Mental Illness As A Social Problem
Student ID No. 10133166
Choose one social problem' and consider society's response to that social problem.
In this essay I am going to attempt to define the term social problem' and what it might mean in today's western society. The essay will then provide an overview of what mental illness might be and mean to the sufferer. In an effort to further understand why mental illness might be considered a social problem, the use of language' will be discussed in the context of how in the past and the present it is used to depict and describe mental illness and its sufferers. These ideas will be further considered when we discuss the role of the media in relation to the public's perception and attitude towards the mental illness and the sufferer. …show more content…
The term social problem' is generic and can be applied to a range of conditions and anomalous behaviours which are held to be manifestations of social disorganisation and to warrant changing via some means of social engineering. Typically these problems include forms of deviant behaviour, such as crime, juvenile delinquency, prostitution, mental illness, drug addiction, and suicide, and of social conflict, ethnic tension, domestic violence and industrial discord (Social Problems in Brayford, …show more content…
Emotive language like crazy', mad' and dangerous' have become synonymous when framing a story that involves an issue of a mental problem or mental disorder. As Byrne (2000, p66) noted, "as part of a them and us' strategy, mental disorders have also been conferred with highly charged negative connotations of self-inflictions, an excuse for laziness and criminality". There is the notion that the public's perception of mental illness is shaped by the news and entertainment media. Sufferers confirm that they believe that negative images and stereotypes in film, television, advertising, magazines and newspapers are directly connected to the public's negative attitudes toward people with mental health issues (Mind, 2002, p8-9). The complex relationship between mass media depictions of mental illness and the public's understanding, I suggest can promote negative attitudes and ensuing media coverage feeds off an already negative public perception. The media must play a role in changing such negative perceptions and we, as a society, must adopt a much more inclusive and tolerant attitude to the sufferers of mental ill health. With the continuing rise in mental ill health and its lack of prejudice towards who it may afflict should remind us that media myths play a huge role in the general populations intolerance to
Choose one social problem' and consider society's response to that social problem.
In this essay I am going to attempt to define the term social problem' and what it might mean in today's western society. The essay will then provide an overview of what mental illness might be and mean to the sufferer. In an effort to further understand why mental illness might be considered a social problem, the use of language' will be discussed in the context of how in the past and the present it is used to depict and describe mental illness and its sufferers. These ideas will be further considered when we discuss the role of the media in relation to the public's perception and attitude towards the mental illness and the sufferer. …show more content…
The term social problem' is generic and can be applied to a range of conditions and anomalous behaviours which are held to be manifestations of social disorganisation and to warrant changing via some means of social engineering. Typically these problems include forms of deviant behaviour, such as crime, juvenile delinquency, prostitution, mental illness, drug addiction, and suicide, and of social conflict, ethnic tension, domestic violence and industrial discord (Social Problems in Brayford, …show more content…
Emotive language like crazy', mad' and dangerous' have become synonymous when framing a story that involves an issue of a mental problem or mental disorder. As Byrne (2000, p66) noted, "as part of a them and us' strategy, mental disorders have also been conferred with highly charged negative connotations of self-inflictions, an excuse for laziness and criminality". There is the notion that the public's perception of mental illness is shaped by the news and entertainment media. Sufferers confirm that they believe that negative images and stereotypes in film, television, advertising, magazines and newspapers are directly connected to the public's negative attitudes toward people with mental health issues (Mind, 2002, p8-9). The complex relationship between mass media depictions of mental illness and the public's understanding, I suggest can promote negative attitudes and ensuing media coverage feeds off an already negative public perception. The media must play a role in changing such negative perceptions and we, as a society, must adopt a much more inclusive and tolerant attitude to the sufferers of mental ill health. With the continuing rise in mental ill health and its lack of prejudice towards who it may afflict should remind us that media myths play a huge role in the general populations intolerance to