The Negative Perception Of The

Mentally Ill

What do you think of?

http://www.arssubterranea.org/sanatorium/ghostcity.htm https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSK-KVHtiYPfkeDvWFNuwoNCXKSdiWvkKsdahXEuNLIGXbHrQDshttp://minimusingofabear.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/ht_lion_fight_071106_ssh.jpg?w=333&h=257

Misconceptions

Statistics for Mental Illness in America● 57.7 million people 18 and above were

diagnosed with a mental illness in 2004● Mental illness is the leading cause of disability

in the U.S. and Canada● 1 in 17 have a severe mental illness● 1 in 4 have a mental illness

The Problem With the Negative Perception

● The effect on the mentally ill○ Stigmas○ Discouragement to seek medical help○ Discouragement to seek social help○ Encouraged to deny there is a mental illness○ Seclusion from the society at large

The Problem With the Negative Perception

● The effects on the non-mentally ill○ Social issues

■ Homelessness■ Breakdown in social organization

● Seclusion by the mentally ill leads to a withdraw from society ● Since one in three people suffer from one form of mental

illness that would mean nearly % 33 of the population could withdraw from it

○ Legal issues■ Suicide ■ Deviant behavior on the part of the mentally ill■ Arrests of the mentally ill

● Mental illness sufferers are three times more likely to abuse narcotics ad alcohol.

Why is This Important?

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● MEDIA (NEWS AND MOVIES)

What is the main cause?

The Negativity of Media● News with scary stories

○ Violence

● Movies and Television poking fun/giving negative image

Who does this effect? How?● Those Who Are Uneducated● The Mentally Ill

○ Treatment

The Stigma must be eliminated...

Do you think ofkillers?psychopaths?pill-poppers?monsters?straight jackets?

Do you ever think of ...

Your parentsYour neighborsYour best friendYour professorThe person you are sitting next to?

The mentally ill are normal people who have a disease just like those with asthma, cancer, amnesia, etc.

What exactly is mental illness?

"A mental illness is a medical condition that disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning" (NAMI.org)

Mental illnesses are a serious problem, but there ARE solutions!The mentally ill CAN be treated, but it takes support fincancially and emotionally.

What can you do?

Get involved!

There are several movements to get involved with to help remove the stigma surrounding mental illnesses.THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAKDon't call people crazy or psychotic because you don't know who may be suffering.Itsmyturnmovement.org is just an example

The economic crisis affects the mentally ill immensely.

What can be done about cost?

Petition a cost cut for those seeking psychiatric help.

Government should socialize the healthcare for the mentally ill in order to create a more stable, working society. If the mentally ill receive help, they will be more productive which will help the economy. "Reap what you sow"

Cut fundings to less urgent needs in the city.

In conclusion

The mentally ill are not monstersWe live every day surrounded by sufferers and it is our job to reduce the stigma.

Mental illness is a disease and is not a reason to shun the sufferers.

GET INVOLVED, GET EDUCATED, and SPEAK OUT!

Works CitedBriggs, Bill. "Military Suicide Rate hit record high in 2012." NBCNews.com: U.S. News. NBC News, 14 Jan 2013.

Web. 15 Mar 2013. <http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/14/16510852-military-suicide-rate-hit-record-high-in-2012?lite>.

Conley, Mikaela. "1 In 5 Americans Suffers From Mental Illness." ABC NEWS Medical Unit. 19 Jan 2012: n. page. Print. <http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/01/19/1-in-5-americans-suffer-from-mental-illness/>.

"Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com: Movement. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 04 Mar 2013 .http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/movement?s=t

Plesman, Jurriaan. "It's My Turn Movement." Facebook.com/Itsmyturnmovement. Facebook. Web. 20 Mar 2013. <https://www.facebook.com/

"It's My Turn." It's My Turn: To Talk About Mental Illness. WordPress, 04 Mar 2013. Web. 05 March 2013. <http://www.itsmyturnmovement.org/site/>.

"NAMI.org: Mental Illnesses." NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI, n.d. Web. 25 Mar 2013. <http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness>.

Horowitz, Alana. "U.S. Mental Healthcare System Failing Patients, Advocates Say." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 26 Dec. 2012. Web. 29 Mar. 2013.

Teich, Judith. "Mental Health, United States." Mental Health, United States (2010)"Mental Disorders in America." Mental Illness Statistics. The Kim Foundation, n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2013.

<http://www.thekimfoundation.org/html/about_mental_ill/statistics.html>.