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Mental Health Issues
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Mental Health Issues
Introduction
Today, the world is facing the calamity of mental illness in the form of different psychological issues. It is important to appropriately address this concern to save as many people as possible. This form of consideration is critical because mental wellness ultimately guarantees t proper functioning in life. Proper mental health fosters people’s capacity to perform their routine tasks effectively and efficiently. The association between mental health issues and society can never be ignored because overall, social perception plays a critical role in this context. It is important to examine how mental health disorders are perceived by society. The perception of society matters because it impacts people who suffer from any mental health issue. Mental illness is as important as physical health because it eventually disturbs the person’s ability to perform daily tasks. This research work focuses on critically analyzing the perception of society about the concern of mental health disorders.
Discussion
Mental Health Disorders Perceived by Society
It is vital to consider how people as members of society behave with individuals who suffer from any form of mental instability. Unfortunately, discrimination and stigma are two significant factors that exist in society when it comes to the issue of mental health disorders. The disturbing reality of discrimination against victims of mental health disorders can never be ignored as it ultimately influences their social position. Mental health is associated with the stigma in different societies that negatively influences the equilibrium of society. Currently, the phenomenon of mental illness is common but on the other hand, social acceptance of this reality is extremely low. This specific issue exists because society, in general, has typical views about mental health issues. The stereotypical approach of society about mental illness affects people in different chronic forms. It is noteworthy to indicate that the aspects of stigma and discrimination further lead to the issue of mental instability for the victims.
Social stigma is attached to the issue of mental health disorders and eventually create an extensive gap between victims of mental disorders and other individuals. Discrimination with regard to mental health ultimately makes the situation worse for the people who are going through any form of mental disorder (Zolnierek, 2009). Identification of public attitudes towards mental illness is an essential practical measure to evaluate the overall perception of society in this manner. The perceptions of different societies about the stigma of mental illness problems are changing but this problem at an extensive level still persists. Attitudes towards mental health issues extensively changed over time but this scenario varies in different societies.
Lack of appropriate information about mental health issues is recognized as one major factor of negative perception set by the people. Social isolation, unemployment, and poverty are some major problems that exist in society for people who experience a mental health disorder. In general, people are not willing to develop social associations with the ones who are struggling with any form of mental imbalance. Lack of public awareness about mental health disorders eventually creates the issue of negative perceptions of society. Society plays its role as an important stakeholder when it comes to mental health stigma. It is observed that there are specific beliefs or perceptions of the society associated with the concern of mental health disorders. Different forms of rejection for mentally ill individuals is a common phenomenon that prevails in society. The stereotypical perception by society as a whole plays its role as the prevalent barrier in the prevention of different mental health issues. This specific hurdle is alarming and requires the necessary attention to ensure proper treatment and social assistance for mentally ill individuals.
Mental Health Disorders Perceived by Different Ethnic Groups
Racial or ethnic differences play a critical role in the perceptions of different mental health disorders. The difference in cultures plays a critical role in what judgment is made about the people who suffer from mental health issues. A detailed assessment of different ethnic groups of society indicates that mental health care is mostly neglected by people of ethnic minorities. It is important to identify the main reasons for this specific development concerning the overall approach towards mental health disorders. African American is recognized as one major ethnic group that is associated with the broader form of American society. A comprehensive understanding of the specific ethnic group of African Americans, reveals that every individual is at the risk of having some form of mental health disorder.
The community of African American is at high risk of mental health disorder that influences people in different forms. This ethnic community faces different forms of challenges when it comes to formed perceptions about mental health concerns. Race-based exclusion from health services is another major factor that influences the perception of African Americans about mental health disorders. Racism is one continuous prospect of concern for African Americans when it comes to mental health disorders. With time, the issues of negative stereotypes and discriminated behaviors about mental health disorders are decreased in the ethnic community of African Americans, but it requires improvement (Reupert & Maybery, 2007). Adverse consequences of negative perception still prevail and ultimately affect the proper diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. National statistics of the country explicitly indicate that people belonging to the African American community are 20 percent more likely to face serious mental health issues as compared to other groups of society. These numbers are alarming and show that the issue of mental health disorders is poorly handled, specifically, in the case of this ethnic group. Prejudice against different mental disorders ultimately makes it difficult for young African Americans to successfully deal with their mental health concerns.
