Mental Health in Australia in 2005/2006
...ur equally among men and women.” It is linked closely to Depression yet due to the fact that it affects such a small amount of people, the greater public knows little about the disorders and as a result many suffering from Bipolar receive stereotypes as being ‘manically crazy’. Community perceptions According to the National Health Initiative, Stigma is a term used to describe a process where a person is denied full and equal social standing with another person. The process often begins with the application of a label that distinguishes "normal" or "well" people from "sick" or abnormal" people. Stigma takes many forms and occurs at many different levels. We can see evidence of the stigma surrounding mental illness at an individual, interpersonal and institutional level. Stigma around mental illness is everywhere. The term ‘Mental Illness’ draws many negative connotations and implies a serious distinction from a physical illness. In such a sense mental illnesses are categorised as being untreatable and more disturbing than any type of ‘physical Illness’, which is entirely incorrect. The stigma put towards mental illness and the classification that these people who suffer mental disorders are ‘crazy’ and should be left alone and locked up is very misleading and ultimately can greatly affect the people who suffer them and can only hinder their rehabilitation. Recovering from any long-term illness is a difficult enough process and the ability to recover depends entirely on the support/ perceptions of others around those suffering from mental disorders. One website out of the UK detailed perfectly why we have such stigma “We tend to feel uncomfortable when a person's behavior does not conform to social expectations.” It goes for everything in life; we do not appreciate those who do not follow societies wishes and all are branded as being different… Much of the stereotyping comes from the global media who brandish false claims and stigma towards those who suffer mental illnesses. Their slack use of terms like schizophrenia, psychotic, depression etc… give off a negative demeanour towards patients no different from those suffering, for example, cancer. They are both suffering debilitating illnesses and both can be cured. Yet media places such stereotypes on Mental illness as being untreatable and those who suffer as being violent delinquents with no morals and respect that members of society believe such views. As a result these people are branded as a ‘race’ of violent buffoons and are suspect to wide-ranging discrimination. In fact 90-95% of people with a mental illness are no more inclined to violence than the general population This implied nature of the media that all mentally ill people are violent has been described as the term Cinemania. “Get the Violent Crazies off Our Streets, New York Daily News, November 19th, 1999, includes the editorial: "Hospitalize the Deranged," which warned New Yorkers to beware of a terrifying new crime wave: "In our newfound complacency, we have forgotten a particular kind of violence to which we are still prey. The violence of the mentally-ill." One example of how prejudged opinions about mentally ill people are immediately thought to be violent appeared in this article. This report is shocking and shows the extent of mental illness prejudice across the world. Many claim that prejudice of this magnitude never occurs in Australia yet we still do see it. Many of the views surrounding Mental illness go back many generations when people with Mentally illnesses were locked up in asylums. The typical stereotype we all think about such a place is a large padded room with people in white coats and mental patients in straight jackets. Our parents and their parents before them grew up in a world where mentally ill people were shunned to the borders of society and no treatment was offered to them. This view has grown and has been passed down the generations. Even though we are supposedly a very accepting society, we still hold these social stereotypes handed down to us from parents and our grandparents. The impact of the illness on the individual’s well being As a physical illness may debilitate or impact a person’s wellbeing, so can a mental illness, if not more so. Treatment for most physical illnesses may only last a short while, but for those suffering from mental illnesses treatment can last several years. For those who don’t seek treatment, the effects can be lifelong. Life for those suffering mental illnesses can be more than difficult. Many find themselves subject to breakdowns in relationships with those close to then, when those close to those suffering mental illness do not accept them and rely on stigmatised views to govern their relationships. In worst case scenarios the families of these people disown and reject them, too ashamed to be associated with a son/daughter that is deemed to be ‘crazy’. The ill feeling towards those suffering from mental illnesses means that many Young Australians suffering from these disorders do not receive adequate medical care in fear of being rejected and shunned by those close to them. Some people with mental illness report that the stigma is at times worse than the illness itself. This in turn escalates the illness further as people continue to suffer without medical help. According to a study out of Great Britain last year found that “schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug addiction attracted the most negative ratings among the public, with a high proportion of respondents saying that people with these disorders were unpredictable and dangerous.” As a result of this many of these sufferers were denied the basic rights that we take for granted. Many people are denied jobs, promotions, are allowed to buy property/housing etc…because of their illnesses, even if they have overcome their illnesses and are well. The actual impacts of the illness depend on the nature of the illness (e.g. Depression, anxiety disorder etc…) and the severity of it. When it comes to analyzing the effects on young people, mental disorders come at a stage in life where educational and social developments are important in establishing a foothold for later life, particularly in those years from 17 to about 26 where young Australians face the HSC and university, and where disadvantages in such can greatly affect the later lives of these people. DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY DISORDERS People with these types of disorders find it very difficult to cope with day-to-day activities. They suffer many different emotions, the most common being those of severe sadness, anxiety, and fear and in some cases upmost happiness. These feeling can be accentuated by stigma and rejection and in many cases can lead to more dire consequences such a suicide. Those suffering from depression find it very difficult to take part in activities (eg. Attend school, events, sports etc…) and find it very hard to concentrate. As a result academic achievement goes downhill drastically. Those suffering from Anxiety disorders find it difficult just to fit in as part of society. The age bracket of 15-30 is a time of greeting new people, making new relationships and discovering adulthood. As a result those suffering from anxiety disorders often shun themselves from society and as a result their lifestyles are greatly affected. Their relationships break down and as result the network of support that sufferers of anxiety disorders tend to break down also meaning that it is more difficult for those suffering to recover. ANOREXIA AND BULLIMIA In some cases mental illnesses can have drastic physical implications to them. Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia can cause serious physical health affects and can greatly affect the lifestyles of those suffering from them. In serious cases of Anorexia many people can lose up to 2/3 of their body weight, in their so-called quest for the perfect weight. As a result many sufferers die or are debilitated so much that they can never fully recover physically. SCHIZOPHRENIA AND PERSONALITY DISORDERS People with personality disorders are often the ones most stereotyped by modern society. They are viewed as the true form of ‘crazy’. Implications for these people not only comes about from their illness but also from stigmas. The impact of the illness on the family The effects of mental illness can be just as great on the families as it is on the sufferer himself or herself. Because of the stigma surrounding mental illness many families first feelings are embarrassment, discomfort and denial. They often believe that others will form opinions of them because of their sick child, mother, father etc… If someone in your family is suffering a mental illness there are things you can do to help speed up their recovery and support them through their illness: DON’T BE IN DENIAL Agree that your family member has a problem, and just like any other problem, it can be fixed. There is no point dwelling on the fact that someone is sick, you should help support them as best as possible so that they can make a full recov...