Persuasive Speech Outline On Mental Illness

The NAMI presentation that took place on February 2, 2017 had a really intriguing effect on me. NAMI stands for “National Alliance on Mental Illness”. NAMI provides the In Our Own Voice presentations, which are offered with the goal “to change attitudes, preconceived notions and stereotypes” about mental illness (NAMI North Carolina: North Carolina’s Voice on Mental Illness, n.d.). I am one to hold a stigma against those with mental disorders. The New Oxford American Dictionary says that, stigma is “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person” (Stevenson & Lindberg, 2011). Even after the presentation, I still do to some extent. The presentation did open my eyes to the fact that people with certain mental disorders can get the treatment they need to live some-what “normal” lives.

A mental illness is one one of many different disorders or conditions that affect one's mood thinking and behavior. Approximately 1 in 5 U.S. adults reports suffering from some form of mental illness. ANd about 20% of us youth are affected by some type of mental illness in their life. African Americans are 20% more likely to report significant mental distress but less likely than white counterparts to seek mental health care. For black people mental illness is surrounded by a stigma of weakness and religious disconnect.

The mental conditions that obstructed with our thinking, feelings, moods, and our ability to associate with other people or carry out our daily functions are referred to as mental illness. It has no regards for race, age, religion and is not a result of weakness or lack of character or our upbringing. (Pilgrim, 2010).

People suffering from mental illness and other problems are often the most discriminated, socially excluded, stigmatized, and vulnerable members of the society. They have to constantly struggle and face a double problem. Firstly, they have to struggle with the symptoms of the mental illness itself. They may face with problems such as illusions, delusions, hallucinations and other symptoms, which depend on a particular mental disorder. These symptoms do not allow the person to live a satisfactory life. They do not allow the person to work and independently achieve something in their life. And secondly, they are challenged by several stereotypes and prejudices, which gradually result in many misconceptions about mental illness known as “stigma”. Therefore, mental illness results not only in the difficulties arising from the symptoms of the disorder but also in the negative attitudes and beliefs that motivates the people to fear, reject, avoid and exclusion of people with mental illness. Some people with mental illness could lose self confidence, accept the prejudices and may also turn them against themselves. This is referred to as ‘self-stigma’, loosening the confidence of the person suffering with mental illness.

The mentally ill face a multitude of challenges. One of those challenges is the stigmatization they face. Stigmatization is social rejection; those stigmatized are rejected by people because of the label they carry or that their behaviors clearly indicate that they belong to a certain labeled group. Stigmatization of the mentally ill is caused by the public’s belief in myths about the dangerousness of the mentally ill and exposing those myths can reduce stigmatization.

This product demonstrates excellence because it is helping to end two types of stigma: public stigma and self stigma. The day of recognition is intended to change the public’s perspective of mental illnesses while the documentary will be offered to mental health service institutions such as Snowden for patients to see the mass support they have. Seeing the support for mental illness will help to end the self stigma.

Mental Illness refers to a wide range of conditions or disorders that impact your mood, behavior and thinking. In the United States, more than 26.2 percent of adults, ages 18 and older suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. That is one in every four adults, an estimated 57.7 million people (Kim Foundation). However, only 6 percent of people with mental disorders suffer from serious mental illness which is results in serious functional impairment, and interferes with or limits one or more major life activities (NIH, 2012). Mental illness range from depression, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, and even autism and these disorders range on the spectrum of intrusion in a person’s life.

There are many issues in the world that are in need of being addressed; one problem I'd like to concentrate on are the stigmas surrounding mental illness. 1 out of every 4 people will be diagnosed with a mental disorder in their lifetime, but only 2 in 3 people will seek help. Social stigma, discrimination, and the idea of being ostracized by society stop many from reaching out for the help they need. Often times, people do not understand the obstacles people with mental disorders face; those with mental disorders or disabilities are treated with prejudice and inequity. Those with a history of mental health issues are seen as attention seeking, they face isolation, and can be generally unhappy. People with psychiatric disabilities are

People with mental illness are often stigmatized for their illness from both other individuals and themselves. Stigma is described as a dishonoring characteristic (Thoits, 2011). The stigma placed on the mentally ill can have a negative impact on their self-esteem and make the symptoms of their illness worse (Psychology 101, 2011). Individuals that have been branded as mentally ill often face discrimination, stereotyping, rejection, status loss, and lower power (Thoits, 2011). People who are involved in the mentally ill individual’s life may also experience stigma just by being associated with those individuals. Stigma relates to mental illness in a negative way. Mentally ill individuals are often stereotyped as being violent, bizarre, and

According to the Mayo Clinic, a mental illness can be defined as a disorder, or multiple disorders that can all be on a spectrum, that can affect mood, cognitive abilities, and the way one acts. Mayo Clinic’s definition also includes the specification that, to be considered a mental illness, the symptoms generally effect a person’s ability to function in common life situations, all while causing quite a bit of stress. It becomes obvious that these types of diseases can be just as damaging as physical illnesses, hence the drastic need for treatment and continuing advancements in the methods of treatment.

About 57.7 million Americans have a diagnosable mental illness (Duverge n.p.). According to Patrick Corrigan and Amy Watson, “Stigmas about mental illness seem to be widely endorsed by the general public in the Western World” (16). This means that a large number of the people who have a mental illness are affected by the stigma surrounding mental illness, possibly in multiple ways. While some say that stigma surrounding certain drugs meant to treat mental disorders could prevent people from taking them without a reason (Roleff and Egendorf 87), many people with a mental illness are negatively affected by the stigma. The stigma surrounding mental illness in society can worsen the lives of the mentally ill and lessen the number of people being

Despite the growing knowledge and recognition of mental illness, stigma is still so rampant. Mental health patients are demonized, criminalized, and dehumanized. They are viewed as violent, filthy, unapproachable, incompetent, irresponsible, and most importantly dangerous. These labels, in turn, create prejudicial attitudes and discriminating behavior toward individuals suffering mental illness.

Mental illness has plagued the world for hundreds of years. With mental illnesses came the increasing stigmatization towards them. Stigmatize is to “describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval” (Oxford Dictionary) and a stigma is simply “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person” (Oxford Dictionary). According to the US President’s Commission on Mental Health the stigmatization of mental illness has grown with the spread of media (qtd. Wahl 343). The problems society is faced with today is the stigmatization in the media. The substantial attention that has been focused recently on the image of mental illnesses had led to the conclusion that mental health attitudes are significantly

A large problem in society is the stigmas currently being place on mental illness. In the last 25 years there have sadly been no signs of the end of stigmatization towards mental illness (Schomerus, G., et al, 2015, p. 21). It is questionable as to why we even have a stigma because approximately 26.4% of the American population has been diagnosed with a mental illness (Kenny & Bizumic, 2016, p. 178). However, the majority of people are not acknowledging these statistics, but instead are letting stereotypes form. Unfortunately, these judgements inevitably lead to people fearing and judging mental illness and the people who have been diagnosed with an illness (Kenny & Bizumic, 2016, p. 178). If the society begins to recognize the stigmas surrounding mental illness, there are interventions that can reduce the current stereotypes towards mental illness. Two interventions that seem to be most useful are Acceptance and Commitment therapy as well as social norms theory.

a patient has a mental illness. The mental illnesses are diagnosed based on the symptoms, which