The ethnic group of Asian Americans is also greatly facing the issue of the wrong perception of different forms of mental health disorders. The existence of mental health stressors is high in the Asian community due to the implications of specific cultural values. Facing any form of mental health disorder is generally established as a great taboo in the Asian community. It is observed that Asian people mostly never avail the options of treatment or medical assistance to deal with their mental health disorders (Tosh, Clifton, Xia, & White, 2014). Generally, the issues of mental disorders are unnoticed for the Asian American community that ultimately increases the negative perceptions about mental health. It is observed that most Asian people are not willing to give required importance to mental health disorders due to their specific cultural values and standards. Discussing mental concerns is considered as something unmentionable in Asian culture leading to increased risk of serious complications of mental health disorders. Social shaming about mental health concerns causes many other psychological imbalances. The issue of suicide attempts is critical for Asian young individuals who find it difficult to consult any professional about their mental health concerns. Detailed consideration of two important ethnic groups of the country indicates that cultural restrictions play a critical role in developing negative perceptions about mental health issues.
Treatment Approaches in case of Severe and Moderate Mental Illnesses
The adoption of a suitable treatment approach is necessary to successfully address the issues of mental illness. The provision of timely treatment eliminates further psychological complications for the victims who face different mental issues. The occurrence of mental health issues can be categorized into two major forms; severe and moderate mental illnesses. The role of healthcare professionals is important in ensuring the provision of different treatment approaches according to the actual intensity of mental health disorders. Appropriate diagnosis is a crucial stage to propose suitable treatment approaches according to the needs of different individuals. Evidence-based psychological treatment is an essential measure to align treatment approaches with the magnitude of mental illness (Neupane, Dhakal, Thapa, Bhandari, & Mishra, 2016). It is noteworthy to consider that the treatment of mental illnesses can be established in a variety of settings with the involvement of different services providers such as counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, and support professionals. It is essential to consider that there is no standard pattern when it comes to providing treatment for different mental health problems. It is the responsibility of healthcare providers to adopt the most suitable approach according to the needs of each patient as an individual.
Psychiatric hospitalization is recognized as a suitable treatment option when the patient is suffering from severe mental illness. This specific approach occurs when a person is admitted to a medical or private psychiatric hospital to attain immediate professional medical assistance. This method of treatment is usually comprised of the medical domains of stabilization, close assessment, medication, active administration of fluids and nutrition and other forms of emergency (Bahorik, Newhill, & Eack, 2013). The option of psychiatric hospitalization is viable when there is the existence of extreme mental health symptoms. The severe mental illness factors can be established in the form of hallucinations, suicidal attempts, issues with sleeping and eating and inability to care for themselves due to improper mental health. Inpatient or residential mental health treatment is another suitable option for severe mental health illnesses. This form of treatment is defined as the residential facility on a 24/7 basis. This type of treatment is most suitable when there is a need for constant supervision for the patient who is dealing with severe mental health concerns. Observation of severe symptoms leads to the approach of outpatient mental health intervention for the patients. This form of treatment can be adopted in many different forms such as the practical domains of counseling, medication, medical supervision, group therapy, etc. The main aim of this type of treatment program is to ensure consistent medical treatment for individuals who are not able to effectively perform their daily tasks due to the occurrence of severe signs of mental illness.
On the other hand, outpatient mental health treatment is an option for individuals who are struggling with moderate signs of mental illness. This form of treatment never expects participants to live at the hospital for the continuous treatment and supervision from the healthcare professionals. In this particular approach, participants visit the treatment area on certain time frames to attain a better form of counseling. The prospect of outpatient mental illness treatment is recognized as a preferable approach for individuals who are dealing with moderate mental health concerns. The existence of moderate mental health illness demands a strong support system for the patients to successfully handle their complex and difficult situations. When it comes to outpatient mental health treatment, there are significant options for healthcare providers. These practical measures include domains of individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, the existence of various support groups, etc.
