This document summarizes the diversity within the mentally ill community through four lenses: history, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Historically, mentally ill individuals faced inhumane treatment like imprisonment and abuse, influencing current policies. In humanities, mental illness has inspired art and been portrayed in media, though sometimes inaccurately. Research in natural sciences has provided treatment insights. Social sciences have informed theories and protected patient rights. Neuroplasticity also contributes to diversity between psychiatric conditions.

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(7-1) Final Project Part One Submission: Critical Analysis Portfolio
Alexandra Perkins
Southern New Hampshire University

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The mentally ill population attributes to a diverse community through contrasts between
both the general population and the various personal identities of mentally ill individuals. The
four lenses of diversity: history, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, elucidate the
expansiveness of this diversity within the mentally ill community. Historically, individuals with
mental illness have endured grotesque injustices which have influenced contemporary policies
and legislature. Additionally, mental illness has been displayed, and misrepresented, in novels,
films, and other various forms of media for centuries; a few media representations earning
prominence. However, progressions in research and technology have continued to provide
insight and treatment for various populations of mentally ill persons. Research in the fields of
psychology and sociology have also attributed to the foundation of theories and treatment
methods to help protect the rights of the mentally ill, eradicate discrimination, and assist these
individuals in recovery.
Individuals who struggle with mental health have contributed to historical social issues
that have evoked conspicuous change. Historically, persons with mental illness have been
subjected to grotesque treatment which have in turn influenced current policies and legislature
regarding mental health care. Prior to advances in treatment and long-term psychiatric care,
people with severe mental illness were imprisoned in penitentiaries, abandoned in state asylums,
or shunned by their communities. Prisons were overwhelmed by a large population of mentally
ill inmates prior to the mental hygiene movement of the nineteenth century; “Many insane were
confined to prisons, jails, poorhouses, and almshouses” (Osborn, 2009). The lack of adequate
care eliminated the tolerance for this population and resulted in mass incarceration; mental
illness was a criminal issue rather than a health concern. As American society moved from rural
communities to urban communities, the support and tolerance of the mentally ill community

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diminished. Factory and business work became the focus of families so that they no longer
desired to support the insane. A journal article published in Psychiatric Quarterly describes,
“The public looked to social institutions for a solution to the growing numbers of insane that
were especially prevalent and visible in more densely populated areas” (Osborn, 2009).
Therefore, 140 asylums were constructed to deal with the overwhelming population of mentally
ill persons.
However, without regulations or ethical considerations these state-run facilities abused
and neglected patients and did not suffer consequences for their malpractice. The ignorance of
mental disability perpetrated the abuse and discrimination of mentally ill individuals. Dorothea
Dix recognized the atrocities occurring in state run asylums and evoked compassion from
legislatures to stop such abuse:
“I come to place before the Legislature of Massachusetts the condition of the
miserable, the desolate, the outcast. I come as the advocate of helpless, forgotten,
insane, and idiotic men and women’ of beings sunk to a condition from which the
most unconcerned would start with real horror….I proceed, gentleman, briefly to
call your attention to the present state of insane persons confined within this
Commonwealth, in cages, closets, cellars, stalls, pens! Chained, naked, beaten
with rods and lashed in obedience” (Osborn, 2009)
Dorothea recognized the inhumane treatment of lunatics and implored legislation to make
adequate changes. Not only were mentally ill individuals subjected to less than humane
conditions, but they were also subjected to neophyte psychiatric treatments (i.e. lobotomies,
electroshock therapy, homosexuality conversion therapy, etc.). The historical connections of this
abuse have directly contributed to the creation of current ethical guidelines and rights for patients

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in psychiatric care. Previous ethical violations influenced the Nuremburg code and the Belmont
report. The Nuremburg code was enacted to prevent prisoners of war from being subjected to the
atrocities previously experienced by lunatics during the 19th century (White, 2020). Furthermore,
the Belmont built off the foundation of the Nuremburg report to protect the rights of patients in
the U.S. involved in contemporary human research. This document specifically outlined, respect
for persons, beneficence, and justice (White, 2020). These policies strive to protect the rights and
interests of individuals with MI to ensure they are receiving safe and humane treatment.
The lens of humanities elucidates the diversity of mentally ill individuals. Mental illness
has been the source of inspiration for numerous novels, films, and contemporary media coverage.
The struggles of mental health have been represented, and misrepresented, through the creative
portrayal of mental illness. Popular literature and music have used mental illness as a means of
inspiration. Famous rock band, Pink Floyd, used mental illness as a source of inspiration for their
music. Inspirational front man, Syd Barrett, while no longer partaking in the band, remained the
source of inspiration for albums such as Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here (The
Dark Side of Pink Floyd, 2016). Perhaps the most attributable song to Syd Barrett was Shine on
You Crazy Diamond, “Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky, Shine on you
crazy diamond, You were caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom, Blown on the steel
breeze” (Pink Floyd, 1975). These lyrics describe the extent of the madness that consumed
Barrett, but also remains a source of inspiration for other artists. Alan Bissett, an accomplished
playwright has studied Barrett’s life for over twenty years. He describes this song as, “it just
consumed me. I became obsessed by it, and of course the song was about Syd Barrett” (The Dark
Side of Pink Floyd, 2016). The mind of Syd Barrett is a singular example of the impact that
mental illness has had on the creative world.

