Social Stigma and Mental Illness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Social Stigma and Mental Illness - Essay ExampleWhile much(prenominal) labels atomic number 18 applicable to a small fraction of patients, a majority of them be normal individuals by common standards. Their disorders and disturbances only affect their c erstwhilentration, cognition and efficiency. Yet, they get ostracized for their condition. The mainstream media plays a significant role in scatter much(prenominal) misconceptions among the citizenry. As a matter of statistic, crime rates among the mentally disturbed are preferably similar to that of the control group (Angermeyer, 2004). Yet, the media portrays them as people prone to violent and antisocial behavior. For example,Mental sickness also has not received the sensitive media coverage that other illnesses have been given. We are surrounded by stereotypes, popular movies talk about killers who are psychos and news coverage of mental illness only when it relate to violence. We also often hear the causal use of terms li ke lunatic or crazy, on with jokes about the mentally ill. These representations and the use of discriminatory language distort the publics view and repay inaccuracies about mental illness. (Schulze, 2003)It is not an even keel with all types of afflictions. Some of them like schizophrenia are subject to more ridicule and stigma than say depression. People affected with this condition are visualized as psychos, whackos, nut balls, etc. While disorders like depression dont attract such treatment as a result of widespread awareness about anti-depressants within the mainstream media (Kelly, 2007).There are other negative consequences to such stigma. For one thing, many people shy away from getting graceful treatment for their conditions on fear of being ridiculed and disparaged. They also develop unreasonable fears of abandonment by their family and friends once the illness comes to light