Social Analysis Report: Mental Health Stigma

Social Analysis Report: Mental Health Stigma

 Introduction

Mental health stigma has become an increasingly debilitating epidemic all over the world. It is defined as the negative stereotypes associated with people who suffer from mental illnesses and the labels forced upon them from a systemic, societal perspective. For example, people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia are often referred to as ‘crazy’, assumed to be ‘homeless’ and ‘hear voices’. These labels, stereotypes and stigmatized ways of thinking, are dramatically affecting the world we live in, negatively. People diagnosed with mental illnesses often experience extreme ostracism and shame, and “often describe the consequences of mental health stigma as worse than those of the condition itself.” (…) This harrowing but authentic truth is plaguing our families, friends, and communities and can be identified as a devastating social problem, as it is widespread and the solution is far beyond the reach of individual choice. It requires collective action, advocacy and needs to be addressed on a social level to change, as it is rooted in years and years of traditionalistic and archaic belief systems that ultimately, link to systemic oppression. Our group has been overwhelmed with a need to seek justice and change for those who experience stigma related to mental health daily, and this need speaks to the quality of our Global Citizenship college course. Throughout our learning this semester, we have grasped new concepts and ideas that have challenged our preconceived ideas and demanded we become more inclusive, more educated and more aware citizens of this world. In this paper, we aim to analyze mental health stigma’s impacts on society and marginalized groups, the assumptions SOCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT associated, and ultimately how the contradictory ideas shape our actions and affect humanity on a global level.

Social Analysis

Body 1 (Sadaf Ahmady)

The social problem we are looking deeper in is mental health stigma which is a sensitive topic where individuals dealing with mental illnesses are more prone to many stigmas in life. Therefore, we decided to take it a step further by using The Triangle Model of Social Analysis. The Triangle Model of Social Analysis is useful for analyzing how hegemony is expressed through the interdependent relationship between dominant ideologies, societal institutions, and individual beliefs and actions (Centennial College, 2015, p. 75). The dominant ideology that frames that social problem is the Transformative ideology, where people strive to transform systems that create, legitimize, and perpetuate inequalities, injustices, and ecological destruction (Centennial College, 2015, p. 62). To add on, the framework marginalizes specific group members. This causes individuals dealing with mental health to be experiencing and dealing with stigmas through their life in many different structures, such as in religious institutions, doctor’s office, family, schools, media and etc. Relating the two sections of dominant ideology (transformative) with media in the structure, media play a huge role in displaying mental health and mental health stigma. For example, on the news, they tend to announce events that have occurred by individuals with a mental illness negatively, causing those individuals to deal with further injustice. To add on within the family structure, since I belong in the Muslim community, I can speak for most of the population, and people who are experiencing mental SOCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT health illness are too afraid to ask for help or their families just want the thinking of their loved ones being ‘okay’ or will be ‘okay’ as time passes by. Many religions think like this and I feel like this system made by people need to be transformed or changed to promote equality between all health so no one goes through injustice and no stigma arises. Stigma tend to rise when we individuals think in a specific way and if we transform our thinking into a more positive way, these stigmas, specifically mental health stigmas will no longer rise. The several diversity of perspectives on mental health stigma and they are mentioned as: ● Inequality o I also believe that people in mental health need are not treated as seriously as compared to other people. I believe this because according to the Mental health Stigma: Impact on mental health treatment attitudes and physical health article, they explained that people with mild or moderate mental health disorders are being diagnosed by primary care providers rather than professionals in the mental health (Sickel, Seacat & Nabors, 2019, p.595). Why are they not sent to a professionals? Are what they are going through seen as less important? Therefore, that would relate to the structure aspect of the triangle model. ● Stereotype/Discrimination o Regarding the structural component, individuals dealing with mental health illnesses are living with several inequalities. For example, when a person is identified as someone who is dealing with a mental illness, they are SOCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT immediately stigmatized and are treated differently compared to others and this causes many individuals in not seeking help because of this fear. ● Prejudice o Individuals who are experiencing stigmas have low self-esteem, selfefficiency, and anxiety and for these reasons they feel as if they are not the same as everybody else, especially if they seek health care help (Centennial College, 2015, p.597). These stigmas create major difficulties in one’s life that may turn to be unpreventable and cause serious actions such as suicide.

