As you know, not everybody understands mental illness. For example, when a student with a mental disability seeks special accommodations from their professor they are overlooked or not taken seriously (I heard of this situation from an on-line discussion group).
Another more common instance is telling someone in the workforce that a person needs accommodations due to mental illness. Many employers do not understand mental illness, so they try to avoid the situation all together by firing or encouraging the individual with mental illness to quit (another situation I learned of through an on-line discussion group).
Once, while psychotic and not aware of my mental illness, I was questioned by the police and sent home with family. However, if the police had been trained in mental illness like how to spot individuals with mental illness, I could have been treated sooner.
Some people do not think mental illness exists. How can we get them to understand?
1) I think mental illness education should be mandatory for teachers and employers, this way people will be more sensitive to individuals with mental illness. The state can make such programs mandatory by enforcing it through funding opportunities. Make schools and employers have a certain percentage of people with mental disabilities take advantage of their services and jobs. As a result, there will be less stereotypes and stigma attached to mental illness; and less students will feel discouraged and less employees will feel discriminated against.
2)Mental illness education should be taught in middle school as a part of the health education curriculum, just like STDs, sex education, and drug-free programs. This information, when taught earlier before the age of the onset of mental illness, will help people understand that something is wrong and that they should seek a professional health care provider for diagnosis.
3)Train police on how to spot individuals with mental illness. Then, more people with mental illness will get treatment.
What are some other ways we can get them to understand mental illness?
To learn more about schizophrenia visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or Schizophrenia Society of Novia Scotia (Canada). Also, visit Embracing My Mind for open group discussion on various topics concerning mental illness and life.
Another more common instance is telling someone in the workforce that a person needs accommodations due to mental illness. Many employers do not understand mental illness, so they try to avoid the situation all together by firing or encouraging the individual with mental illness to quit (another situation I learned of through an on-line discussion group).
Once, while psychotic and not aware of my mental illness, I was questioned by the police and sent home with family. However, if the police had been trained in mental illness like how to spot individuals with mental illness, I could have been treated sooner.
Some people do not think mental illness exists. How can we get them to understand?
1) I think mental illness education should be mandatory for teachers and employers, this way people will be more sensitive to individuals with mental illness. The state can make such programs mandatory by enforcing it through funding opportunities. Make schools and employers have a certain percentage of people with mental disabilities take advantage of their services and jobs. As a result, there will be less stereotypes and stigma attached to mental illness; and less students will feel discouraged and less employees will feel discriminated against.
2)Mental illness education should be taught in middle school as a part of the health education curriculum, just like STDs, sex education, and drug-free programs. This information, when taught earlier before the age of the onset of mental illness, will help people understand that something is wrong and that they should seek a professional health care provider for diagnosis.
3)Train police on how to spot individuals with mental illness. Then, more people with mental illness will get treatment.
What are some other ways we can get them to understand mental illness?
To learn more about schizophrenia visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or Schizophrenia Society of Novia Scotia (Canada). Also, visit Embracing My Mind for open group discussion on various topics concerning mental illness and life.
Comments
It takes many forms and I think the population should be aware everyone knows someone with mental illness statistically. Anorexia is a mental illness just like schizophrenia for example. Understanding is a step towards destigmatization.
UGA was priced decently if your insurance didn't cover mental health costs. That needs to be addressed. I have to pay to see my psychiatrist, but not my gyno. The pdoc is way more important in my world and I'm thankful I can afford it whenever I need to go.
That would be nice, this way people will be more familar with mental illness.
Anonynmous Drifter,
I am glad those days are over.
K.C. Jones,
Thank you for the warning, I'll do some research on college mental health departments before I make a decision to go back to school.
mb,
Your comment made me feel really good, like I am reaching out to people and teaching that mental illness is not bad, and we can overcome it together.
Thank you for all of your comments,
Ashley
Your right about work. I was working retail one summer while off on college break. I didn't even have a moment of not functioning, it was just I had made friends with one of the supervisors. And you know what? Me and my big mouth had to tell her that I had sudicial tendices the summer before. So you know what? The head boss doesn't put me on the schedule for the next week. I call and ask what the problem is and she says, I quote, "We don't want sucidial people working with us."
Anyway, I am with you, girl. We need more education on mental illness. We aren't FREAKS!
Always,
LA
Thanks,
Aral
The online chat groups where I learned of a few different situations is SchizophrneiaConnection.com and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
Ashley
Teachers do have a fair amount of training surrounding psychological issues with regard to childhood development. They all take mandatory psychology classes. Beyond that you have the school counselors with more training who's job is more directed to that. Teacher's primary job is to teach, if they're spending time practicing psychology there will be less teaching going on.
Mixing lines/professions really isn't a good idea.
My daughter has a degree in psychology, which she had before she went into Teaching, so she has multiple degrees and more training than most. She often see's to it that children receive extra counseling, testing where necessary in order to get the help they need.
popped in from blogupp
Sandy