Sociology and Mental Illnesses - Essay Example

Introduction For a long time, mental health topic has been attracting a lot of interest from sociologists. Emile Durkheim, who is regarded as the father of modern sociology made one of the first attempts to interrogate the relationship between human behavior and mental health in the late 19th century. Since then, the field of mental health has expanded into many categories including the various types of mental disorders, their causative factors, treatment and rehabilitation of mental patients. This paper examines the fundamental reasons why sociologists are interested in people with mental disorders. In particular, it examines sick role and labeling sociological approaches to mental illness to evaluate how sociologists apply them to understand mental illness from a sociological perspective. Mental illness and biomedical model Psychiatrists and other mental professionals apply various diagnostic methods in treatment, and management of mental illnesses. These medical approaches have various similarities and differences from sociological perspective. Medical model that is widely applied by psychiatrists and psychologists considers illnesses as malfunctioning of internal health determinants in the body (Albretch, et al 2003). This implies that health is determined by discrete biological and psychological components that determine whether an individual is normal or healthy. To restore health, the medical model emphasizes on the need to indentify and treat the specific causative factors within the body (Mulatu, et al 2002). Psychiatry, a branch of medicine that deals with mental disorders is founded on scientific logic that emphasizes on biological reasoning. This reasoning maintains the existence of discrete boundary that differentiates normal from abnormal behavior as far as mental health is concerned (Albretch, et al 2003). In this case, the medical model holds that mental disorders can be categorized and diagnosed into distinct ailments, by application of scientific logic. Sociological approaches to illness Sociological perspective on mental health holds that the environment or social situation of an individual determines mental health (Bird, Conrad, and Allen 2000). Sociologists have critically interrogated what constitutes to normal and abnormal behavior in regard to mental health. Durkheim (1951), asserted the importance of establishing parameters to differentiate normal mental health from mental disorders in order to establish harmony in the society. The criterion that differentiates the normal from diseased mental cases varies across different cultures or social groups depending on the values that the group holds. Durkheim (1951) argued that social control play a significant role in determining how the rules defining normal and abnormal mental health are applied. This implies that social values play a critical role in defining acceptable unacceptable behavior in the society. In this case, evaluating mental disorders from a deviance perspective is one of the major approaches applied by sociologists. Parsons (1951), one of the earliest medical sociologists to conceptualize disease as a form of deviance in the society argued that society comprises of various components that function systematically to ensure its stability and smooth running. According to Parson (1951: p62), disease in every social structure threatens social harmony because it undermines the ability of people to play their roles effectively. In this view, sociologists consider health as a state that enables a person perform his or her role in the society as an equal member. On the other hand, disease is regarded as a form of deviance that limits the ability of an individual to contribute effectively in the society. According to Parson (1951), illnesses causes withdrawal of motivation, resulting to reduced participation and subsequent low productivity in society. Parsons model of mental disorders, from which sick role was developed from attributes the fall in motivation to high expectations that expects young people in transition from childhood to adulthood lead independent lives from their parents. The dynamic change in society that places much emphasis on material possessions and achievements exerts intense pressure on people (Parson, 1951). A combination of these factors increases the strain on individuals and the motivation retreats, becoming a mental disease. In this regard, mental illness is a form of defense mechanism that protects the body from the strains and pressure of daily lives (Parson, 1951, p83). Illness presents an individual with an opportunity to avoid social responsibilities, obligations and demands such as work, because it lowers the productivity of the affected individual. Therefore, Parsons Model of deviance assumes that a person does not have control of his or her thought leading to automatic mental illnesses when pressures or demand becomes too heavy to bear. In this case, mental illness occurs because of inherent “passivity and helplessness” of an individual in a society that values high levels of activity and personal independence (Bird, Conrad, and Allen, 2000). In addition, a combination of demands and pressure causes mental confusion in society that expects rationality (Bird, Conrad, and Allen 2000). Sick role is another sociological approach to illness experience. Cockerham and Ritchey(1997, p127) defines sick role as “the set of expectations that define the norms and values appropriate to being sick, both for the individual and other who interact with the person”. This implies that sick role in the social structure provides the affected person with an opportunity to withdraw from activity and recuperate with assistance from a medical professional. Therefore, Barnes, Oliver, and Barton, (2002) argued that the