Social Stigma and Mental Illness - Essay Example

SOCIAL STIGMA AND MENTAL ILLNESS: A mental illness is a disorder that causes mild to severe abnormalities in thinking, cognitive functions and behavior patterns of the affected people.  If these disturbances are too severe, they may impair a person’s ability to cope with life’s ordinary demands and routines. Mental illnesses are still stigmatized in contemporary society, in spite of a general increase in awareness about such diseases as depression and anxiety. Even the very term “mental illness” has a negative connotation to it as opposed to “physical illnesses”. The widespread perception is that mental illnesses are somehow “worse” and patients afflicted with it “unpredictable” and “dangerous”. While such labels are applicable to a small fraction of patients, a majority of them are “normal” individuals by common standards. Their disorders and disturbances only affect their concentration, cognition and efficiency. Yet, they get ostracized for their condition. The mainstream media plays a significant role in spreading such misconceptions among the citizenry. As a matter of statistic, crime rates among the mentally disturbed are quite similar to that of the control group (Angermeyer, 2004). Yet, the media portrays them as people prone to violent and antisocial behavior. For example, “Mental illness also has not received the sensitive media coverage that other illnesses have been given. We are surrounded by stereotypes, popular movies talk about killers who are "psychos" and news coverage of mental illness only when it related to violence. We also often hear the causal use of terms like "lunatic" or "crazy," along with jokes about the mentally ill. These representations and the use of discriminatory language distort the public’s view and reinforce inaccuracies about mental illness.” (Schulze, 2003) It is not an even keel with all types of afflictions. Some of them like schizophrenia are subject to more ridicule and stigma than say depression. People affected with this condition are portrayed as “psychos”, “whackos”, “nut balls”, etc. While disorders like depression don’t attract such treatment as a result of widespread awareness about anti-depressants within the mainstream media (Kelly, 2007). There are other negative consequences to such stigma. For one thing, many people shy away from getting proper treatment for their conditions on fear of being ridiculed and disparaged. They also develop unreasonable fears of abandonment by their family and friends once the illness comes to light (Kelly, 2007). When someone is a little different than the normal stereotype, they immediately become prone to stigmatization. There are a whole range of negative stereotypes that is not approved of or respected in society. For example, sexual orientation, skin color, ethnic accents, etc. are all subject to ridicule and disregard. This discrimination becomes more hostile and takes unreasonable proportions when it comes to mental illnesses. People who are at the receiving end of such discrimination lose their sense of objectivity and start doing things to make them acceptable. Their personal beliefs and values take a backseat as “people pleasing” becomes their primary cause. In some conservative social settings many legends, myths and falsehoods are passed on from one generation to the other through study of classical texts, etc. Although the people studying them understand the dubiousness of the negative conceptions, they still fall victim to indoctrination. So, at a subconscious level they still hold prejudices and hostilities toward stereotypes that are deemed unacceptable in civil societies. Due to inaccuracies and misunderstandings, people have been led to believe that an individual with a mental illness has a weak character or is inevitably dangerous (Jamison, 2006). For example, Also, “Some people also believe that those with mental illness are less competent, unable to work, should be institutionalized or will never get better. As a result of such stigma, mental illnesses remain the butt of jokes in popular culture. Negative portrayals of people with mental illnesses fuel fear and mistrust and reinforce distorted perceptions, leading to even more stigma.” (Murray, 2006) Since mental illnesses are “invisible”, in that their symptoms are psychological as opposed to physiological, makes them all the more suspicious and mysterious. No wonder then that some corners of the world still maintain traditions and practices that deal with mental illnesses through mysticism and black magic (Jamison, 2006). Most of us have an idea of what it is to suffer from a mental illness, but most of our perceptions and understandings have been distorted through traditionally held social beliefs and attitudes. In this regard, the advertiser supported popular media, as a reflection of society, has done almost nothing to change this distorted view of mental illnesses. Even today, characters in soap operas and movies who are shown as aggressive, dangerous and unpredictable have their abnormality attributed to a mental illnesses (Weiss, 2006). Also, the stigma is worse for certain mental conditions. For example, Schizophrenia is more widely stigmatized than disorders such as depression, anxiety and panic attacks. So much so that it is regularly mocked and made fun of in the mainstream culture leading to lack of compassion for the patients. Contrastingly depression is less subject to ridicule, given the sober and melancholic nature of the symptoms. The popular advertisements for antidepressant medications have further made the illness well understood and hence more acceptable in the modern society (Kelly, 2007). With increasing progress in the medical sciences, and especially psychology and sociology, our society is at an opportune time to turnaround the dark history of stigmatization associated with mental illnesses. Yet, while physicians try to understand the workings of the brain, many of its functions still remain a mystery. Even at the most advanced research laboratories, the abnormal functioning of the brain is only understood at a theoretical level, without any concrete evidence to substantiate it. But what is important though is that there is a consensus within the medical community that most psychiatric illnesses are induced to physiological (or organic) causes. To this extent, they are on par with physical illnesses like cancer and tuberculosis. Hence, the sufferers should be treated just like the physically afflicted get treated. This thesis is one of the most important one to have emerged in medical sciences over the last decade or so. It is hoped that a wider awareness of this new sociological understanding of mental illnesses will pave the way for a more tolerant society (Lieberman, 2007). For example, “It is sometimes easy to forget that our brain, like all of our other organs, is vulnerable to disease. People with mental illnesses often exhibit many types of behaviors such as extreme sadness and irritability, and in more severe cases, they may also suffer from hallucinations and total withdrawal.  