Mental Health Problems and Violence - Essay Example

Name Professor Institution Course Date Mental health problems and violence Introduction According to the world health organisation, mental health is “a state of well being in which a person realises that his or her abilities are capable of dealing with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to his or her community.” Hence mental fitness is not just the absence of mental disorder (Farrell, C. 2010). Mental illnesses and mental disorders affect any person. In fact 250000 people are admitted to psychiatric wards annually in the U.K alone. Mental disorders take different forms and affect different people differently (Allen, D. M. 2010) A great amount of people are able to live normal lives despite having mental problems. This happens in cases where there is early detection of the disease and hence early treatment. The most common types of mental disorders include: Depression: this disorder takes a toll on self esteem, appetite, libido and sleep. It gives one the feeling of hopelessness, frustration, exhaustion and worthlessness. The depression can be severe or mild. However it affects ones work and physical health. Anxiety: this is a disorder of excessive and constant worry about various aspects of life. It causes difficulty in sleep, increased heart beats, tensions in the muscles and restlessness (Volavka, 2002). Phobias: phobia is the exaggerated fear of a certain object or situation. It causes the subject to organise their life around avoiding that object or situation. It may arise from excessive anxiety. Schizophrenia: there is an inconclusive debate on whether schizophrenia is a condition on its own or a combination of different conditions in one (Volavka, 2002). It entails confusion and beliefs of things other people do not believe. It also involves hearing and seeing things other people do not see. Personality disorder: this involves troubles in changing ones thoughts, feelings and behaviour. It minimises the range of behaviours, reactions, thoughts and emotions in a person. It may be caused by various experiences and changes one has been through (Allen, D. M. 2010). Bipolar disorder: this involves extreme feeling of emotions and feelings. At one point the person may be overjoyed and active while in some instances the person may be deeply depressed and unhappy. Different types of bipolar disorder are determined by how severe it is. Obsessive-compulsive disorder: it is characterised by to features, obsession and compulsion. Obsession constitutes the undesired thoughts or ideas. For example, fear contamination of germs and dirt or ghosts (Allen, D. M. 2010) the compulsive part comprises of repetitiveness of an action that is important or desired. Identification of the most common health disorders is important to the discovery of violence in relation to mental disorders. Most assumptions lead to the fact that people with mental problems are violent. Rarely do people look at the possibility of the mentally ill being victims of violence. Research shows that the violence of mentally ill people is equal that of mentally healthy people. Substance abuse is the only element that can upset this equilibrium. This matter is constant for people suffering any problem. Extensive research on the risk of mentally ill people has not been conducted (Maden, T. 2007) However there is reason to believe that mentally ill people are at a high risk of violence. Eric Elbogen conducted a study to clarify the connection between violence and mental illness. Between 2003 and 2001 he collected data on 35000 people. They answered questions regarding their history of violence, drug and substance abuse and their mental problems. 9.4 % confessed to have mental problems and continued drug and substance use. 21.4 percent were mainly drug addicts while 11 percent suffered mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Between 2004 and 2005 Eric conducted a second study with the same people (Maden, T. 2007). In this interview they answered questions regarding their violent behaviours in the span of time between the interviews. The results indicated that 2.9 percent of the participants were violent in the span f time between the two studies. Evaluation of the results showed that mental illness was not a cause for violence on its own. The risk of violence among the mentally ill increased with the abuse of drugs and substance (Maden, T. 2007) .A history of violence, substance abuse and mental illness further heightened violence in the individuals. A 2.4 % accounted for violent individuals with severe mental problems. However, 64.7 percent accounted for people with mild mental problems who abused drugs. Pescosolido B. A, also conducted a research on the public opinion regarding the violence of mentally disturbed people. In his results 87.3 % drug users were more likely to be violent. 70.9 % alcohol users had high levels of violence while 60.9 percent schizophrenia patients had high risks of getting violent. 