Impact of Poverty and Socioeconomic Status on Mental Health Treatment
Poverty and socioeconomic status are recognized as two important factors when it comes to addressing the approach of mental health treatment. The practical idea of mental health treatment can never be separated from the financial positioning of individuals who are suffering from psychological concerns. The aspects of poverty and socioeconomic status can be defined as the low-income level that ultimately influences the approach of proper mental health treatment. The issues of poverty and low socioeconomic status eventually increase the intensity of mental health illness for the patients. On practical grounds, it becomes difficult for economically deprived patients to attain suitable medical assistance in order to deal with their psychological concerns. In some areas, people are struggling with different mental health illnesses due to their inability to get costly mental health assistance from professionals. This is one chronic phenomenon that requires the immediate and necessary attention of the healthcare providers and policymakers. There is a need for initiating and implementing better intervention programs to ensure proper medical support for economically deprived individuals (Ma, 2017). It is also vital to consider that the risk of mental health problems is high for people who live in poverty.
The adverse socioeconomic conditions eventually cause the development of many other psychological concerns. Identification of this approach requires the necessary attention to deliver better mental health treatment to poor individuals on priority. Adoption of proper public policy measures can be feasible in this regard to offer better solutions when it comes to consideration of poverty in case of mental health treatment. Active involvement of all the shareholders is essential to successfully handle the prevailing association between poverty and concerns of mental health treatment.
Contemporary Issues Concerning Mental Health and Society
Proper exploration of contemporary issues in case of mental health concerns and society is an essential approach to successfully address this phenomenon. Social isolation and risk to substance abuse are the two major issues concerning the approach of mental health and society. The stigma of mental health ultimately turned into social segregation for the victims who suffer from any form of mental illness. Feeling of loneliness is one common and serious issue in society that makes it difficult for the patient of mental illness to sustain in society. Lack of consistent contact with other members of the society ultimately enhances social pressure for the ones who are dealing with any form of mental health issue.
The inappropriate conduct of society towards mental health issues also increases the risk of substance abuse in society. The statistics of the country clearly indicate that mental health concerns significantly in the forms of depression and anxiety increase the risk of involving in the calamity of drug abuse. Substance-related disorders are closely linked with the prospect of mental health issues. The existence of this connection ultimately causes severe outcomes when it comes to assessing the mental health approach of society. The improper attitude of society towards the genuine concerns of mental health also becomes the reason for the increasing rate of crimes in society (Swanson & Felthous, 2015). People who are suffering from the issues of social isolation and drug abuse eventually instigates them to involve in different illegitimate activities.
Conclusion
To conclude the discussion about the role of society in case of mental health issues, it is important to mention that active response from the society members is essential to deal with this concern. Inadequate awareness about mental health illnesses increases the gap that persists in case of the prevailing connection between the patients of mental health illness and the other members of the society. The role of healthcare professionals is critical for the implementation of suitable treatment approaches to successfully address the issues of mental illness. The active intervention of all the shareholders is crucial to change the negative perception of society about mental health issues.
References
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Bahorik, A. L., Newhill, C. E., & Eack, S. M. (2013). Characterizing the longitudinal patterns of substance use among individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness after psychiatric hospitalization. Addiction, 108(7), 1259–1269.
Ma, Z. (2017). How the media cover mental illnesses: A review. Health Education, 117(1), 90–109.
Neupane, D., Dhakal, S., Thapa, S., Bhandari, P. M., & Mishra, S. R. (2016). Caregivers’ attitude towards people with mental illness and perceived stigma: A cross-sectional study in a tertiary hospital in Nepal. PloS One, 11(6), e0158113.
Reupert, A., & Maybery, D. (2007). Families affected by parental mental illness: A multiperspective account of issues and interventions. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(3), 362–369.
Swanson, J. W., & Felthous, A. R. (2015). Guns, mental illness, and the law: Introduction to this issue. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 33(2–3), 167–177.
Tosh, G., Clifton, A. V., Xia, J., & White, M. M. (2014). Physical health care monitoring for people with serious mental illness. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (1).
Zolnierek, C. D. (2009). Non‐psychiatric hospitalization of people with mental illness: Systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(8), 1570–1583.
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