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    Mentalillness

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    Around 18% of American adults suffer from some form of mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder each year, compared to less than 1% who suffer ankle injuries. However, mental illness faces more stigma than physical injuries. Many stereotypes exist about those with mental illness being dangerous or to blame for their condition, but research shows only 3% of those with a mental illness are violent and factors like genetics, trauma, and medical issues are often the cause. We must work to reduce the stigma around mental illness through education and acceptance.

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    Mentalillness

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    65 views3 pages
    Around 18% of American adults suffer from some form of mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder each year, compared to less than 1% who suffer ankle injuries. However, mental illness faces more stigma than physical injuries. Many stereotypes exist about those with mental illness being dangerous or to blame for their condition, but research shows only 3% of those with a mental illness are violent and factors like genetics, trauma, and medical issues are often the cause. We must work to reduce the stigma around mental illness through education and acceptance.

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    Around 18% of American adults suffer from some form of mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder each year, compared to less than 1% who suffer ankle injuries. However, mental illness faces more stigma than physical injuries. Many stereotypes exist about those with mental illness being dangerous or to blame for their condition, but research shows only 3% of those with a mental illness are violent and factors like genetics, trauma, and medical issues are often the cause. We must work to reduce the stigma around mental illness through education and acceptance.

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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    65 views3 pages

    Mentalillness

    Uploaded by

    api-320460436
    Around 18% of American adults suffer from some form of mental illness such as depression or bipolar disorder each year, compared to less than 1% who suffer ankle injuries. However, mental illness faces more stigma than physical injuries. Many stereotypes exist about those with mental illness being dangerous or to blame for their condition, but research shows only 3% of those with a mental illness are violent and factors like genetics, trauma, and medical issues are often the cause. We must work to reduce the stigma around mental illness through education and acceptance.

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    Every year, about 42.5 million American adults (or 18.

    2 percent of the total adult


    population in the United States) suffers from some mental illness, such as depression, bipolar
    disorder or schizophrenia. In contrast, only five million ankle injuries occur each year in the
    United States. Thats less than 1% of Americans. Though many more Americans suffer from
    mental illness than broken ankles, broken ankles are more accepted. No one ever gets blamed for
    having a broken ankle, no one gets looked down upon because of a broken ankle. However the
    stigma behind mental illness is so bad, its never talked about. the average person the mental
    illness usually suffers ten years before being diagnosed. We need to change the stigma against
    mental illness; we need to increase not only knowledge about mental illness but also acceptance.
    We need to change the stigma against mental illness. People with mental illness are
    dangerous and unpredictable. The first scene in Wonderland, a drama set in the psychiatric and
    emergency room units of a New York City hospital, is a man,who suffers from schizophrenia,
    going on a shooting spree in Times Square and later stabbing a pregnant physician in the
    stomach. This is a stereotype about people with mental illness that most people believe. It is
    reinforced on a daily basis by the news. Several studies have found that news coverage of people
    with mental illness in the United States are far more likely to be about violence than news
    coverage in other countries. However the reality is people with mental illness are more likely
    than others to be victims of violence than to commit acts of violence .The truth is, most violent
    crimes are committed by people who do not have mental health conditions. In fact, according to
    data from a study conducted by the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related
    Conditions, only 3% of people with mental illness are violent. Despite the widely believed
    stigma 97% of people with mental illness are not violent.
    Media adds to the stigma by showing people with mental illness as slow or not able to
    function. However, the truth is most famous figures had mental illness. Abraham Lincoln,
    Beethoven, and Michelangelo all had mental illness and they all demonstrate that mental illness
    does not equal incompetence Lincoln fought clinical depression for most of his life and he led
    the country through one of the bloodiest war this country has seen. Beethoven suffered from
    bipolar disorder. In fact many of his most celebrated works are believed to have been written
    during his psychotic episodes. So while the media portrays mentally ill people as slow or
    childlike, history has shown that this in fact isnt true.
    People also believe that those with mental illness are to blame for their problems.
    Research has shown life experiences, trauma, and biology are to blame for mental illness, not the
    person with the diagnosis. New research suggest that mental illness can start before birth, or in
    other words is genetically passed from generation to generation. Schizophrenia, is often a genetic
    disorder and is often passed down from generation to generation. There are many different
    reasons for mental illness including genetics (passed down from generation to generation),
    biology (an individual chemical imbalance in the brain such as lack serotonin ), psychological
    trauma (sexual and/or emotional abuse), and environmental stressors (A death of a loved one).
    All of these are out of a persons control, therefore so is mental illness.
    Its widely believed that people with mental illness can just will their symptoms away.
    Those with major depression suffer from persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest. Those

    with anxiety disorder suffer with the inability to set aside a worry, and restlessness. Those with
    bipolar disorder suffer from manic episodes and Depressed episodes. Those with ADHD suffer
    from limited attention and hyperactivity. These are real symptoms, just like a symptom of
    cancer is loss of appetite. One cant just will away these symptoms, just like one cant will
    away the pain of a broken ankle. These symptoms are just as detrimental as the symptoms of
    someone with AIDS. Often times they have to be treated with medicine just like physical
    diseases.
    We need to change the stigma behind mental illness, and therefore make it easier for
    those with mental illness. Most stereotypes are not true and have been proven to be false. People
    with mental illness are never to be blamed for their illness. Mental illness has been a hidden
    subject for too long, and by changing the stigma behind the mental illness we will make it easier
    for those who suffer. I suffer from depression and I wasnt diagnosed until I was 14. I was lucky
    that I had an accepting family who not only accepted my diagnosis but helps me daily with it.
    Most people aren't so lucky.

    "Addiction and Substance Abuse Health Center." WebMD.


    WebMD, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.
    "About Bipolar Depression." What Is Bipolar Depression. N.p.,
    n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.
    "12 Signs You May Have an Anxiety Disorder." Health.com. N.p.,
    n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.
    "Depression (major Depressive Disorder)." Depression (major
    Depression) Symptoms. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.
    "Stereotypes about People with Mental Illness." Stereotypes about
    People with Mental Illness. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.

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