33.3 percent of suffering major depression and 16.8 percent of troubled people risked being violent (Silver, E. 2001). Later on corrections were made to show that the violence among those with depression schizophrenia had been overestimated. Research show that most mentally disturbed persons are not violent. It is clear even in many studies, that only substance abuse or alcohol can increase their violence. However the public believes that mentally ill people are violent. The violence witnessed in psychiatric clinics does not prove violence of mentally ill people Wettstein, R. (2000). This is due to the fact that those in clinics constitute extreme cases that need to be restrained. The media fails as a reliable source of information especially in this case. An event of violence by a mentally ill person is aired in negative light. As a result people are afraid of mentally ill people and prefer to keep their distance. The portrayal of the mentally ill as violent people in the media causes people to be judgemental. They would rather die from a normal robber than in the hands of a ‘crazy’ person. As a result of this element mentally disturbed people are stigmatised and victimised. People stay away from them or react violently toward them in the fear they will be attacked. The branding of mentally ill people as violent also provides an excuse for others to bully and victimise them. These atrocities toward the mentally ill are performed not only by strangers but also their families and partners. In regards to Volavka, J. (2002). Pescosodilo’s research continues to say that 63 percent of the mentally ill were physically abused by their girlfriends or boyfriends. 46 percent of the patients were abused by their families and relatives. 59 percent retaliated to the families attacks while three quarters of the others defended themselves from their partners. The research showed that the victimisation and bullying was serious involving beating, choking and being threatened with a gun or a knife. 8 percent of the victims lived in poor and dangerous neighbourhoods where they also faced criminal victimisation. Mark Bellis of Liverpool John Moores University conducted a research that supported the thesis that mentally retarded people are at the risk of violence. According to the research he and his colleagues posted on the Lancet, people with disabilities are victims of violence. However, the mentally ill are at a higher risk of violence. The research showed that the interpersonal difficulties of these individuals caused the violence toward them. Other factors that put the mentally ill at risk of violence included: their constant need for help in their daily life, their unemployment and little education, social stigma against them, minimised knowledge of self defence, and discrimination. The following is the meta-analysis of discrimination and violence against disabled adults: 50 percent of disabled individuals experienced physical or sexual abuse, 60 percent of the individuals with intellectual impairment experienced violence while 286 percent of the mentally ill experienced violence and abuse Flannery, D. J. (2006).Those with learning disabilities reported more cases of violence against them to the police. The victim confessed to have experience violence in the previous year. The mentally ill are more likely to experience homelessness, drug abuse, alcoholism, or poverty. All these factors put them at higher risks of violence by others. These people may also be harassed by policemen who might lock them up for a long period of time. The violence toward people with common disorders and those with severe mental disorder is similar. They face similar chances of violence in the public. Conclusion In conclusion, mentally ill people are unable to think of violence and act on it due to their condition. Obsessive-compulsive disorders patients for instance do not have the time to fight with people they would rather think about what their mind says is dangerous and keep avoiding it. Also a person suffering from dipolar disorder would not have the time to fight. It is only by embracing the mentally ill that the safety of these people is intact .The community would learn to embrace them and help them instead of beating them. It therefore becomes necessary to regulate what the media reports in regards to the mentally ill. Family members and partners should strive to understand the needs of the mentally ill person. This will enable the communication between people be improved. Ease in communication enables people to understand the needs of each other and co existence. Protection means should be used to reduce the amount of violence committed toward the mentally ill. References Allen, D. M. (2010).How dysfunctional families spur mental disorders: A balanced approach to resolve problems and reconcile relationships. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger. American Psychiatric Association. (1997).Violent behavior and mental illness. Washington, D.C.: APA. Flannery, D. J. (2006).Violence and mental health in everyday life: Prevention and intervention strategies for children and adolescents. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press Farrell, C. (2010). Mental disorders. Edina, Minn: ABDO Pub. Volavka, J. (2002). Neurobiology of violence. Washington: DC Maden, T. (2007).Treating violence: A guide to risk management in mental health. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Silver, E. (2001). Mental illness and violence: The importance of neighbourhood context. New York: LFB Scholarly Publications. Wettstein, R. (2000). Treatment of offenders with mental disorders. Guildford Publication Read More