Mental health refers to a state of well being in which an individual recognize personal abilities, in the process of adaptation and coping while confronting stressful events and work productively for the betterment of self and the community as well. The mental health is significant in the rapid and advanced community for survival. The mental health is in danger due to social inequalities and discrimination. The discrimination has become a social evil in every society that causes many unhealthy activities and mental health problems as well.
In the contemporary health care issue, the mental ill health is prevalent; people are suffering from mental health issue due to advance lifestyles and health-related inequalities. The ‘mental ill health’ comprised of the broad spectrum, which deteriorates social, occupational and personal functioning, including mood, personality, anxiety, and schizophrenic disorders. The people react differently to stressors or traumatic experiences; some people cope better while other develop emotional, behavioral problems that further leads to severe psychological disorders and suicidal ideations.
Case Study
Marta is a 40-year old man belongs to high socioeconomic background. He has intimate with his mother, who is a patient of depression. His father has no mental disorder history and denies that his son is suffering from bipolar disorder. However, Marta indicates severe manic episodes and impulsive behavior such as traveling to other countries and expenditure large sums of money. He has a manic thought pattern, and flight of ideas for act upon.In contrast, he also reports that these episodes scatter and left him with a lack of energy, depression, and low self-esteem. The Louise manifested the signs and symptoms of psychological disturbance and his behavior deviates than average as he has sudden mood swings and his social-occupational functioning is affected due to these disturbances in behavior. Here the question arises what is the parameter to analyze the difference between natural, and abnormal or ill health.
The cross-cultural variation also plays a significant role in defining the normal and abnormal diversities. One behavior may consider abnormal in one culture, but it might be normal in another culture. The concept of normal and abnormal deviate with the idea if the person social-emotional and occupational functioning is appropriate then he is considered as a normal even though if he has some signs and symptoms of psychological disorders.
Social-emotional wellbeing is an essential aspect of healthy physical or mental life. Social-emotional welfare refers to appropriate reaction and adaptation to social cues and independent successful coping with the day to day functioning. Social-emotional wellbeing is hard to define but may be seen in regular appropriate functioning. Social and emotional wellbeing is a fundamental part of human mental and physical health and happiness. Promoting positive social and emotional development and well-being among people may enhance their productivity in economic, personal and social growth.
Mental illness is an umbrella term that locates a spectrum of disorders such as anxiety, depression, somatization, schizophrenia, dissociative, mood, and personality disorders. Most of the time the symptom co-occur, and it becomes difficult to give one diagnosis at a time. The symptoms may be similar to such as extent that a person given dual diagnoses. In the case of Marta he was also having comorbid symptoms, when he was 14 years old, he manifests a manic symptom and flight of ideas. In the initial stages, he was diagnosed with hyperactive attention deficit disorder, but the diagnosis was not suitable as he showed elevated mood rather than attention deficit. After taking more history from parents and psychological testing, Marta showed some symptoms of schizophrenia such as a flight of ideas were interpreted as delusions and mania have been considered as a catatonic behavior. However, after taking the detailed history of Marta, he was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The bipolar disorder refers to the manic-depressive disorder for at least two weeks with the loss of interest in all activities (DSM-V).
Relationship Between Discrimination and Mental Ill Health
Discrimination refers to adverse and biased action towards particular groups or people. Discrimination against the mentally ill patient is the fundamental and excruciating aspect. The mentally ill patient encounters many health inequalities by the society. Health inequalities are the diversities of health resources among people belongs to different groups and social conditions, such as socioeconomic status, age, race, ethnicity, sect and religion (Behere, Das, Yadav, & Behere, 2013). The health inequalities are unfair and could be eradiate with the government policies. The people with mental health disorder encounter much discrimination from the family and the society as a whole. The following case describes the discrimination faced by Louise.As mentioned, earlier Louise has had the bipolar disorder from the early adolescent. He tried to get a loan from a bank for running a small business and told the bank manager that he is suffering from mental health problems. Without evaluating his socioeconomic status and credit rating, the loan company denied giving a loan as they have a stigma that patient with bipolar disorder is not capable of controlling the money. The loan company provides the credit to fit people easily mentally but reluctant to invest money for the betterment of mentally ill patient. The disappointing situation and labeling of the mentally ill can negatively affect her current mental stability, and he may develop symptoms that are more psychological.
This discriminatory behavior adversely affects the mental state of the patient, and they develop low self-esteem and self-concept. The social inequalities not merely associated with mentally ill peoples but also associated with other aspects of gender and race/ethnicity. The prejudice, discrimination towards other race and ethnicity is very pervasive and increasing alarmingly (De Hert, 2011). The children are also facing discrimination and have developed radical belief to threat others opponent races. The race discrimination is most common in the U.S, according to a study the immigrants access least health services due to discrimination of race, religion or language (Birk, 2016). These unhealthy mentality and activities are increasing the ratio of mentally ill patients. Gender is another crucial aspect that adversely affects the mental health of the people. The female encounter more social discrimination and least advantage that causes anxiety and depression among them.
Perceptions of Deviance and Mental Ill Health
The person who deviate from social norms and social standard usually consider as mentally ill. While there is a significant difference between the deviant and mentally ill person, not all deviants are mentally ill, but mentally ill persons are considered deviant would be fine. The deviant behavior is not necessarily a mentally sick behavior instead, a different action in one culture may consider appropriate in another culture. For example, the uncovered dressing in western countries in average in their culture but in Muslim counties, if any female wear such uncovered dresses would commit a deviant behavior, but that does not signify her mental illness. Mental ill refers to the deterioration in personal, occupational and social functioning. Due to prejudice, radical thinking, radical beliefs, experience the deviance amplifier occurred and continued in vice versa. The media also plays a crucial role in the promoting rebellious or deviant behavior. The fascination towards other culture custom tradition, dressing and living standards attract people to adopt those behaviors. Some people manifest deviant behavior for attention seeking while other for avoiding the responsibility of their action takes refuge in deviant behavior. The natures of deviant behaviors are illegal and criminal rather than mentally ill.
Approaches for Eradication of Discrimination
By setting out a framework of legal and services reforms for a rights-based approach to mentally ill eradicate the discrimination in the overall society. First, the policy maker, sociologist, psychologist, social workers, health care and Government should focus on making such policies that promote the respect for individual autonomy, equality of accessibility, opportunity; and gender equality among mentally ill. They should be given equality as a citizen of the society. Secondly, the policymaker can address discrimination through mental health literacy campaigns. The campaign should be the rights of mental ill people-oriented, and the politicians, psychologists, sociologist, policymaker should collaboratively work for the implementation of rules. Protest strategies are rooted in advancing civil rights agendas. Furthermore, the legislative and Policy Change may be the advantageous step toward the eradication of discrimination. The United States has been implementing the legal policies to protect the dignity and place of mentally ill patients.The mental ill health has been a topic of extended debate among psychologists, researchers, anthropologists, and philosophers. The social detriment such as gender and race or ethnicity plays a significant role in the contribution the psychological symptom to severe disorders. The community labeling and discrimination also worsen the situation even more, as the above case indicate the discriminatory treatment from society regarding a loan. Although the situation is alarming, with the help of mental ill welfare and agencies the situation may control.