Business Communication

MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT A NEW CRISIS 1

Mental Health is Not a New Crisis

Your name

Southern States University

Business Communications

Professor Steve Ryan

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Introduction

The main issue surrounding mental health is the lack of recognition, and therefore the

heightened issues, illnesses, and stigmas. Historically, mental illnesses have been categorized as

non-existent or psychotic. Any illness left untreated will only continue to persist and worsen.

Mental illnesses have been key examples of this ideology. Once mental illnesses are recognized,

then treatment for such illnesses is able to proceed. Treatment would not only benefit the

individual but society as a whole (Whitney & Peterson, 2019). Mental illnesses demand more

recognition to diminish the detrimental effects; severe behavioral problems, alienation, and the

inability to function in life.

Background

Mental health has typically been viewed as less important when compared to physical

health. These injurious stigmas reach as far back as the dawn of time. Prior to the year 1400, the

most common theory behind mental was religiously based. Civilizations such as the Romans and

Egyptians believed any symptoms of a mental illness was indicative of a demon possession that

could only be resolved through an exorcism. It was not until the early 1400s that the idea that

mental health could have a non-religious solution was born, “1407: The first facility specifically

for mental health is established in Spain.” (History of Mental Health Treatment, 2020). Despite

efforts to aid those who suffer from mental illnesses, there were still uncrossed barriers. Until the

late 1880s, it was common to simply ignore the mentally ill individuals that plagued society. A

woman named Nelly Bly pioneered the beginning of addressing and helping people’s mental

illnesses. She actually pretended to suffer from a mental illness in order to have a first-hand

understanding of the treatment. Medications were not an accepted solution until the 1940s and

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1950s. Even then, scientists were merely attempting to craft a drug that could help. There was

quite a bit of experimentation.

The 1950s were a turning point. Institutionalizations reached a high, but as the decades

progressed these numbers began to fall. These institutions in the 1950s, unknowingly, lacked

vital components such as housing assistance, social support, counseling, and life skills training.

Without these fundamental aspects, people’s mental health could not improve. Slowly, through

education, these institutions began to include the aforementioned components (Chua &

Sommers, 2014). Unfortunately, this process is slow, and it is still far from reaching the demands

of mental health. In the 1980s, the correlation between homelessness and mental illnesses was

made after thorough research. In the 1990s, another unfortunate correlation was made.

Incarcerated people also experienced mental illnesses at a disproportionally higher rate (History

of Mental Health Treatment, 2020). These correlations only further support the dipropionate

treatment of mental illnesses among different economic groups. (Dawson, et al., 2015).

Homelessness and crime are two examples of untreated and unrecognized mental illnesses

among millions of people.

Literature Review

My fourth source is an online article about the history of mental health treatment (History

of Mental Health Treatment, 2020). This article benefits my paper in a number of ways. It dives

into the diverse history of mental health, specifically, the lack of treatment. The sample size was

not specific, so the lack of sample size could be a deficiency. A strength would be the range of

time. It provides from data as early as the 1400s until the 21st century. This wide expanse of time

can emulate the changes and growth in mental illness treatment. The article did account for

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different socioeconomic statuses which is a key point in my paper. It provided numerous sources

which can validate the article’s own credibility.

My fifth source is an online research study from the National Institute of Mental Health

(Women and Mental Health, 2019). This source makes an important contribution to my paper. It

highlights the differences in mental illness symptoms between men and women. Historically,

mental illness symptoms, as most illness symptoms, are shaped around men. Articles that

highlight the differences between the sexes are beneficial. There is sample size; therefore, that is

deficiency. The study has an unknown number of participants that the conclusions are being

pulled from which is problematic. A strength is the specific variances between the sexes in

particular mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety that the source provides. The source

only differentiates between men and women. It would have beneficial to also differentiate

between socioeconomic and racial groups in the varying sexes. Overall, this particular would be

helpful to my paper’s argument because it showcases the different signs of mental illness among

women and men which highlights the importance of continued and increased mental healt h

education.

My sixth source is an article about mental health differences for the gay population

(Mental Health Facts for Gay Populations, 2018). This article provided data for the number of

homosexual men in different races as well the number of homosexual men in different age

groups. The research proceeded to compare the data of the homosexual men and compare their

mental health to that of heterosexual men. There was a disproportionally high number of

substance use and mood disorders among gay men when compared to straight men. Stigmas

around homosexuality perpetuate mental illnesses in the LGBTQ+ community. This article

would greatly benefit my paper because it dives into a number of mental illness disparities.

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Personal Reflection

Mental health is a complex portion of healthcare. These conditions and diseases that fall

under the mental health umbrella are not commonly visible to the untrained person. Therefore, it

is has repeatedly been ignored and und ermined throughout history. Even with increased

education and more readily available treatment, the stigmas behind mental illnesses detract

people from getting help. While some articles and individuals have recognized the difference in

mental health among varying sexes, sexualities, race, and socioeconomic groups, a number of

stigmas still remain. A majority of all healthcare was formatted around straight, white,

neurotypical, middle class men; therefore, symptoms that fall outside of this type may go

unrecognized. Recognizing this issue will help recognize these different symptoms. It is through

this increased understanding and education that mental illnesses can truly be helped for

everyone.

Conclusion

Illnesses have plagued our society since the dawn of time. A larger than expected portion

of these illnesses are invisible. Mental illnesses can have the same degree of detrimental effects

as physical illness. Without the required treatment, then these negative effects will only continue

to fester and grow. Treatment for people who suffer from mental illnesses is not only necessary,

but different forms of treatment are required to accommodate varying sexes, sexualities, race,

and socioeconomic groups.

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References

Chua, K.-P., & Sommers, B. D. (2014, June 18). Changes in Health and Medical Spending

Among Young Adults Under Health Reform. Jama Network, 311(23), 2437-2439.

doi:10.1001/jama.2014.2202

Dawson, K. S., Bryant, R. A., Harper, M., Tay, A. K., Rahman, A., Schafer, A., & Van

Ommeren, M. (2015, October). Problem Management Plus (PM+): a WHO

transdiagnostic psychological intervention for common mental health problems. World

Psychiatry, 14(3), 354-357. doi:10.1002/wps.20255

History of Mental Health Treatment. (2020). Retrieved from Foundation Recovery Network:

https://dualdiagnosis.org/mental-health-and-addiction/history/

Mental Health Facts for Gay Populations. (2018). Retrieved from Mental Health Disparities:

Diverse Populations: https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/cultural-

competency/education/mental-health-facts

Whitney, D. G., & Peterson, M. D. (2019, February 11). US National and State-Level Prevalence

of Mental Health Disorders and Disparities of Mental Health Care Use in Children. Jama

Network, 173(4) 389-391. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5399

Women and Mental Health. (2019, May). Retrieved from National Institute of Mental Health:

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/women-and-mental-health/index.shtml