This document discusses discrimination faced by those with mental illness. It begins by defining mental illness and noting that approximately 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health condition. Historically, mental illness was viewed as religious punishment or demonic possession. Today, those with mental illness often face stigma, lack of employment and healthcare opportunities, homelessness, incarceration rather than treatment, and higher suicide risks. The document argues for increasing education and awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting access to psychiatric care and crisis intervention services to improve outcomes for those with mental health conditions.
2. What is Mental Illness?
■ A wide range of disorders the affect one’s mood, thought and behavior.
■ Concerns versus Illness -
– Concern: mental health issue occurring from time to time
– Issue: ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress & impair one’s ability to
function properly
3. History of Mental Illness
■ Viewed as a form of Religious Punishment / Demonic Possession
■ Negative attitudes towards mental illness persisted into the 18th century in the U.S.
leading to
– Stigmatization of those with mental illnesses
– Degrading confinement of this vulnerable, neglected population
4. Mental Illness, More Common than youThink
■ 1 in 5 adults has a mental illness
■ Approximately 1 in 25 adults, 9.8 million
people in the U.S. experience a serious
mental illness in a given year that
significantly interferes with their daily
lives.
■ 18.1% of adults experience anxiety
disorders such as PTSD, OCD & other
phobias
■ Mood disorders including major
depression and bipolar. Disorder are the
3rd most common cause of
hospitalization in the U.S. for people
ages 18-44 years.
5. Matrix of Domination
■ Interlocking system of
oppression based on class,
gender, race and socioeconomic
status and other characteristics
that cause a group of people to
be viewed negatively by society.
■ Those with mental illnesses are
not given the same
opportunities are those who are
fortunate enough to live
without them – unrecognized,
unacknowledged privileges.
6. Societal Barriers for those with Mental Illness
■ Less likely to obtain & maintain employment
with steady income
■ More likely to be the victim of a crime or violent
occurrence
■ More likely to engage in reckless, addictive
behaviors: cigarette smoking, alcohol
consumption, substance abuse disorders
■ More likely to face issues with law enforcement
■ More likely to be incarcerated rather than
hospitalized when encountering police and
experience a mental health crisis.
■ Subjected to social stigmas and discrimination
based on their misunderstood conditions
7.
8. Consequences of Lack ofTreatment
■ Over 1/3, 37% of students with a mental health condition ages 14-21 drop out
■ Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.
■ More than 90% of children who commit suicide have a mental health condition
■ Each day an estimated 18-22 veterans die by suicide
■ Those with mental illness have an Increased risk of developing chronic medical
conditions –
– Studies show these people typically die 25 years earlier than others, largely due to
preventable conditions
9. Homelessness
■ January 2015, average homeless person per
night: 564,708
■ Previously hospitalized patients are three
times more likely to obtain food from the
garbage
■ Psychotic individuals are much more likely
to be assaulted or threatened, especially
while homeless.
■ 140,000 people with severe mental illnesses
are homeless
■ 250,000 people with mild/moderate mental
illness are homeless
10. Mental Illness & Unemployment
■ People with serious mental illnesses are
less likely to be employed, especially after
age 49, as compared to people with no,
mild or moderate mental illness.
■ More than 1/3 of people with serious
mental illness have incomes lower than
$10,000 a year.
■ Only 2% of the 60% that seek
employment receive supported
employment opportunities
■ Society often views homeless or those
with substance disorders and/or mental
illnesses as lazy or unwilling to work when
this is not the case!This population is
discriminated against in every location and
instead of receiving help, they are
criticized and discouraged.
11. Incarceration > InstitutionalTreatment
■ In a mental health crisis, people are more likely to receive police
than medical care.
■ 1.2 million people living with mental illness sit in jail and prison each
year in the U.S.
■ Once incarcerated, individuals do not receive the care that they
require, leading to further decompensation – set up to fail
■ At risk for victimization and longer incarcerations as compared to
those without mental illness
■ When released, these people often do not have access to
healthcare and benefits
■ Criminal record makes obtaining a job and housing even more
difficult than before
■ Many become homeless, end up re-arrested, institutionalized or
commit suicide.
