Analyzing Social Problems and Social Policy: Mental illnesses
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Analyzing Social Problems and Social Policy: Mental illnesses
Description and causes
Within modern society, mental health illness is one of the most effective problems experienced by most people. Mental health refers to behavioral, cognitive, and emotional well-being. Mental illness thus refers to a condition that affects an individual’s feelings, mood, thinking, and behaviors. Some of the most common mental illnesses include anxiety, major bipolar disorder, depression, psychosis, schizophrenia, and trauma.
Several factors usually bring about mental health challenges. One of the main factors leading to mental health challenges is substance abuse. According to a study by Smith et al. (2017), there is a high correlation between substance use and mental health challenges. Thus, substance use could be used as a predictor of mental illnesses. Additionally, early adverse life experiences, for example, exposure to violence and sexual assault, could lead to mental illnesses. Duin et al. (2018) support this view, who conducted empirical research on the role of adverse childhood experiences on mental health and found a positive relationship between the two variables.
Mental illnesses in society
According to the CDC (2021), 1 in 25 American citizens live with serious mental challenges including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or a major depression. Additionally,1in every 5 American adults are diagnosed with at least one mental illness in any given year. The statistics indicate the high prevalence of mental health issues within modern society, hence why it is one of the main focus areas of social workers.
Risk Population
The issue of mental illness is typically experienced across the demographic scope affecting people of all ages and races. However, mental health issues are highly diverse along racial lines whereby adults exhibiting two or more races experience 31.7% prevalence compared to white adults with 22.2% (National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), 2019). This statistic indicates the prevalence of risk factors within the minority communities compared to the white ethnic groups. Some of the risk factors include disparities that come with racism, including poor access to quality mental health care and other social-economic constraints (McKnight, 2021).
Theories of Mental health
Some of the most effective theories used in explaining mental health issues include behaviorism, biological, cognitive, humanistic, and psychodynamic theories. Behaviorism theorists believe that life experiences manifest behaviors; for example, Freud’s theory suggests that the body undergoes several psychosexual stages. On the other hand, psychodynamic theories focus on the driving forces within individuals that motivate their behavior. An example is Erik Erikson’s theory which analyzes an individual’s growth through eight stages in exploring deficiencies in their behavior. On the other hand, cognitive theories emphasize that behaviors are shaped by attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs of individuals. An example of a cognitive theory includes Piaget’s developmental theory and social-cultural cognitive theory.
The most common method applied by scholars in assessing and treating mental health issues involves therapy, whereby a counselor tries to evaluate the origin of the problem and its prevalence within society. One of the approaches undertaken by the government consists of the development of policies under the Affordable Care Policy (ACA) to promote accessibility and health-seeking behavior of people experiencing mental health issues. An example of such a policy is the accessibility of healthcare to as long as somebody has insurance coverage. According to Thomas et al. (2017), there have been positive results in the mental well-being of U.S citizens ever since the introduction of the policy. The improvement in mental well-being reflects the significance of accessibility as an approach towards solving mental health issues.
References
CDC. (2021, December). Learn about mental health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm
McKnight-Eily, L. R., Okoro, C. A., Strine, T. W., Verlenden, J., Hollis, N. D., Njai, R., Mitchell, E. W., Board, A., Puddy, R., & Thomas, C. (2021). Racial and ethnic disparities in the prevalence of stress and worry, mental health conditions, and increased substance use among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic — United States, April and May 2020. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 70(5), 162-166. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7005a3
National Institute of Mental Health (NIH). (2019). Mental Illness. NIMH » Home. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
Smith, L. L., Yan, F., Charles, M., Mohiuddin, K., Tyus, D., Adekeye, O., & Holden, K. B. (2017). Exploring the link between substance use and mental health status: What can we learn from the self-medication theory? Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 28(2S), 113-131. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2017.0056
Thomas, K. C., Shartzer, A., Kurth, N. K., & Hall, J. P. (2017). Impact of ACA health reforms for people with mental health conditions. Psychiatric Services, 69(2), 231-234. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201700044
Van Duin, L., Bevaart, F., Zijlmans, J., Luijks, M. A., Doreleijers, T. A., Wierdsma, A. I., Oldehinkel, A. J., Marhe, R., & Popma, A. (2018). The role of adverse childhood experiences and mental health care use in psychological dysfunction of male multi-problem young adults. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 28(8), 1065-1078. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-018-1263-4–
-Examining Social Issues and Policies: Mental Illnesses
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Examining Social Issues and Policies: Mental Illnesses
Causes and description
Mental illness is one of the most prevalent problems that most individuals face in today’s society. Behavioral, cognitive, and emotional well-being are all part of mental health. As a result, mental illness is a condition that affects a person’s feelings, mood, thoughts, and behaviors. Anxiety, major bipolar disorder, depression, psychosis, schizophrenia, and trauma are some of the most frequent mental diseases.
