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Malololelei Mobley

Mrs. Jackie Burr, Instructor

English 2010

March 15, 2017

The Stigma of Mental Illnesses

What is a mental illness? My health teacher asked

to our sophomore class, he looked around seeing who

would be brave enough to use their voice. I was hoping

he didnt notice me sink lower into my seat; finally

Hailey rose her hand and firmly stated: Its when you

cant control your emotions. Such a simple answer to

such a complex question. This is the problem when it

comes to the education of mental health. We as people

seek for easy we seek to get it over with rather than truly understanding the problem/concept.

According to Interim Healthcare they state the following, When most people think of

home health care, they most often imagine only physical injuries or illnesses. However, mental

health is an important part of our overall health and can directly affect our physical well being or

health. Mental illness requires diagnosis and treatment just as physical conditions do. This is

spot on. When we think of health our minds automatically go to our physical bodies but we are

so reluctant to focus on the core; our brains (Mental Health and Depression).

At my high school in Herriman, Utah its required that every year we have a class

discussion about suicide prevention and mental health awareness with our school counselors. My
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sophomore year I was quite intrigued to hear what they had to say; I was actually excited to have

my fellow classmates accurately informed on mental illnesses. To my surprise my counselors

were almost unaware as my classmates. They said such generic statements, Mental illness are

hereditary, self-grown, and seasonal, Go talk to a trusted adult if you have thoughts of taking

your life. If you take your life you make it hard on those around you and you will not have the

chance to progress. The education of mental health needs to be treated more severely. It

shouldn't just be a one lesson and done it should be a continuous lesson; it should be taken as

seriously as a biology class.

The education of mental health can be a sensitive subject but that makes it even more

prominent to have a discussion about it. Just because its hard to talk about does not mean it is

not worth conversing; according to Pasadena Villa, In the U.S., suicide claims a life roughly

once every 15 minutes, with the alarming majority having an undiagnosed mental illness. This

makes suicide the 3rd leading cause of death for young adults in the U.S.

Improvements for the education of mental health:

1. Have object lessons; lessons that will actually hit you in the heart and make you

understand.
2. Stop sugar coating it. SUICIDE IS REAL. MENTAL ILLNESS IS A REAL

DISEASE. It needs to be treated as such.


3. We need to stop overviewing mental health as whole and get into the fine details
a. Early Diagnosis; what are the signs
b. How to interact with those who are suffering from a mental illness
c. Seeking help...not just saying Talk to a trusted adult
d. Accurately. Educate.
4. Focus on the fact that NOBODY chooses to have a mental illness. We as a society

must learn how to cooperate amongst each other.


5. Teach students to listen to understand. Not to get it right.
6. Respect others emotions and allow an environment of free emoticons available

Social Medias Effect On Mental Health


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It is easy to understand why such passive use can worsen mental health. Most people on

social media portray themselves and their lives in an unrealistically flattering manner. What you

see on social media are heavily sanitized and filtered versions of reality. The fleeting irregular

highlights are often presented as the norm, while the everyday humdrum struggles (common to

all people) are carefully omitted. This leads some passive viewers to make faulty social

comparisons, falsely concluding that others are leading much more fulfilling, exciting and

happier lives. This can invidiously gnaw at the viewer's psyche, making them feel inferior and

inadequate. Again, this can worsen overall mental

health. (Whitley)

Social media is bombarding the stigma of

mental illness in a negative way. When you log onto

Twitter and scroll through your timeline, you will see

countless jokes about mental illnesses:

I just dropped my smoothie all over my car. Kms

I cant believe I failed my exam. Im so


depressed.

Im so nervous for this test. My anxiety is through the roof

Hahah Im so indecisive; Im basically bipolar

The list goes on and on; according to Whitley he vocalize this, The utilization of social

media such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat has increased dramatically in recent years.

This has become especially intense among adolescents and young adults. A recent Ontario study

indicates that 80 per cent of young people use social media on a daily basis, with almost 50 per

cent using it for over two hours per day.That means every single day eighty percent of teens are

seeing a mental illness as a joke. They are seeing how they should treat somebody with a mental
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health disorder. We are bringing up a generation that glamorize mental illnesses to the point that

the cool kids are doing it.

