The stigma against mentally ill patients is a common occurrence in society because these patients are normally treated with an attitude that condemns or disapproves of them, and this research proposal is going to center on these patients to highlight their plight.
There are several groups of people that are often stigmatized, and mental health patients are one of them. The sad reality is that society often brands them, making them aware of their inabilities and societal disapproval. Some of them feel safer away from the crowds because of the prejudice directed at them. Some even feel uncomfortable letting the world know about their problems, and that is self- stigma in itself. The stigma against any group of people was first identified in the 17th century, but contemporary notions regarding stigma against mentally ill patients gained momentum in the 20th century. The stigma against mental health patients is a very important topic for discussion, and this research will give more highlights into how patients suffer and how society has continuously contributed to their stigmatization.
The proposal will bring to light how the actions of most mental illness patients lead the society to fear them and disapprove of them. Often, stereotyping has led to the outright discrimination of these patients and thus society finds itself involuntarily treating them as different from the rest of the society. It is for that reason that many of them do not get employed, are rejected by family and friends and their behavior overly interpreted.
Literature Review
Scheyett, A. (2005). The Mark of Madness: Stigma, Serious mental Illness and Social Work. Social Work in Mental Health. Vol. 3, Issue 4. (79- 97). Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis
In this article, the author cites how stigmatization is a major barrier to the recovery process of mentally ill patients. In it, she says that if affects their self-esteem and they lose the desire to get well. At the same time, it becomes clear from the article, that stigma has a negative impact on social work targeting the condition and thus affects the way the patients are treated. The article offers great insights about the stigma theory and will help explain the stigma process as well as the affected people go about it.
Dingfelder, S. F. (2009). Stigma. Alive and Well. American psychological Association. Web. Retrieved on 25th February 2016 http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/06/stigma.aspx
The article delves into the social issues that lead to the stigmatization of mentally ill patients. The media plays a very disturbing role in spreading the stigma because it is at the forefront of fuelling or the formation of public opinion. Anyone suffering from mental illness will tend to internalize what society believes about them, and that will make them develop negative opinions about themselves. The article lays open the issues that affect patients with mental illnesses and how society helps them develop an opinion about themselves.
Byrne, P. (2000). Stigma of Mental Illness and Ways of Diminishing It. Advances in psychiatric Treatment. 6: 65- 72. Web. http://www.heart-intl.net/HEART/100507/StigmaofMental.htm
According to this article, the negative cultural treatment of mentally ill patients makes them live in fear and will lack confidence in themselves. That leads them to feel inadequate, making some of them hurt in silence and may live a life of mourning all the days of their lives. The sad thing is that their social networks will begin to diminish and that might be an obstacle to their recovery or normal function in society. Their very social and economic lives are negatively affected as a result of withdrawing from their communities. The article articulates the way mental illness patients suffer and are alienated from society, and that leads to their isolation and suffering n silence. The article will also show how the society plays a huge role in their suffering.
Stigma as a major barrier in the recovery of mental illness patients that slows down recovery because patients are constantly reminded of their plight
Social issues that lead to the stigmatization of mentally ill patients stem from the media stereotyping their condition and negatively influencing society.
The social economic factors that lead to the isolation of mentally ill persons are cultural and their feeling of inadequacy further lowers their self esteem
References
Byrne, P. (2000). Stigma of Mental Illness and Ways of Diminishing It. Advances in psychiatric Treatment. 6: 65- 72. Web. http://www.heart intl.net/HEART/100507/StigmaofMental.htm
Dingfelder, S. F. (2009). Stigma. Alive and Well. American psychological Association. Web. Retrieved on 25th February 2016 http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/06/stigma.aspx
Scheyett, A. (2005). The Mark of Madness: Stigma, Serious mental Illness and Social Work. Social Work in Mental Health. Vol. 3, Issue 4. (79- 97). Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis
