The Mental Illness in America

Mental Disease

Mental disease is also known as a mental condition or a psychological disorder. It is important to note that psychiatric disease is typically referred to as a complicated situation that can only be diagnosed in a specialist mental health hospital. Victims with mental disease can experience excruciating pain as well as a reduction in their ability to function in daily life. Symptoms of the mental disease may manifest themselves in a variety of ways, and they can linger, remit, rebound, or appear as a single episode. According to medical experts, various psychiatric illnesses have been identified with different symptoms, and such symptoms are often said to vary in terms of different environmental factors (Lasser, et al.10). There is need to clearly emphasize that the actual cause of mental disorders have remained unknown however various medical field have attempted several discussion of the perceive causes and theories defining mental illness have been incorporated from a large number of fields. Therefore mental illness has been associated with distinct features of how people think, perceive, feel or behave. Mental illness could be associated with the behavioral characteristics of a particular location, and the social context of the functionality of the brain. Therefore there is need to adequately emphasize the when making diagnosis of mental illness factors such as religious believes, social norms as well as cultural implications should be taking into consideration. There is need to clearly point out at this juncture that mental illness could be termed and classified as primary research issue for health care providers and these who carry out such forms of diagnosis. Based on discoveries by research conducted in this field mental illness can be defined as a condition that has to do with the state of mind of an individual or the state by which an important functional aspect in of the mind is impeded. Over the year’s researchers have classified mental illness as a cause for increased number of deaths in the society and that mental illness could also result in a considerable loss of autonomy, (Corrigan, et al. 32). There is need to clearly emphasize that this study shall be tailored to provide an overview of the mental illness in America and at the end, it shall provide a conclusion, to sum up, the ideas of the study.

An Overview of Mental Illness in America

There is need to clearly emphasize that the American society is complex containing with a mixture of people from different race, ethnic and lifestyle forming one society. With these form complexities in mind, there is need to also note that the America society consists of varied behavioral traits and patterns. Statistics have proven that about 42 million American adult i.e. about 18.2% of the total population of American adults are said to suffer from one mental illness or the other. Some of the commonly reported mental illnesses in the American society include depressions, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. Data compiled and released by (SAMHSA) Substance abuse and mental health service administration reveals that about 9.4 million adults i.e. about 4%of the total U.S population from the ages of 18 upward are said to experience one form of chronic mental disorder and such condition have also been said to have impeded the conduct of their normal day to day activities, (Bekiempis 1). According to report released by (SAMHSA) in 2002, about 45.9 million American adults who are about 20% of the entire population of adults in the United States are said to currently experience one form of mental illness at least once a year. There need to clearly stress that based on the statistics released by the apex mental health service institution in America, the rate of reported mental illness in America is alarming, (Bekiempis 1-2). There has also been stress that reported cases of mental illness in unequally distributed in American; some states are said to have a high prevalence of mental illness while other American states have very low reported cases. 23% of the adult population of Utah has at one time or the other experienced mental illness; while West Virginia has only 5.5% of reported chronic mental illness among its adults. There need to also clearly emphasize that the Midwest region and the South Pacific region are said to have suffered more mental illness among its adults than in any other region in American, (Bekiempis 2-3).

Causes of Mental Illness in America

There is need to clearly emphasize that the prevalence of mental health disorder in the United States is not secret. It has been reported that many Americans suffer from all manner of mental health related illness. There is need to explicitly stress that there seems to be no improvement in the reduction of this prevalence irrespective of the increased number of available treatment methods. There is need to clearly emphasize that in the American society mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, depression, social phobia anxiety and the likes are considered as a direct result of substance abuse. Researchers have continued to prove that while the American mental health service administration is constantly seeking for remedies with an upgrade medicine and treatment options, there have been little or no improvement in the general mental health conditions of the American society. Statistics proves that one in about ten Americans suffers from depressions yearly, (Keyes, 25-26).

Heredity Trait

Haven provided the above background there is need to focus on specific causes of mental illness in America. Heredity trait- mental illness is said to be prevalent about Americans whose parents or close relations have suffered from such illness at one time or the other. These methods of transference are considered valid as there is the possibility of passing susceptibility to mental illness from parents to children because such form of illness runs in the family blood. American experts are of the opinion that one of the causes of mental illness in the county is heredity. The mental health experts have clearly stressed that mental illness can be linked to a form of abnormality resident in the gene and hence it can be transferred. However, the medical health expert clearly emphasizes that a person could have a potential mental illness in his or her gene. However, the actual manifestation of mental illness is trigger by lifestyle, (Keyes, 29).

