The Problem of Discrimination Against the Mentally Ill

Mental illness can happen to anyone.  Each  year, more than 54 million Americans are affected by one or more mental disorders.

 Although medical science has advanced doctors and researchers are continuously working at solving unidentified working of the brain.  No one fully understands how the brain works or why it malfunctions. Researchers believe that many mental illnesses are probably the result of chemical   unbalance in the brain. These unbalances may be inherited, or may develop because of excessive stress or substance abuse. People with mental illnesses have many types of behaviors such as extreme sadness and irritability, and in more severe cases, they may also suffer from hallucinations and total withdrawal.  The general public has no empathy or understanding, people with mental illnesses often encounter hostility, discrimination and stigma.

The media is responsible for many of the misunderstandings which persist about people with mental illnesses.  Newspapers often stress a history of mental illness in the backgrounds of people who commit crimes of violence. Television news programs frequently dramatize crimes when persons with mental illnesses are involved. The media is one of the ways that stigma can be eradicated through education and influencing public opinion.

A mental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disturbances in thinking, perception and behavior.  These disturbances can significantly impair a person’s ability to cope with life’s ordinary demands and routines; proper treatment is needed by a doctor. With the care and treatment of a mental illness, a person can recover and resume normal activities. Many mental illnesses are believed to have biological causes, like cancer, diabetes and heart disease, but some mental disorders are caused by a person’s environment and experiences.

 Some common misconceptions about mental illness are: young people and children don’t suffer from mental disorders; it is estimated that more than 6 million young people in America suffer from a mental health disorder that severely disrupts their ability to function at home, in school, or in their community. People who need psychiatric care should be locked away in institutions; most people can lead productive lives within their communities with a support, programs, and medications. A person who has had a mental illness can never be normal; people with mental illnesses can recover and resume normal activities.  The mentally ill are dangerous; the majority of people with mental illnesses are not violent. In the cases when violence does occur, the incidence usually results from a feeling being threatened or excessive use of alcohol and/or drugs. People with mental illnesses can work low-level jobs but aren’t suited for really important or responsible positions;  people with mental illnesses, like everyone else, have the potential to work at any level depending on their own abilities, experience and motivation.

Stigma can disappear with education, understanding, and compassion. Share your experience with mental illness.  Convey to others that having a mental illness is nothing to be embarrassed about. Help people with mental illness reenter society.  Supporting their efforts to obtain housing and jobs is vital. Clarify the false statements about mental illness or people with mental illnesses.  Many people have wrong and damaging ideas. Facts and information can help change both their ideas and actions.