Instead of receiving compassion and acceptance, people with mental illnesses may experience hostility, discrimination, and stigma.” (Coker, 2005) An effort to raise awareness among people about the facts about mental illnesses will go a long way in alleviating the suffering of millions of affected individuals. Discrimination against people afflicted with mental disorders is common across geographies and cultures. The old and the young alike are subject to ridicule and social isolation as a result. One recent survey had found that one in six people in the Western countries have gone through periods of mental illnesses at one point or other in their lives. Hence, this problem should be addressed in political forums like the Congress and the Senate. The twenty percent of the population that goes through the ordeals of dealing with mental illnesses can organize themselves into a political force and get some legislation done that reflects the necessary empathy and seriousness this class of the populace deserves. The lack of awareness among the policymakers can have dire consequences in professional and personal lives of the affected individuals (Angermeyer, 2004). The stigma associated with mental illnesses can have a profound effect on the individual affected. For example, “This affects their ability to perform duties, their revival, treatment procedure and support they receive, and their recognition in the group of people. Stigma is considered as a sign of shame, dishonor or disapproval, of being rejected by others. Stigma is painful and humiliating. It is a need of hour to address the root causes of the myths and ignorance that surround social stigma.” (Angermeyer, 2004) At this juncture, it is relevant to highlight the ways in which a mental disorder differs from a physical one and hence making it susceptible to ridicule. Firstly, the very term “mental” implies that the disorder is somehow out of the ordinary. Secondly, there is a widespread misconception that somehow mental illnesses are brought about by the victims themselves. Such remarks as “just snap out of it”, “you attitude is pessimistic”, “it’s all because of your whacky imagination”, etc. are uttered quite commonly, but they remain insensitive and rude nevertheless. These remarks from the social circle can damage the already low self-esteem of the suffering individual pushing him/her into a never ending cycle of shame, guilt and despair. Some insensitive people also attribute the illness to the laziness or moral cowardice of the afflicted individual, which again is totally wrong and adds to this despicable phenomenon of stigma (Kelly, 2007). There are many harmful effects associated with stigma. For example, the following is a list of the common psychological distortions that the patient experiences as a result of the stigma. Some of the following have more painful consequences for the patient than what the stigma can do per se: Trying to pretend nothing is wrong Refusal to seek treatment Rejection by family and friends Work problems or discrimination Difficulty finding housing Being subjected to physical violence or harassment Inadequate health insurance coverage of mental illnesses But of late things are looking up for patients with mental disorders. For example, there is a small but perceptible change in the public consciousness about their understanding of mental disorders. This is basically due to the awareness efforts taken by philanthropic and pharmaceutical corporations. Many celebrities and public figures have also freely disclosed their struggles with their mental conditions, which has contributed to lessening the shame associated with such mental conditions. With more research and more advanced methods of treating these illnesses, the situation can become much better for the mentally disordered. Also, on part of the patients themselves, having the courage to openly deal with their plight can go a long way in reducing stigma (Jamison, 2006). But patients with mental disorders can help themselves cope with their stigmatizing experiences by adopting a few cognitive behavioral techniques. They can do this on their own or with the help of a psychologist. Also, the patient has to make discerning choices as to how and whom to disclose their problems with. For instance, some may be uncomfortable talking about their problem to anyone at all. But ideally, a balanced approach to sharing the struggles will have a therapeutic effect on the patient. This can be achieved by involving their close friends and confidants or being part of a support group. In the latter case, the patient will have the added advantage of gaining new perspective on the illness through the experience of other patients. By also pushing for more awareness within the close social network and by politely reminding those who pass hurtful comments and jokes, the magnitude of stigmatizing can be effectively curbed. The following are a list of things that the patient can proactively implement in order to successfully negate the negative effects of stigma. Getting proper psychological counseling is paramount in this regard. Surrounding oneself with understanding and supportive people will also help. Being assertive but polite when confronted with disparaging remarks is another useful tip in nipping stigma at its bud. On a political level, joining an advocacy group to bring about legislative change will help lay the foundation for more special legal accommodations in the future. But most important of all, the individual struggling with a mental illness should never compare him / her with others, which can only bring down the self-esteem. To the contrary, he/she should accept himself/herself as they are and try to function as an individual within their own limitations (Schulze, 2003). Usually, mental illnesses alongside other physical disabilities and additions are prone to stigma. This issue is generally not given proper redress due to the sensitive and delicate nature of talking about these. According to one expert on the subject, “For those living with mental illness, the stigma imposed upon them in society can lead to a lack of funding for services and public education, difficulty in finding employment, or in getting a mortgage, or even holiday insurance. Ultimately, the silence and lack of understanding about mental illness encourages feelings of shame, and discourages people to seek treatment or even to admit that symptoms they may be experiencing may be related to a mental illness.” (Lieberman, 2007). Research has also indicated that the popular mainstream media shares the blame for propagating myths and stereotypes associated with mental illnesses. For example, a study found that nearly three fourths of the people with mental disorders felt that the media coverage is generally “unfair, unbalanced and negative” in its portrayal of mental illnesses. Many of the participants of the study also felt that other people behaved in a hostile manner toward them as a result of the media influence (both print and electronic mediums) (Jamison, 2006). If the portrayal of celebrity stories in the media shows such ignorance and insensitivity on part of the popular media, then the plight of the ordinary people is all the more intense. The media also tends to indicate that mental illnesses somehow contribute to violent crimes in the society. A renowned media expert asserts that use of indignation inducing language seen in the media can “discourage people from seeking the help they need, because they are afraid of being viewed this way. This kind of irresponsible coverage also promotes the idea that mental illness is something to be ashamed of”. This is where the general public need to show their solidarity with the mentally ill and demand higher standards from the media corporations. For example, it is common to see charitable organizations bringing to notice irresponsible reporting on mental health issues. In a similar vein, members of the general public should also write to the editors and producers of media content so that mental illnesses get an unbiased and empathetic portrayal. 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