention of various stakeholders including psychiatrists, medical practitioners, governments, not to mention to common citizens. An analysis of two newspaper articles