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Likewise, contemporary media portrayal finds inspiration in mentally ill individuals.
However, the depiction of persons with MI is often a misrepresentation. These representations
frequently portray people as lunatics, psychopaths, and murders despite overwhelming evidence
that majority of individuals with MI are not violent towards others. The significance of these
mainstream representations are that they remain largely unchallenged as “people with mental
health problems are often denied the opportunity to represent their perspective about the world in
which they live and often they too internalize the negative values of the dominant hegemony”
(Preston, 2006). Not only is this portrayal reinforcing a negative stigma about persons with MI,
but individuals with mental illness are vulnerable to believing the validity of these
representations. The negative impacts are expansive; the stigma prevents those from pursuing
psychiatric care they desperately need. The influence of this agent of socialization strengthens
social stigmas of certain cultures that define mental illness as lunacy and characteristic of
violence (Preston, 2006). As a mental health professional, it is a relevant concern that the
implications of negative media coverage are affecting attitudes of my clients and their
relationships. Dr. Sheila Preston, professor at Central School of Speech and Drama in London,
explicates “the arts are employed as means to realize an ambitious vision for wider social change
in conditions, more specifically to facilitate the political development of audiences” (Preston,
2006). Revisiting the popular stereotype portrayed via popular media is paramount to evoking
the political development needed to protect the interests and rights of the mentally ill
community. Rather than portraying a fictitious psychopath with violent and impulsive
tendencies, shifting the focus to portraying the realities of living with mental illness will benefit
both the public and persons with MI.

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Diversity influences the mentally ill community on various levels, not only between the
MI individuals and the general population, but also between the members of the community. A
variety of differential characteristics influence the personal identities of persons with psychiatric
disorders. One factor influencing the diverse nature of mental health is neuroplasticity, an
element of neuropsychology. Neuroplasticity is defined as “the ability of the human brain to
‘rewire’ itself by establishing new neural connections in response to injury, developmental or
environmental changes, or changes in sensory input” (Sheposh, 2019). The connection between
diversity and mental health is rooted in the brain’s ability to establish and reestablish neural
pathways. Neurons, communicative elements of neural pathways, communicate with each other
by transmitting electrical and chemical signals containing unique and directive information that
the brain uses to function. Mental illness interrupts these chemical and electrical signals creating
differential characteristics between psychiatric illnesses. For example, in the event that an
individual suffers a brain injury, neurons can “grow nerve endings to reestablish connections
with undamaged neurons, bypassing the injured section of the brain and rerouting the
transmission of electrochemical information” (Sheposh, 2019). The adaptable nature of the brain
not only applies to physical injury, but to other environmental circumstances such as trauma and
abuse, substance abuse, and mental health treatment.
Understanding the unique nature of the human mind is paramount for the application of
this diversity to research and treatment. Recent advances in treatment methods have increased
the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), especially in patients suffering from mood disorders
(Piotrowski, 2020). This treatment stimulates neuroplasticity via seizures induced by electricity.
The purpose of ECT is to eliminate maladaptive neuropathways through electrical stimulation.
The electric shock administered uses the inherent adaptable nature of the brain to rewire