12. IncreasingAwareness,Abolishing the
Stigma & Promoting Psychiatric Care
■ Educating about mental illness beginning in schools at a young age about recognizing
the signs and emphasizing how common these conditions are
■ Talking about healthy coping skills to reduce the likelihood of developing substance
abuse disorders and other stress induced habits/disorders
■ Encourage mental wellness, provide resources for students to utilize on a regular basis
to normalizing the concept of asking for help and utilizing a positive outlet
■ Quarterly training for mental health professionals to reinforce education regarding
commonly used but inappropriate terminology regarding the psychiatric population.
■ Crisis InterventionTeams working with police departments to differentiate between a
mental health crisis/behavioral emergency with unassociated criminal acts.
13. References:
Luciano,A., MPH, & Meara, E., PhD. (2014).The employment status of people with mental Illness: national survey data
from 2009-2010. PsychiatricServices, 65(10), 1201-1209. Retrieved December 2, 2017, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4182106/.
Mayo Clinic. (2017). Mental Illness. Retrieved December 1, 2017, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-
illness/
symptoms-causes/syc-20374968
Mental Health America. (2017). Access to mental health care and incarceration. Retrieved December 2, 2017, from
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/access-mental-health-care-and-incarceration
NAMI. (2017). Jailing people with mental illness. Retrieved December 1, 2017, from https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Public-
Policy/Jailing-People-with-Mental-Illness
NAMI. (2015). Mental health by the numbers. Retrieved December 2, 2017, from https://www.Nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-
Health-By-the-Numbers
NAMI. (2014, January 1). Mental illness: NAMI report deplores 80 percent unemployment rate; state rates and ranks listed –
model
legislation proposed. Retrieved December 2, 2017, from https://www.nami.org/Press-Media/Press-Releases/2014/Mental-
Illness-NAMI-
Report-Deplores-80-Percent-Une
TreatmentAdvocacy Center. (2014, July 25). How many people with serious mental illnesses are Homeless? Retrieved
December 2, 2017, from http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/Fixing-the-system/features-and-news/2596-how-many-
people-with-serious-mental-illness
-are-homeless
Editor's Notes
Welcome to my presentation, Discrimination of Mental Illness.
This PowerPoint will highlight the obstacles that people carrying psychiatric diagnoses face on a regular basis, obstacles that could be prevented if society was more aware and accepting of mental illness.
Photo: http://www.hillel.org/images/default-source/historical-images/mentalhealth.png?sfvrsn=0
Mental Illness is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of disorders. Disorders that affect a person’s mood, their thoughts and their behaviors.
People may have concerns about their mental health or wellness that may present themselves in different ways. A common example of a mental health concern would be anxiety, anxiety that is provoked by social situations or performance fears, something rationale causing their anxiety. These concern occur from time to time but do not significantly interfere with one’s ability to function.
A mental illness issue is an issue that is ongoing. Mental illnesses cause frequent signs and symptoms that are very uncomfortable and stressful for the individual experiencing them. Mental health issues are diagnosed by a marked impairment of an individual’s ability to function normally, at their baseline. Examples of this include changes in one’s social presentation, whether they are withdrawn and isolating or overly excitable and more concerned with socialization than other aspects of life. Mental illness also presents in a change in job functionality – decreased concentration, tardiness, inability to perform tasks that were once done on a regular basis, etc.
Photos:
https://orig00.deviantart.net/c716/f/2014/276/5/0/transobital_lobotomy_by_jamesparce-d81ety6.jpg
https://lifehacker.com/the-misconceptions-about-mental-illness-we-need-to-unle-1711647132
Mental illness has long been misunderstood. Although society has made great strides to become more educated and aware of mental health and illness, there is still a lot of progress to be made.
The first documentation of mental illness recorded refers to this wide range of disorders as being caused by a demonic source. People believed that those with mental illnesses were possessed and being punished for religious sins.
Needless to say, people have held onto negative attitudes about those with mental illnesses since it’s first presentation and unfortunately, those negative connotations are still very much alive today.
Stigmatization is very common in this country. People are often called ”crazy” “insane” “nut jobs” or “belong in an institution.”
