Mental Illness: Structural Function Approach - Essay Example

The theory stipulates that society is complex made up of structures that are interdependent and work together to fulfill their functions. It focuses on the importance of social structures in working together to fulfill functions important for the functioning of the whole society. These functions may be manifest functions (are recognizable and intended consequences of the social structures), latent functions (are unintended and unrecognizable like meeting new people), and dysfunctions which are the consequences that are not desirable in the society like failing, having mental illness among others (Wood and Tully 2006).

  Mental illness is viewed as an individual problem in society but it affects everyone. This is because according to this theory, society’s functions and structures are viewed holistically as one, and hence whatever happens to an individual in the society is seen to affect the whole society. In this regard, mental illness is, therefore, a dysfunction of the society’s health structure and hence a problem of all in the society. Mental illness is described as not having the mental ability or not being in the best mental health to be able to function normally, hence dysfunctions compare to the general public (Thompson 2006).

This is a broad definition and the same is pointed out in the article where most research on mental illnesses do not categorize those with serious mental illnesses (and who cannot function well) and those with mild forms of the mental illness and who can still work and function a bit in the society. Failure to categorize leads to generalizations hence further making the mental illness be an individual problem and not a societal one. This according to the article is because when a person becomes mentally ill, society distances themselves from that individual since mental illness is viewed as an individual problem (Draine et al. 2002). The mentally ill individual cannot work anymore and can also not be employed anymore; the first social problem of unemployment creeps in. Due to unemployment, the person ends up losing their property and this includes the house or the family leaves and hence the person becomes homeless.