Body 2

(Amandeep Singh)

According to the research, it was discovered that people who have had cases of mental illness are capable of developing a stigma. As it was decided in Corrigan essay any person with a stigma is considered to be less critical in the society, therefore, they have mistreated something that exposes them to the thought that they are less significant and don’t belong to the community they live. This research seeks the intervention of everyone there to save the life of the people with stigma; it is essentially like any other person out there (Corrigan & Wassel, 2008). The research discovered that there is a need for social action to be put in place since there is a concern that is happening the moment people have negative perception make judgments on the people with mental illness. Taking a person with stigma as incompetent and dangerous in all aspects of life are so much unfair. This research also discovered that in the event of violence, it is not the mentally ill or people with stigma that usually cause them and them in most cases, the victims and not the causes. This is opposite of what happened in the current society where SOCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT everyone thinks the blame is for the less fortunate and people with. Stigma is a social problem it can be overcome by implementing new social action initiatives (Corrigan & Wassel, 2008).. Such initiatives can be empowering the sick, mentally ill, and less fortune in the society; this will eventually result in transformational change in our community. Currently most of people out there understand stigma as to be composed of stereotype discrimination and prejudice. People are lacking knowledge due to negative attitude thus is key to assisting in creation of this condition ( Haddad,2015). Although we have several remedies as well as measures used in mitigating the stigma, this problem is still widespread and the statistical values cannot be change .The research has discovered more about the preventive measures which are needed to reduce the mental health stigma we can apply that information towards analyzing the problems I the society and solve them. The society need to understand that stigma has been challenging many people I our society the government and other relevant authorities should create awareness on how to mitigate this problem. We all want to have a stress free life I our societies.

References

Corrigan, P. W., & Wassel, A. (2008). Understanding and influencing the stigma of mental illness. Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services, 46(1), 42-48

Haddad P., Haddad I. (2015). Mental Health Stigma. British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) Articles, [online]. Available from: https://www.bap.org.uk/articles/mental-health-stigma/ SOCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Body 3 (Akhil Mahesh)

In study of the research we found out that mental stigma is a case which has different problems which make it complicated. To solve this there are some suggested remedies we have to follow and before all that to understand the term mental stigma is very important, mainly mental stigma is divided into three compounds: Stereotypes, Prejudices and discrimination. When we look into each one of the types its very clear that to have a fixed idea and judgments which can make lots of problems in our mental stability. These problems can be solved if they simply look into it but the fearing or avoiding what we don’t understand makes it worse for example, from having a job or safe place to live (Haddad,2015). Major cases like lack of knowledge and negative attitudes create a closer form of stigma which makes once to keep things inside and behave improperly with others. These aspects are named in the category of thinking disabilities. The research also shows that remedies and preventive measures is incorporated because the statistical values remains unchanged in once life. This becomes only when the discrimination is treated unfair due to persons identity which can include colour, raise, place of origin, gender all SOCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT is affected by mental unstableness. Where as all are an act of disability by mental illness. Here the article (CMHA,2016) shows the major area of mental stigma is affected in the act of media influence and negative attitude of people towards once society. Eventually the act of “STOP” criteria is used to recognize attitudes and actions that support the stigma of mental health conditions. This Making all individual to think that all are alike rather than individual is the only way to solve these issues in future.

References

Haddad P., Haddad I. (2015). Mental Health Stigma. British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) Articles, [online]. Available from: https://www.bap.org.uk/articles/mental-health-stigma/ Gottschling M (2016) Articles, [online]. Available, from:https://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/stigma-and-discrimination/

Body 4

Conclusion

(Daniel Theriault)

In conclusion, (summarize body paragraphs/social analysis)…. Based on our research and analysis of mental health stigma, we would recommend the following for social action related to this issue: One, advocating for the destruction of stigma related to mental illness starts on the community level and is received better interpersonally, than on a global scale, as of yet. Campaigns like Bell’s Let’s Talk, are doing a good job of making people SOCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT aware that stigma exists. But ultimately, it is in the connections we have in our communities, with friends and family members who struggle with the stigma, with our local mental health centres and schools, that build the bridges to greater societal change. So our first recommendation would be to first make someone who’s close to you who struggles with mental illness, aware that you understand they live under stigma, you see their pain, and want to help fight it. Next, we would recommend partnering with a local agency or organization that is actively working to change the public’s perspective on stigma related to mental illness. Any small step in contributing to a local agency’s outreach program makes all the difference in SOCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Social analysis triangle for stigma

Structure shows the state and non-state mechanisms used in implementing policies e.g. hospitals

Culture is simply the values that are shaping the way people deal or understand this social issue

Content include the written policies and budgets used on specified issues, for instance a key apart of solution is introducing a law

Figure 1 social actiontriangle

References

Corrigan, P. W., & Wassel, A. (2008). Understanding and influencing the stigma of mental illness. Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services, 46(1), 42-48

Haddad P., Haddad I. (2015). Mental Health Stigma. British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) Articles, [online]. Available from: https://www.bap.org.uk/articles/mental-health-stigma/ Lancet, T. (2016). The health crisis of mental health stigma. The Lancet, 387(10023), 1027. Doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00687-5 Sickel, A. E., Seacat, J. D., & Nabors, N. A. (2019). Mental health stigma: Impact on mental health treatment attitudes and physical health. Journal of Health Psychology, 24(5), 586–599. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105316681430 SOCIAL ANALYSIS REPORT