This population is very vulnerable from the start being plagued with an illness that impairs their ability to function “normally” in society, the stigmatization only makes it more difficult and isolating for these tortured, neglected people.
Photo: https://newcomerhealthmatters.com/2016/03/23/the-effects-of-stigma-on-accessing-mental-health-care/
Mental illness, despite the stigmas and negative connotations, is much more common than the average person realizes.
(review statistics above)
Mood disorders being the 3rd most common reason for hospitalization of U.S. citizens aging 18-44 is a shocking statistic. This just goes to show how prevalent these conditions are and how many people need assistance to manage their unique, individualized symptomology.
The attached photo on the right shows the various elements of society that impact an individual’s overall functioning and quality of life. People with mental illnesses are likely to experience issues acquiring factors in all of these areas.
Photo: http://images.slideplayer.com/39/10998555/slides/slide_4.jpg
The Matrix of Domination refers to an interlocking system based on class, gender, race and socioeconomic status and other characteristics that cause a group of people to be viewed negatively by society.
Mental illness can affect any age, any gender, any race or ethnicity, a member of any socioeconomic class, any religion or sexual orientation, it does not discriinate the way people discriminate against those affected.
People with mental illnesses are not given the same opportunities within modern society as those who do not have mental illnesses.
This is an unrecognized, unacknowledged privilege that many people do not appreciate. Mental illness is heart breaking because it is an ongoing challenge, usually for the duration of one’s life. These chronic conditions make sustaining activities of daily life and typical human responsibilities extremely difficult. The lack of societal understanding and support makes each day that much more challenging.
Photos:
https://www.mynechakovalleynow.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2B-Sonia-Mental-Health-Salt-Lake-Community-College-1140x641.jpg
https://newcomerhealthmatters.com/2016/03/23/the-effects-of-stigma-on-accessing-mental-health-care/
Those with mental illness are at a great disadvantage compared to the general population.
Statistics reveal that the mentally ill are less likely to obtain and then maintain employment, meaning the likelihood of having a stable income is very slim.
They are more likely to be the victim of a crime than the person committing it – despite what the media tells us to believe.
They are more likely to engage in reckless, addictive behaviors which makes them much more likely to develop comorbid conditions – another major disadvantage because obtaining healthcare without a steady job and income is a pipe dream in this country right now.
Those with mental illness are more likely to face issues with the law, again, as the victims not the perpetrators. They are also more likely to be incarcerated rather than hospitalized when they are experiencing a mental health issue or crisis.
Photo: https://www.demilked.com/mental-illness-feels-like-illustrations-gemma-correll/
This graphic was included to provide a visual of the social isolation those with mental illnesses often feel every day.
Misunderstood, alone, self-conscious and discouraged.
Photo: http://www.aipmcnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/suicide.jpg
Receiving appropriate mental health services is becoming increasingly difficult despite the significant influx of psychiatric and substance abuse patients presenting for treatment.
Lack of preventative care and appropriate symptomology management results in dire consequences.
Over a third of the students with a mental health diagnosis ages 14-21 drop of out school – a lack of education makes obtaining a job and maintaining work that much more difficult.
It’s no secret that suicide is a growing issue in this country. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death and more than 90% of children who commit suicide have a mental health diagnosis. Each day, an estimated 18-22 veterans die by taking their own lives.
And again, this population is much more susceptible to developing comorbid medical conditions as result of their reckless behaviors or inability to care for themselves. Studies reveal that those with mental illness typically die 25 years earlier than those without mental illness, these deaths are largely due to preventable conditions.
Photo: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PJpr7L7N2Ho/maxresdefault.jpg
Homelessness is a common result of the lack of mental health services available to this population.
In January, 2015, it was estimated that on a given night, there are 564,708 people without a home.
Previously hospitalized patients are three times more likely to obtain food from the garbage and psychotic individuals are much more likely to be assaulted, especially while homeless.
Photo: http://gawker.com/5612923/amazing-honest-bum-now-getting-job-offers-cash-rewards
Homelessness of those with mental illness is undoubtedly directly related to their difficulty maintaining steady employment and therefore, a stable income to support themselves and maybe even their family.