Mental illness in America has been a sore subject for a long time. It is taboo to mention, and even worse if you or someone you love suffer from an illness such as that. This is the image society has of mental illness today. Mental illness is no different from any other disease mankind faces, and yet there is a negative stigma surrounding it in the U.S.A. I mean, we're America, right? We've got it all together. We are the big guns of the world... but that doesn't mean we don't have problems. Mental and emotional struggles are one of these problems. Yet, we hide it from one another and force each other to keep it to themselves instead of reaching out for help. There are ways to improve this, such as: improving the vision of males and females when it comes to certain disorders, recognizing it as a physical sickness, and providing more funding and awareness towards mental illness.
Men are seen as aggressive when they suffer from a mental illness and women are seen as emotional. Typically men do suffer from more psychotic and/or substance abusing illnesses, but this means they need help, not to be punished and looked down upon if they have done no wrong. Women have always been seen as the more emotional sex. Women suffer from illnesses more often than men that are more serious than emotions. However, when it comes to violence and crimes, a study done by Arcadia University discovered, “Consistent with prediction, the total number of index offences did not differ significantly between men and women. When index offences were categorized into violent and non-violent offences, there was no significant gender difference in the rate of charges for non-violent offences; however, contrary to prediction, among those referred to the NS MHC, men had significantly more charges for violent offences than women.” In society, when someone is suffering from mental illness, doctors are more likely to misdiagnose if they have a gender bias. Women are more prone to depression, so what a doctor may quickly write off as severe depression may be an underlying bipolar disorder. This stereotype is the first thing needed to dissipate in order to improve the overall outlook on mental health in America. Unfortunately, this is not the only area of society where gender biases come into play, but it should be one of the easiest steps to take to begin renewing the mental health care system.
Mental illness can’t be seen as simply “crazy” anymore. In order to improve the situation, we need to stop sweeping it under the rug. There need to be more doctors trained in mental health care. The attitude of Americans need to change. Families hide mental illness all the time because of how it can affect their reputations, rather than taking a child or spouse to the doctor like they would with any visible, physical anomaly. Mental illness is exactly what it means, an illness. It is not stunt for attention, it is not all in their heads, it is not something you need to be afraid of every time you meet a person who struggles with their mental health. It is a real disease that destroys the emotional stability of millions of Americans across the United States of America every day. Writer Reggie Abraham recounted the path of a pastor with a church member who had schizophrenia. He writes about the pastor and the church he leads, “It is proposed here that congregations need to grow in courage as they attempt to serve people who struggle with mental illness, just as people with mental illness exhibit courage in venturing out to participate in church life.” This proposes that the need for acceptance among those with mental illness, and that it may even be starting with the people you least expect it to come from, church goers. This attitude needs to spread all across America, and not just in the church.
Funding is another element necessary to strengthening the mental health care system. Without funding, less fortunate areas around the United States of America will not be able to carry the resources it’s residents will need for their mental health needs. The study of mental health between men and women by Arcadia University also says this as one of their conclusions: “Fueled by the shortage of mental health services in both the community and correctional institutions, as well as the potential for incarceration to exacerbate mental health symptoms, mentally disordered offenders often cycle through the criminal justice system (Dumont, Allen, Brockmann, Alexander, and Rich 2013). Over the past decade, numerous initiatives have been developed to halt or at least slow this “revolving door” (Schneider et al. 2007: 2) and to divert individuals into treatment. These initiatives are predicated on the notion that many people with mental illness who come into contact with the law would be better served (thereby increasing rehabilitation and reducing risk) by providing mental health services rather than correctional services.” There is an increased need for mental health care professionals not only for men and women who have trouble with the law, but also our older population. “At a time when growth in educational capacity and interest in geriatrics training is critical, fewer physicians are pursuing geriatric psychiatry (GP) or geriatric medicine (GM), too. Currently, the only pathway to GP certification is to complete a GP fellowship program and to sit successfully for the subspecialty board certifying examination. Since 1990, approximately 2,590 psychiatrists in the United States have received certification in GP, which does not begin to meet the future projected need for more than 5,500 geriatric psychiatrists by 2030—especially given the current attrition rate.” This shows how our elderly population also has a higher need for mental health care, but without proper funding, no age group can have access to the treatment and professionals they need. There will be no school counselors, therapeutic practices, mental health awareness assemblies, etc. Our government spends approximately 50 trillion on healthcare per year and yet mental health care is at the bottom of the list, receiving the least amount of funding. This needs to be split more equally, as mental health care is becoming needed more and more as this generation passes on.
Schools can provide more education to our younger generations on suicide, depression, anger, and other mental health difficulties. More advertisement and endorsement by the government as to why mental health is something that is needed in order to help change the perspective of American citizens. I have the opportunity to attend a school with multiple suicide prevention outreaches, motivational assemblies, and drug and alcohol use prevention assemblies as well. Not all schools across the United States have these privileges or the ability to provide their students with these types of awareness. These are circumstances students can fall into unintentionally or without even knowing they are in them. They can suffer from suicidal thoughts because of depression, struggle with mood swings from a bipolar disorder, abuse substances due to an underlying schizophrenia disorder, or any other number of combinations. Awareness starts with our younger generations because so many adults already have preconceived assumptions about mental illness. Because it is common for those with mental illnesses to get into trouble, they may end up in jail where there are, however, also several obstacles, such as a lack of adequate staffing and resources, limited housing and bed space for prisoners with mental illnesses, and a lack of post release services. In order to help them not end up in prison in the first place, awareness needs to be provided so they can recognize their resources before they make poor decisions that may make them wind up in prison due to their illnesses. It is easier to try to change our youth’s view and action on mental illness rather than the adults of the United States.
Mental health has always been a problem with humans. While it has grown to be more tolerated, it has not grown to be accepted. It is not seen on the same level as the flu, a common cold, pneumonia, cancer, or any other illness. It is constantly ignored and avoided. With reviewing the way we see men and women with a mental disorder, recognizing mental illness as important, and providing more awareness for it, it is possible to change the impending stigma surrounding mental health.
I urge you to take part in aiding this crisis in the mental health industry. There are too many people who go without resources and without answers as to why they feel the way they feel because society tells them to keep it to themselves. It is just as degrading to the human body as a physical illness, and needs to be cared for as such.
