Examples Of Mental Illness In To Kill A Mockingbird

Treatment of the Mentally Ill in the United States
As once said by John Forbes Nash Jr, an American mathematician, “People are always selling the idea that people with mental illness are suffering. I think madness can be an escape If things are not so good, you maybe want to imagine something better.” Mental illnesses are illnesses of the brain that causes individuals to have altered behavior, mood, and thinking patterns. These illnesses can be caused by many reasons, such as an individual’s genetics, bodily infections, brain defects or injuries, or even damages caused while in developing in the womb. Despite the fact that many people are just beginning to become aware of mental illnesses and how people are affected by them, this topic has
Most of the population degraded the mentally ill, nonetheless there were still some individuals that supported these individuals. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, numerous social issues over the course of the plot, one of them being the treatment of people with disabilities. This social issue is presented mainly by two characters in the novel, one of them being Mrs Dubose. Mrs. Dubose was a racist elderly that lived in the same neighborhood as the Finches. In the novel, it is stated that “‘[She] was a morphine addict,’ said Atticus. ‘She took it as a pain-killer for years. The doctor put her on it.’... ‘She was the bravest person I ever knew’ (Lee 147). Through this quote, Atticus informed his children on Mrs. Dubose’s death, and how he felt as though her braveness should be looked upon. This example shows how certain people in the 1930s did support the mentally ill and one of their various views on them. The second character in the novel that presented this social issue was Arthur Radley. Arthur Radley was a character that was greatly mentioned in the beginning of the book for not showing his face that much in the neighborhood, and the condition of the house that he lives in. Towards the end of the novel with Scout finally physically meets him, she notices that “When [she] pointed to him his palms slipped slightly, leaving greasy sweat streaks on the
In the 1930s, mentally ill individuals were treated harsh forms of therapy and drugs. In modern day, the mentally ill are being treated with safer forms of therapy and more efficient forms of prescription medicine. For example, the mentally ill now have many different choices of therapy, such as psychotherapy, medication, hospitalization, support groups, and peer support. Psychotherapy is a form of therapy in which individuals talk with a psychologist that help them express their feelings and find ways in which they can learn how to deal with how they act, thoughts, symptoms, stresses, and goals. In addition to this, individuals may consider seeing a psychiatrist to be given prescription drugs for their illness that help manage symptoms. They may also consider admitting themselves into a hospital to have close watch over them, and receive the proper care they need (“Mental Health Treatments”). Lastly, they may also consider seeking the help of support groups and the support of other peers. An example of this would be support groups across the United States, such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Both of these support groups meet with different individuals that are experiencing the same feelings as each other, and come up with ways to aid in their journey to getting better (Carney). The various options of therapy that a