Mental health issues are frequently caused by a number of reasons. Substance addiction is one of the main causes of mental health problems. There is a strong link between substance abuse and mental health issues, according to Smith et al. (2017). As a result, substance abuse could be utilized to predict mental illness. Furthermore, early adversity in childhood, such as exposure to violence or sexual assault, can lead to mental diseases. Duin et al. (2018), who conducted empirical research on the impact of bad childhood events on mental health and discovered a positive association between the two variables, agree with this viewpoint.
Incidence of mental diseases in society
According to the CDC (2021), one in every twenty-five Americans suffers from a significant mental illness such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or major depression. In addition, one out of every five adults in the United States is diagnosed with a mental disease at some point during the year. Statistics show that mental health disorders are very common in today’s culture, which is why it is one of social workers’ key focus areas.
Population at Risk
Mental disease affects people of all ages and races, and it is prevalent throughout the demographic spectrum. Mental health difficulties, on the other hand, are significantly diversified along racial lines, with adults of two or more races experiencing 31.7 percent prevalence compared to white adults (22.2 percent) (National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), 2019). When compared to white ethnic groups, this statistic shows the prevalence of risk factors among minority cultures. Disparities resulting from racism, such as a lack of access to adequate mental health care and other socioeconomic restraints, are some of the risk factors (McKnight, 2021).
Mental health theories
Behaviorism, biological, cognitive, humanistic, and psychodynamic theories are some of the most successful theories for describing mental health difficulties. Life experiences, according to behaviorists, manifest actions; for example, Freud’s theory indicates that the body goes through numerous psychosexual stages. Psychodynamic theories, on the other hand, are concerned with the internal forces that drive people’s behavior. Erik Erikson’s approach, for example, examines an individual’s maturation through eight phases in order to uncover behavioral flaws. Cognitive theories, on the other hand, highlight that individuals’ attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs shape their behaviour. Piaget’s developmental theory and social-cultural cognitive theory are two examples of cognitive theories.
Therapy, in which a counselor attempts to investigate the origin of the problem and its prevalence within society, is the most prevalent strategy used by scholars in assessing and treating mental health concerns. The establishment of rules under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to enhance accessibility and health-seeking behavior of people facing mental health disorders is one of the ways taken by the government. The availability of healthcare as long as someone has insurance coverage is an example of such a policy. Since the policy’s implementation, according to Thomas et al. (2017), there has been a favorable impact on Americans’ mental health. The rise in mental health indicates the importance of accessibility as a means of addressing mental health issues.
References
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2021, December). Find out more about mental health. The CDC stands for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm
L. R. McKnight-Eily, C. A. Okoro, T. W. Strine, J. Verlenden, N. D. Hollis, R. Njai, E. W. Mitchell, A. Board, R. Puddy, and C. Thomas (2021). During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in April and May 2020, racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence of stress and worry, mental health disorders, and increased substance use among adults were seen. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 70, no. 5, pp. 162-166. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7005a3
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is a government-funded research (NIH). (2019). Illness of the mind. Home » National Institute of Mental Health https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
L. L. Smith, F. Yan, M. Charles, K. Mohiuddin, D. Tyus, O. Adekeye, and K. B. Holden (2017). What can the self-medication theory teach us about the relationship between substance use and mental health? 113-131 in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 28(2S). https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2017.0056
K. C. Thomas, A. Shartzer, N. K. Kurth, and J. P. Hall (2017). The impact of the Affordable Care Act’s health-care policies on people with mental illnesses. Psychiatric Services, vol. 69, no. 2, pp. 231-234. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201700044
L. Van Duin, F. Bevaart, J. Zijlmans, M. A. Luijks, T. A. Doreleijers, A. I. Wierdsma, A. J. Oldehinkel, R. Marhe, and A. A. Popma (2018). The role of adversity in childhood and mental health treatment in the psychological dysfunction of male multi-problem young adults. 1065-1078 in European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28(8). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-018-1263-4