The truth about a mental disorder is the person suffering from it does not get to chose

when it is convenient for them. They dont get to post on social media about how their anxiety is

through the roof and have hundreds of people like favorite and retweet it because its so

relatable. Having a mental illness is NOT convenient, glamorous, or a prop. Its a real illness

that thousands are suffering from everyday.

What if we treated physical illnesses like mental

illnesses? In todays world we would never take a

quadriplegic to a flight of stairs and demand them to

walk up them. We wouldnt get upset when he would

have to take the elevator instead. But somehow when it

comes to our brains all rules are off the table.

An anonymous therapist expressed to me in an

interview, Many people dont realize that comparing a

mental illness to a physical illness is not to downplay a

physical illness but to help you realize that mental

illnesses need to be more seriously. The rise of mental

illness is a literally a silent epidemic. We need to use our

voices; speak up.


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Profiles of Mental Illness

Robin Williams Demi Lovato Sofia Luanuu Toilolo Mobley

Robin Williams is renowned Sofia was born and raised in the


actor and comedian. He is Demi Lovato is an actress and a San Francisco, California.
featured in countless ranges of singer. She started her acting While growing up as a child
movies from Mrs. Doubtfire to career when she appeared on she was the 2nd oldest 4
Jumanji Mr. Williams warm Barney & Friends She would siblings. Sofia was the central
heart found its way into many later star in a hit Disney channel car giver of her siblings since
American homes. movie, Camp Rock. their mother were three jobs to
support them.
Williams battled addiction to Back in 2011, Lovato was
alcohol but promised to become admitted to a rehabilitation In Sofias childhood she went
sober for his new baby boy center for her eating disorder; through severe child abuse and
through it all he was suffering bulimia and anorexia. At her sexual abuse. As a child she
from sever depression. He stayed center she was diagnosed with began to have depression and
sober for 20 years but on a trip to Bipolar Disorder (MacMillen). PTSD.
Alaska felt alone and gave into When she was first diagnosed
his ongoing temptation (Mental Lovato was scared because she Sofia was emitted to a Mental
Illness And Addiction had heard so many negative Health Institute in the summer
Treatment). things about the bipolar disorder. of 2004. There multiple doctors
But she came to terms with her diagnosed disorders. However
In August of 2014, lost his battle illness and was appreciative to Sofia continued to live her life
to depression. He will always be truly know her emotions. to the fullest.
remembered as a great man.
Now Demi is advocate for Be
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Vocal: Speak Up For Mental Sofia lost her battle of mental


Illnesses. illness in the summer of 2015.

Works Cited

Anonymous. Phone Call Interview. 24 Mar. 2017

"Consequences of Undiagnosed Mental Illness Cases." Pasadena Villa. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar.

2017.

"Demi Lovato's Story with Bipolar Disorder." Be Vocal. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.

Hugs, Robot. What If People Treated Physical Illness Like Mental Illness? Digital image. The

Huffington Post. N.p., 13 Nov. 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.

MacMillen, Hayley, Depression Mind Wellness, and Photographed By Issac Sterling. "Demi

Lovato Opens Up About The Mental Disorder She Didn't Know She Had." Demi Lovato

Mental, Eating Disorder, Bipolar Depression. Hayley MacMillen, 28 May 2015. Web. 28

Mar. 2017.

"Mental Health and Depression." Home Health Plays a Role with Mental Health. N.p., n.d. Web.

13 Mar. 2017.

"Mental Illness And Addiction Treatment." Avalon Malibu Rehab & Addiction Treatment Center
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- Alcohol/Drug Abuse. N.p., 30 Mar. 2015. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.

Ramasubbu, Suren. "Influence of Social Media on Teenagers." The Huffington Post.

TheHuffingtonPost.com, 26 May 2015. Web. 30 Mar. 2017.

Sricki. Stigma of Mental Illness. Digital image. Daily Kos. N.p., n.d. Web.

Whitley, Robert. "Here's Why Social Media Harms Your Teen's Mental Health." The Huffington

Post. The Huffington Post, 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.

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