Mental Illness: Effects, Stigma, and Society

Introduction to Mental Illness

Mental illness appears in various forms. It is characterized by serious disruptions in a person's thoughts or actions, and those presenting symptoms are often unable to manage the day-to-day activities of normal life. Mental illness can take over 200 forms, each affecting the patient's disposition, character, traits, and the way they interact with others. Some common forms of mental illness are schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and dementia. Taylor and Brown (1988) state that mental illness can be expressed psychologically, emotionally, and even through physical symptoms.

A person under severe stress from a single incident or from a build-up of stressors over time is prone to developing mental illness. Symptoms may also arise from a biochemical imbalance, a negative reaction to one's environment, or a specific genetic makeup. Patients may recover from mental illness or learn to manage their conditions under appropriate care and treatment (Mental Illness and the Family: Recognizing Warning Signs and How to Cope, n.d.). Although mental health is a concern for many people, mental illness is recognized when a person is unable to function normally due to the illness. It can be observed in the way a person interacts with others, with their work, and with their families. Medicine is sometimes prescribed to treat mental illness, in addition to therapy (Clinic, 2015).

Effects of Mental Illness

Mental illness can affect the patient personally as well as socially. A person suffering from mental illness may experience severe side effects from prescribed medication. For example, a patient may suffer memory lapses, emotional disruption, reduced alertness, and impaired ability to interact well with others (Taylor et al., 2003). Beyond personal effects, society may also stigmatize the person suffering from mental illness. At the same time, the person may internalize this stigma and self-stigmatize as a result (Nezlek et al., 1997). It is therefore important to understand mental illness through various approaches, including the effects of its treatments (Maddux and Tangney, 2011).

Evaluating the patient for mental illness is the first step in diagnosing the illness, and it is normally carried out by a professional who will assess the patient's symptoms and probe their medical history. The patient is given an opportunity to express their symptoms, after which a physical evaluation may be conducted. The professional seeks to eliminate any extraneous causes so that the diagnosis can be accurate. For a patient diagnosed with mental illness, the next step is referral to a specialist — such as a psychiatrist or psychologist — who can confirm the diagnosis and offer treatment alternatives. These specialists use various assessments to identify problems such as deterioration in social interactions or a reduced ability to function in daily life. Goldberg (2014) states that from these assessments, the specialist can better diagnose the specific disorder the patient is experiencing.

Mental Illness and Self-Stigma

Self-stigma arises when an individual internalizes the stigma they experience from society. This internalization can result in negative actions and mental reactions, and its effects can be long-lasting. Link et al. (1987) demonstrated that these effects can persist even after a person has successfully undergone psychiatric treatment — the psychological impact endures. As a result, the person suffering from self-stigma may find their ability to be rehabilitated inhibited, including their chances of gaining independence and meaningful employment.

Self-stigma can develop from the stereotypes that society holds toward mental illness. From these stereotypes, people suffering from mental illness may form a reduced sense of self-esteem and capacity (Markowitz, 1998; Ritsher and Phelan, 2004). Sometimes this reduction in self-worth arises as a natural response to the specific stereotypes held by the society or culture in which the patient lives (Trapnell and Campbell, 1999).

Some of the common problems experienced by people with acute mental illness include lack of sleep, anxiety, and constant fatigue. It is often helpful for those presenting these symptoms to receive care through a diagnostic approach. Alternative treatment methods include yoga, relaxation techniques, dietary changes, and self-help approaches, as highlighted by the Center for Mental Health Services. While some patients opt for these methods alone, others choose traditional alternatives such as medication and psychotherapy. Alternative treatments have been found to be effective, particularly for pain, anxiety, and high blood pressure (Thobaben, 2004), and they include acupuncture and various stress-reduction techniques.

Mental Health and Social Capital

Some studies have attempted to determine whether a relationship exists between mental health and social capital. However, due to methodological restrictions, these studies have not produced conclusive results. The majority of this research has used cross-sectional designs, which are unable to determine the direction of the relationship between mental health and social capital. Tesser (1988) suggests that a person's decreasing social interactions and growing inability to trust may be a result of mental illness, rather than a cause of it. Reviews of how mental illness affects social capital have yielded diverse results. Where associations have been demonstrated, trust and mutuality within a community appear to serve as determinants of better mental health (Corrigan et al., 2010).

On the other hand, some studies have indicated that structural social capital — participation in community structures — is associated with poorer mental health, contrary to earlier assertions. This discrepancy may be due to differences in what was measured across studies. McKenzie and Harpham (2006) note that the relationship between social capital and mental illness is multi-faceted and is therefore expected to produce varied findings.

One notable study explored the relationship between mental health and violence in the community. Conducted in the United States with ten thousand respondents across three settings as part of the Epidemiological Catchment Area Survey, it used a Diagnostic Interview Schedule aligned with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Those identified as presenting symptoms of a psychiatric disorder were four times more likely to be involved in violence. Schizophrenia and substance abuse showed a high association with violence compared to respondents without any disorders. However, in a later study of psychosis patients who had been treated and discharged, the subjects' inclination toward violence was found to be similar to that of people without any history of mental illness (Johnson et al., 1997).

In studies using birth cohorts, there has been stronger evidence of an association between mental disorders and violence. Of those with mental disorders, women were 8.66 times and men were 4.48 times more likely to commit a violent offense compared to other members of society (Kurman, 2001).

Conclusion

Mental illness poses many challenges to society. It manifests in various disorders as defined by experts and the law, and it remains an area requiring extensive research, particularly regarding its impact on social capital. Much research has been conducted, but few studies have been conclusive due to significant methodological limitations — among them the criminalization of the mentally ill. Significant stigma continues to exist in society toward people with mental illness, fueled by interest groups, politicians, and the media, which have collectively promoted the stereotype of the mentally ill person as inherently violent without adequate evidence or valid reasoning. Communities are now contributing through active participation in the management of mental health institutions in their areas, representing a positive step toward more equitable and informed approaches to mental health care.