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maladaptive neural pathways. This treatment is commonly used when other forms of mental
health therapy, including psychopharmacology, have failed. Current research supports that
“electroconvulsive therapy is considered by many to be the safest of the somatic treatments
available in psychiatry. The death rate from ECT itself is one patient in ten thousand—much
lower, for example, than the death rate for patients taking antidepressant medications; the death
rate from suicide in depressed people is much higher” (Piotrowski, 2020). An extensive
understanding of neuroplasticity has stimulated modern, effective alternatives to common
treatments that are ineffective in severely mentally ill people. This knowledge of science and
diversity is salient to ensuring they receive equitable and safe treatment.
The topic of mental illness is best represented through the diversity lens of social
sciences. Psychology, a subject of study under the social sciences, looks at explanations for how
humans act in their social environment, specifically analyzing social relations, relationships, and
societal influences. Recent advances in psychological research have encouraged the development
of theories and treatment methods to improve the care of the mentally ill. Analyzing diversity
through the social science also brings light to several forms of discrimination that mentally ill
persons frequently experience. One theory bringing light to catalyzing factors perpetrating
discrimination is general strain theory. This theory explains that “crimes and delinquency acts as
coping strategies to escape from the desperate thoughts and/or situations that result from stressful
life events and strained social relationships” (Carter, 2019). The cycle-like behavior of this
theory strives to explain the significant impact of discrimination against the mentally ill. General
strain theory emphasizes that three main attributes increase the vulnerability of an individual to
turn to a life of crime. These three factors are: (1) failure to achieve positively valued goals, (2)
removal of a positively valued stimulus, and (3) presentation of a negative stimulus (Carter,

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2019). These three factors are a common experience within the mentally ill community. For
example, a failure to meet the expectations set by parental figures, death of or abandonment by a
loved one, and bullying/rejection by social groups, align with the three key criteria. Experiences
contributable to the three primary forms of strain may vary in presentation, and although diverse,
have a common influence on mentally ill persons.
Furthermore, ethical practices within the field of psychology are guided by concepts of
diversity. Specifically in the addiction community, counselors are encouraged to remain sensitive
to personal identities; “Each cultural, racial, and ethnic group has its own history, experience,
and cultural perspective on the use of alcohol and illicit substances” (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).
Addiction and mental health are closely linked with several substance abuse disorders
diagnosable by DSM-V criteria. Understanding that substance abuse is not an equal opportunity
phenomenon is a vital component to providing the best care as an addiction counselor.
Differential characteristics in “cultural norms, practices, and beliefs have been shown to affect
rates of use, as well as perceptions about each group [and] as a result, significantly different
consequences of drug and alcohol use exist for persons from each cultural group in this country”
(Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016). The link between general strain theory and substance abuse supports
the knowledge that some groups are incarcerated more often and have less access to resource
based on individual diversity; “Understanding the reasons behind these differences and working
to erase these disparities is an important thrust of current research” (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).
Considering the focus of my career will be addiction psychology, remaining sensitive to the
various characteristics of individuals and the impact of these characteristics on addiction and
quality of care is pertinent.

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In summation, the four lenses of diversity, history, the humanities, natural and applied
sciences, and social sciences, each influence MI persons in different contexts. Historically, an
understanding of the injustices endured by MI individuals and the enforcement of contemporary
policies strengthens my personal understanding of how diversity requires legislative protection.
Without current ethical guidelines, patients of varying demographics would not receive prudent
treatment. Additionally, an awareness of societal and perceived stigma against MI persons
evokes concern for change to better represent this diverse community. However, social attitudes
and protective policies have less influence on treatment than advances in psychiatric medicine.
The science of neuroplasticity accommodates several variances in psychiatric illnesses by
providing modern alternatives to ineffective remedies. Each of these elements of diversity are
influenced by the lens of social sciences. This lens depicts not only how humans interact with
each other, but also how social change is enacted. The understanding of why misrepresented or
discriminated populations deserve fair representation and treatment is a benefit to studying
diverse perspectives. The challenge lies in how as individuals, we can use our knowledge to
implement social change. As a future professional in the mental health field, all characteristics of
diversity are paramount to understanding my clients and their histories, how mental illness
uniquely impacts these individuals, and how to provide the most equitable, efficient treatment.

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References
Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2016). Foundations of addictions counseling (3rd ed.). New
York, NY: Pearson.
Carter, L. M., PhD. (2019). General Strain Theory. Salem Press Encyclopedia.
The Dark Side of Pink Floyd. (2016). Evening Times (Glasgow, Scotland).
Osborn, L. A. (2009). From Beauty to Despair: The Rise and Fall of the American State Mental
Hospital. Psychiatric Quarterly, 80(4), 219–231. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1007/s11126-009-9109-3
Pink Floyd. (1975). Shine on You Crazy Diamond. Wish You Were Here.
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pinkfloyd/shineonyoucrazydiamondiv.html
Piotrowski, N. A., PhD, & Guerra, F., MD. (2020). Shock therapy. Magill’s Medical Guide
(Online Edition).
Preston, S. (2006). “Representing Reality.” Stage of the Art, 17(3), 10.
Sheposh, R. (2019). Neuroplasticity. Salem Press Encyclopedia of Health.
White, M. G. (2020). Why Human Subjects Research Protection Is Important. Ochsner
Journal, 20(1), 16–33. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.31486/toj.20.5012