Final Essay

Mental Illness

Raysa Vargas

ENC-1101 7AM
 Without even noticing, people among us can be suffering from a mental illness. A

lot of the times people wont notice that someone has a mental illness, simply because a

lot of the times their physical appearance won't change. Multiple people will experience a

mental illness and some might not even know it. A mental illness is not something that

should be taken lightly; a mental illness is a behavioral or mental issue that could cause

suffering and a poor ability to function in life. There are so many disorders such as,

anxiety, and eating disorder, depression, substance abuse disorder and so many more. It is

crucial that society starts to become more aware of the mental illness issue in order for us

to give it more importance; society is quick to judge someone with a mental illness and

its time to speak up about it in order to help those who need it. We must take action and

speak up about the problems people face on a day-to-day basis.

It is known that a mental disorder is a serious issue, but it is one that society

refuses to acknowledge until something grand happens. Many times people will see that

whenever something bad happens, that tends to be the only time anyone will talk about

mental illness. Now more than ever the term mentally ill has appeared in media

through the descriptions of horrendous shooters that have committed unthinkable

crimes. Truth is people need to start talking about mental illness before anything

happens, because as soon as something happens society likes to blame mental illness and

then move on from it instead of talking about it. Society now a day like to jump to

conclusions and judge almost every aspect of life, so when people blame a mental

disability as to why a shooting occurred, the majority of the people will now see mentally
ill people incapable of anything. The term mental illness or mentally ill, has for an

extended amount of time carried around the stigma of negativity, and the connotation of a

person that is somehow sub-human to others. In the article, that Alley Rhinhart wrote

she explains how mental illness and/ or mentally ill is carried around like a bad thing.

When people hear those two words they like to think that it is something bad instead of

thinking it is just someone that requires a little more attention. It doesnt help that the

only time society talks about mental illness is when a tragedy happens, that is why as a

community speaking about it will help a lot more than just blaming the disability.

Mental illness not only hinders the person who is mentally ill but it will hinder

their family as well. Whenever someone is diagnosed with a mental disorder, neither the

person nor his or her family will be able to take it lightly. It is a serious topic that can

affect anyones life. When being diagnosed with a mental illness it isnt easy for anyone.

There are multiple reasons as to why it isnt easy for anyone to hear that they have a

mental disability, some being that since society portrays the mentally ill as crazy or

needs to be in a mental hospital. Although, when being diagnosed with a mental

incapability it doesnt mean your crazy at all, it just means your fighting your own battle

with whatever it may be. Society makes it hard for people to come out as a mentally ill

person and will make it hard on the family who has someone who is mentally ill. When

mental illness first strikes, family members may deny the person has a continuing

illness. In an article about the impact of mental illness on families it explains how

sometimes his or her own family will reject the mentally ill person. Sometimes this

happens because it is hard to hear that someone you love is struggling with such thing,

and with what is going on in society and how society tends to reject them then some
families believe that if they ignore it then everything will be okay, which isnt true

because things could get much worse. Sometimes, even after some family members do

understand the reality of the illness, others do not. Those who do accept the truth find that

they must protect the ill person from those who do not and who blame and denigrate the

ill person for unacceptable behavior and lack of achievement. Obviously, this leads to

tension within the family, and isolation and loss of meaningful relationships with those

who are not supportive of the ill person. It may seem that the hardest impact of a

mentally ill person is with the family; however when he or she is diagnosed with a mental

disorder the individual will do one or two things, go into denial or try to ignore what is

happening. It often hinders the individual more. One such misconception is that people

with a mental illness are lazy and weak, and if they tried hard enough they could snap

out of it. Imagine having a mental illness and being told to snap out of it, what people

need to understand that if someone who is mentally ill could snap out of it they would,

but they cant. It is hard for some people to even accept that they are mentally ill and the

last thing they need is for someone to tell them they are weak when they are trying to

fight a battle with themselves.

In order to become aware of a situation and to help those with the situation it is

time to speak up about the subject at hand. People are often afraid of people becoming

mentally ill but what people dont like to do is to speak up on the issue. Just because

someone is suffering from a mental illness it does not mean that the person is crazy it just

means they are suffering with an issue that they need help on. What society needs to

understand that instead of blaming and rejecting someone who is mentally ill they should

try to help and understand the person who is suffering. Even celebrities are speaking out
on the cause of mental illness and how it is okay, and how speaking about it will help the

individual more than keeping it in. Society hasnt been as bad as it has been when

speaking on mental illness but they still fail to be more attentive to those who suffer with

incapabilitys. Speaking about it will help society become a better place for those who are

mentally ill and their families.

To conclude and to bring awareness to this dreadful issue, it is time to understand

that mental health not only affects the individual, the families and society but it needs to

be spoken out about. The best way to have people understand and sympathize mental

illness is by showing them that the people suffering have it worse. Mental illness does not

justify things that the individual does wrong but it does show how bad it could affect

people. If people would just speak about what is going on then we can all come together

as one.
 Citations

The impact of Mental Illness on families, http://www.aaets.org/article180.htm

Ewart, Stephanie B., et al. Social and Matedrial Aspects of Life and Their Impact on the
Physical Health of People Diagnosed with Mental Illness. Social and Material Aspects
of Life and Their Impact on the Physical Health of People Diagnosed with Mental
Illness., 01 Oct. 2017.,
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Ozer, Uron et al. Change starts with Us: Stigmatizing Attitudes Towards Mental
Illnesses and the Use of Stigmatizing Language Among Mental Health Professionals
Change Starts with Us: Stigmatizing Attitudes towards Mental Illnesses and the Use of
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Reuben, Aaron and Jonathan Schaefer. Mental Illness Is Far More Common Than We
Knew. Mental Illness Is Far More Common Than We Knew., 30 Nov. 2017,
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Rhinehart, Alley. Portrayal of Mentally Institutionalized In Film Portrayal of Mentally

Institutionalized In Film Spring 2013

Schmeltz, Michael T. Risk Characterization of Hospitalizations for Mental Illness and/or

Behavioral Disorders with Concurrent Heat Related Illness. Risk Characterization of
Hospializations for Mental Illness and/or Behavioral Disorders with Concurrent Heat-
Related Illness., 16 Oct 2017
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Slate, Risdon N. DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION, CRIMINALIZATION OF MENTAL

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*image was taken off of

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