Exposure to Suitable Environmental Condition Before Birth

Haven pointed out the fact that heredity is a primary cause of mental illness in America, other causes worthy of note includes exposure to suitable environmental condition before birth. Researchers have shown that most pregnant ladies in America engaged in the excessive consumption of alcohol and heavy drug usage hence exposing their unborn children to suitable conditions that could be linked with mental illness while such children are still in the womb. It has also been pointed out that interruption in brain chemistry is also a cause of mental illness in America. Experts claim that neurotransmitters are supposed to naturally occur in the brain and their primary function is to transport signals from the brain to other parts of the body. When the network responsible for the transmission is impeded the resultant effects is referred to as nervous system change which results in depression. There is need to clearly point out that one of the prevalent causes of mental illness in the American society is substance abuse. Research has shown that one of the longer-term effects of substance abuse is mental illness and there have also been facts to prove that America is one of the biggest substance abusing nations in the world, (Keyes, 30).

Effects of Mental Illness in America

There is need to clearly emphasize that mental illness as a number of effects. These effects could be related to the individual with such illness, families of the patient and the society in general is also affected.

On Individuals

It must be clearly understood that mental illness has some specific effects of the patient or individuals suffering from such illness. The form of disorder leads to the possibility of lowers quality of life; it also results in educational difficulties i.e. lower assimilations, poverty, and a host of other social problems. People with mental illness tend to compromise education as they are not able to coordinate and effectively carry out educationally related activities, hence limited possibilities of completion of studies. Research has also shown that people with mental illness have lower productivity rates at work and this often results in unemployment. The resultant effects of unemployment is the possibility of lower income hence people with mental illness are likely also be affected by poverty. It must also be noted that it is difficult to treat patients with medical disorders. Medical reports prove that patient suffering from mental illness such as depression is less likely to adhere to medications hence slowing down their recovering process, (Thompson, 1-2).

On Families/Caregivers

It is an enormous task to provide care for people with mentally related issues, and the form responsibility is most often falls on the immediate families or close relatives of patients. The burden of care giving also has some effects on average American families. Caregivers are usually unable to work in full capacity hence reducing their income earning abilities due to the demand to provide care and support to patients. Apart from the financial consequence of placed families caring for patients with mental illness, providing care for patient with mental illness also have a couple of emotional effects on the caregivers. Most of the care providers are report to go through a lot of stress as a result of the physical and emotional challenges they face while providing care for the sick member of the family, (Thompson, 2-3).

On the Society

There need clearly point out that the effects of mental illness also streams down and affects the American society. Although the consequences associated with mental illness vary from one culture to another. In the United States, the initial effect of mental illness is in terms of financial consideration the government spends a lot of money on research so as to provide treatments for mental illness. WHO claims that developed countries losses about $7bn to mental illness annual. It has also been argued that the United States loses about 4 million work days and about 20 million work reductions as a result of lower work performance annually, due to mental illness, (Thompson, 3-4).

Ending Mental Illness Stigma in America by Providing Education and Support

There is need to stress that there is an inadequate societal consideration for people with mental illness around the world and America is not left out of it. One of the primary emotional effects of mental illness in the American society comes from stigmatization. In America, people with mental health issue are regarded as totally insane and are often faced with tendencies of stigmatization. The form of stigmatization includes discrimination and stereotyping. The most complex form of stigmatization faced by people with mental health issues is that of structural stigmatization (Rüsch, et al. 33-35). This occurs when organizations and instructions prevent prohibits access to people with mental health challenges. Haven precisely emphasizes the medium for stigmatization; there is need also to point out medium by which these forms of stigmatization can be ended.

First, there is a need to integrate people with mental illness into the society. People should learn to talk to people with mental illness, by doing so they feel loved and this will also help them to consider themselves as part of the society. Another way to end stigmatization is by encouraging the American Society to learn all they can about the mental health condition. Hence, the society can easily accept these people and nurse them back to recovery by informing victims of basic mental health tips. There is need to conclude this session by pointing out that one way by which the American society can reduce stigmatization of people with mental illness is via the practice of empathy, (Corrigan 24). Empathy will chart a course towards for removing stigma by applying the following steps. Be courteous to people with mental health issues, talk to them, and listen to them. By being courteous, you make them feel loved; by listening to them, you get to know their side of the story and talking to them you can offer a little help. There is need to clearly emphasize that stigmatization for people with mental illness is against the norms of the society hence it must be discouraged in America.

Conclusion

Mental illness is a condition associated with an improper functioning of the human nurse system which could lead to an excessive reaction and could also result in lower reactions or withdraw. Recent research and reports have proven an increase in rates of mental illness in America; these reports have attributed a number of factors to the increase the prevalence of mental illness in America. Such factors include heredity and excessive drug abuse. There is need to emphasize that this study also pointed out the effects of mental illness on specific stakeholders such as the individuals, the caregivers and the society as a whole. The study also discovered that based on the state of mind and the physical behavior of patients of mental illness, they tend to face an immense discrimination and stigmatization. However, the study therefore recommends that this form of prejudice and stigmatization be discouraged, and patients with mental illness should integrate into the American society hence speeding up their recovery and re-acclimatization.

Work Cited

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