sick role is characterized with several prospects or expectations including the exemptions of the sickly people from conventional duties. In addition, this sociological approach assumes that falling sick is beyond human control and it is the wish of every sick person to regain health. In this case, sick role provides an opportunity for the sick persons to seek competent medical attention. It is through the provisions of sick role that the society attains a mechanism of regaining its productivity and smooth running of its operations. Scheff (1999) argues that it would be a disgrace in a contemporary society for a person already incapacitated by an illness to continue performing his traditionally prescribed role in spite of the obvious disability. In this case, the sick role approach provides a mechanism that prevents the person from working, and in the long term, both the society and the sick individual benefit after the person regains health and assumes his responsibilities. The current emphasis of health in the world and across all sectors of human endeavors is an indicator of the society’s willingness to embrace healthy practices and minimize or eliminate sickness at all costs. In view of the sick role approach, the opportunity provides the patient to cooperate with medical attendant in order to facilitate healing. However, some mental disorders deny the patient the opportunity to engage actively with medical personnel. Consequently, the affected person does not get the appropriate care and the illness persists. This explains why some mental illnesses present considerable social disturbances because they make the affected person incapable of perceiving and responding to their expected roles (Parson 1951). Application of sick role approach in mental disorders and other forms of illness presents some challenges to sociologists. Firstly, the approach does not take into consideration the adverse effects that happen to a person on withdrawal from social duties because of an illness. The incapacity to undertake normal duties mental and physical pain that occurs during withdrawal periods makes it an unpleasant moment. In societies with poor economic and social structures, withdrawing from responsibilities due sickness especially among the working class results to loss of income, leading to more suffering (Mulatu, et al 2002). Labeling theory is an important sociological approach that sociologist use to understand mental illness. This approach is founded on the assumption that how people are perceived or labeled by the wider society reinforces their behavior (Scheff, 1999). This implies that labeling people as abnormal reinforces their deviance. Labeling theory is one of the anti-psychiatric theories that emerged from observing social norms. In this case, Albretch et al(2003) argues that use of labels to describe mental illnesses arise not out of the critical observation and evaluation of the particular disorder, but on the established norms of the particular society. Therefore, mental illness or health is matter of social conformity. To differentiate mental disorders from other types of deviance, Scheff (1999) suggested a criterion that could be applied by sociologists to label such a person as mentally disturbed. Scheff (1999, p 137) argued that mentally sick individuals break the socially constructed “residual rules” that do not have an open label, but are nonetheless terror inspiring. The reaction of the society to the rule breaker plays a crucial role in determining the behavior of the offender. Thus if the society responds, the lawbreaker begins experiencing pressure to enter and conform to the role of a mentally sick person. Social pressure begins right from the family level, close members and other significant people who compel the individual to assume the role of mentally disturbed individual. Eventually, the person labeled a mentally disturbed eventually becomes sick once he or she loses the positive self-mental perception (Scheff, 1999, p148). Conclusion Sick role and labeling sociological theories to illness have described mental disorders in various terms. These include deviance that facilitates greater focus on the behavior of an individual and reason, which emphasizes on the mental processing capacity of a person. In addition, the current sociological approaches have established emotional expression of pain that demonstrates the interaction of the body and mind in determination mental health. In view of sociologists, environment and social factors play a critical role in determining mental health of an individual. In this case, the medical model applied by psychiatrists fails to address the issue of mental health adequately. To provide holistic solution to mental illnesses, it is important to incorporate sociological approaches to the medical model. References Albretch, G, et al (Eds)(2003). Handbook of social studies in health and medicine. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishers. Barnes, C., Oliver, M., and Barton, L.(2002). Disability studies today. Cambridge: Polity Bird, C., Conrad, P., and Allen, M.(2000). Handbook of medical sociology. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Cockerham, W., and Ritchey, F.(1997). Dictionary of medical sociology. Connecticut, WP: Greenwood Press. Durkheim, E.(1951). The social elements of suicide. Book 3 chapter 1. In Suicide: A study in sociology. New York: The Free Press. Mulatu, M., et al. (2002). Causal connections between social economic status and health: Reciprocal effects and mediating mechanisms. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 43(1): 18-46. Parsons, T.(1951). The social system: London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. Scheff, T.(1999). Being mentally ill: A sociological theory. 3rd ed. New York: Aldine De Gruyter. Read More