Mental Illness Stereotypes

The daily challenges for several people with a serious mental illness is double normal people. First of all, the symptoms and disabilities from the disease alone is a struggle. On the other hand, the stereotypes and prejudice from misconception about their mental illness is also a challenge. These individuals with a mental illness is often deprived and robbed of the favorable possibilities that define a great life, such as: being financially stable with a good job, great health care, stable housing, and attachment with a diverse group of people. However, researchers have recently started to explain stigma in mental illness, they have come a long way to understand the impact of this disease. Unfortunally, much needed work is still needed to
Stereotypes of mentally ill people such as: being dangerous, incompetent, being the cause or responsible of the illness, or even something as small as being unpredictable is generally considered active discrimination, from a public standpoint. Also, not taking someone in account with these conditions from social media or social in general, educational and employment opportunities can have a harmful affect too. These displays of discrimination can develop self-stigma, which could result as an internal defaces. Any negative thoughts expressed by other people towards someone with a mental illness can, in turn, make them think of themselves as unable to overcome, think no medical care will help, or dangerous, as I mentioned earlier in in this essay. As a result, that can lower their self- esteem, make them feel shame, and inability to accomplish their goals, which self- stigma can be developed into a “Why Try” mind set, whereby the start to believe “I will never recover or live a normal life so “why try?” Understandably, to avoid all the discrimination of being labeled as “mentally ill”, denying they have a problem or not seeking care at all manifest in their minds, which later turns to actions not being taken that are
If this was done two message would be interpreted. One, for the public, the inaccurate representation of the mental ill should come to a stop, which would result into people not believing the negative views about the illness. Consequently, protesting is a reactive strategy; It attempts to cease all the negative attitude towards the mental illness, but promoting a more positive attitude that are supported by fact is an epic fail. Education needs to be considered because it could provide information for the public to become more informed and knowledgeable of the mental ill and less likely to endorse stigma and