Mental Illness Speaker’s Notes

Slide 2

Hello, and welcome to this presentation on mental disabilities. Did you know that at any given time, 18.7% adults are experiencing a mental health complication, which is an equivalent of approximately 45 million Americans (Mental Health America, 2020)? This presentation will explore the broad topic of mental disorders and narrow down to patients living with schizophrenia. The succeeding slides will offer definitions to critical terms, assert some of the major challenges that “schizophrenics” encounter, and identify some practical solutions to countering these challenges. The presentation recognizes the need to highlight some of the problems that schizophrenics face and why it is paramount to address these problems so that they can go ahead to lead productive lives.

Slide 3

Mental illnesses are influenced by a combination of biological and genetic factors, and the society. However, the greatest influence which often goes ignored are societal factors. According to Kapil (2019), the diversity in backgrounds and culture form an important aspect of the society that impact an individual’s mental health experience. Sekar (2016), describes schizophrenia as a brain disorder that severely affects cognition. (Kapil, 2019), observes that, different cultural outlooks have created the perfect condition for the growth of stigma around mental illnesses. In most cultures, mental illnesses are considered a weakness and something that people should always hide.

Slide 4

This slide provides the definitions for some of the key terms used in this presentation. The definitions are limited to the context of this presentation.

• Mental disorders: health conditions characterized by changes in emotions/mood, thinking or behavior (or a combination of both).
• Stigmatization: Negative attitudes/perceptions or beliefs towards people living with some form of mental disabilities.
• Support groups: A group of individuals who share the same problem/experience and gather together to provide each other with emotional support, advice, comfort, and encouragement

Slide 5

Although the mental conditions come with their fair share of challenges, people with the disabilities have found effective ways to cope with the “misfortune.” Support groups particularly, offer a safe haven for most patients. Whether local or national, support groups such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), offer local programs and internet resources that help fight stigma by educating people living with mental problems, their immediate families, and the general public about mental health issues. Additionally, other government agencies and programs such as those that focus on vocational rehabilitation have broadened their scope to offer support to people with mental disabilities.

Stigma does not just come from other people, it can come from inside too.  Rather than take their condition as a personal weakness, people with mental disorders have learned to embrace it. Therefore they resort to seeking counselling, educating themselves about their conditions, and connecting with others who share their predicament to boost their self-esteem, and also overcome self-sabotage.

Further, people with mental conditions do not allow it to define their lives. As such, they do not allow the fear of the “crazy” label prevent them from seeking help. They understand it is only treatment that can provide relief by purposely identifying the problem and minimizing symptoms that interfere with specific areas of their lives.

Slide 6

According to Clement et al. (2014), mental health patients experience the worst form of stigma and discrimination. The anticipation of “impending” discrimination leads to some individuals avoiding to participate in some areas of life, leading to further isolation and social marginalization. They are continual victims of alienation and demonization with most people thinking they are inherently crazy rather than tragically ill, and therefore receive little empathy. Further, although the level of unemployment among this population in the last 50 years has fallen significantly, data shows that unemployment is still quite high, especially among first time patients. Patients with schizophrenia may have less allocation of healthcare resources than those with physical complications, and therefore may not register desirable healthcare outcomes. Arguably, stigma and discrimination remains the biggest obstacle for most individuals with mental complications (Clement, Farrelly, & Gabbidon, 2014)

Slide 7

Education is a crucial tool that can be leveraged to create awareness on mental health issues, fight discrimination, and reduce the stigma associated with brain disorders. (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (U.S.), & Committee on the Science of Changing Behavioral Health Social Norms, 2016). Through educational anti-stigma interventions, the government can offer factual information about a specific mental condition with the ultimate goal of eliminating misinformation or fighting negative beliefs. Basically, these interventions substitute inaccurate myths or stereotypes with factual information.

Legislative and policy changes provide an effective way of addressing stigma at the structural level. This intervention has over the years proved effective in protecting and normalizing marginalized groups. As part of this, the government can replace policies that disqualify people with mental disorders from receiving insurance coverage among other changes.

Additionally, government and private institutions can lead the way in implementing policies that discourage discrimination and stigma. In their part, schools can incorporate policies that aim at ending bullying and harassment, and focus on educating students on mental health; demystifying popular myths surrounding the issue.

Further, mental health patients suffer discrimination and stigma in the healthcare settings. Clement et al. (2014), observes how a majority of healthcare practitioners are not properly trained to deal with mental health patients. Ultimately, the patients end up receiving poor quality services that serve to discourage them from seeking further treatment, and in some cases abandoning treatment altogether.

[………..] explains, unemployment and loss of income is one of the most significant challenges affecting people living with mental disorders. He contends that formulating policies that ensure job safety among this population provides an effective solution to this problem. Moreover, organizations should strive to create friendly work environments, comfortable for people with mental disabilities to work efficaciously.

References

Clement, S., Farrelly, S., & Gabbidon, J. (2014). Anticipated and experienced discrimination amongst people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: a cross sectional study. BMC Psychiatry, Vol 14(157).

Kapil, R. (2019, July 11). Four Ways Culture Impacts Mental Health. Retrieved from Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2019/07/four-ways-culture-impacts-mental-health/#:~:text=But%20a%20society’s%20culture%20also,support%20you%20have%20around%20you.

Mental Health America. (2020). Mental Health In America – Prevalence Data. Retrieved from Mental Health America: https://www.mhanational.org/issues/mental-health-america-prevalence-data

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (U.S.), & Committee on the Science of Changing Behavioral Health Social Norms. (2016). Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders: The Evidence for Stigma Change. Washington, District of Columbia: The National Academies Press.

Sekar, A. B. (2016). Schizophrenia risk from complex variation of complement component 4. Nature , Vol 530, 177–183, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16549.