‘Back in 1971 …… Mental health referred only to mental illnesses and mental illnesses were shrouded in such shame and stigma that many people neglected the issue.’ Though much has changed today, the serious stigma and discrimination attached to mental illnesses are still among the most tragic realities facing people with mental illness all over the world. They result in stereotyping, fear, embarrassment, anger and avoidance behaviors. They force people to remain quiet about their mental illnesses, often causing them to delay treatment because of concerns about what their families, friends, children, co-workers and employers will think. In view of the prejudice and discrimination, there is a need to change in order to help them to have a complete and satisfying life. Stigma is the product of superstition, old belief systems, lack of knowledge and empathy, and the sustained distortion by the media.
Their presence was a manifestation of wrongdoing in the family and the entire clan. In some extreme cases of discrimination, the victims of Albinism have been killed, and their body parts used for witchcraft particularly as it happens in the Republic of Tanzania. Widespread poverty, illiteracy, and ignorance about the condition deprived the victims’ proper care such as protection from
This shift did not come without its problem; instead if came with many implications for people living with mental illness. Reform increased the burden on families and society due to inadequate care when needed. Thereby, escalating stigmatisation, homelessness, unmanaged medications, self-harm and harm to other people (Bland et al., 2009). These changes created implications for social workers because inadequate funding and cuts to services limited the way services were delivered. Even though there were principles to guide social work practice in mental health, tension emerged between evidence based practice, recovery principles and the lived experiences of mental health.
Wars have been waged, people have died, and relationships have been destroyed all in the name of freedom from persecution. Even after grotesque amounts of destruction and blood shed just to live a normal life, groups all around the world are still persecuted for their differences by those in society who are ignorant enough to believe that their way of living must be the only correct way to live. Through broadening our mindsets and being open to the possibilities of various styles of proper living, the world’s population can become more unified. Prejudice and racism are a significant part of society, but they can go away in the future through stripping power and meaning from the derogatory words that plague our world and from our parents being more accepting, they can teach us their accepting ways, and through passing acceptance down to future generations, it can be amplified. Prejudice is incurred by the hate we feel towards people whose customs and behaviour differ from our own; the fear of the unknown is the basis of all prejudice.
Words can create a certain connotations in every situation. The word “accuser” means “someone who imputes guilt or blame”, but also in the Old Testament of the Bible the word accuser was another name for Satan, the adversary, and one who opposes (New World Encyclopedia, 2011). Thus being said immediately any word being defined by something evil has a negative connotation, which impacts the people and situation in which the word is used. To call a victim of rape an accuser has major psychological effects on the victim, jurors and judges, the public and potential rapists. Sexual assault is one of the most under reported crimes, and 60% of rapes are still being unreported (RAINN.org, 2009).
Both authors illustrate the idea that because of oppression the victim develops a self-hatred that enforces a desire to change. Within The Bluest Eye, Morrison utilizes the Breedlove family as a prime example of people who desire to be anyone but themselves. Cholly, Pauline, Sammy and Pecola Breedlove have all experienced different devastating and painful moments in their life, but they all are unified by one idea: they are ugly. As the narrator explains, “you looked at them and wondered why they were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that it came from conviction, their conviction.
Alcohol dependence and drug abuse The abuse of alcohol and drug abuse can effect a person’s economic, psychologically and physically. Drug and alcohol addiction is said to be the worst kind of addiction that one can have its common and costly. It can cause or worsen many medical problems and destroy families. With most street drugs outlawed in the United States the question still remains: Why is alcohol legal when it has been proven to be a leading cause of death? With that being said alcohol and drug addiction also takes a toll on wallets and families.
Module: NH2312 Delivering Quality Services Words: 2630 Delivering Quality Services within Forensics Woodside et al (2011) describes how people with Learning Disabilities and Mental Health have been subjected to terrible treatment due to the lack of understanding of their needs. Laws have been created that labelled them idiots, imbeciles, lunatics or objects of dread resulting in these vulnerable people being placed within institutions. Care within institutions has been seen as a concern, where patients did not receive correct treatment and where living conditions were poor. Gates (2007) describes that the criteria of being institutionalised
Prejudice, Stereotypes, and Discrimination Linda Lawson PSY 301 Social Psychology Instructor: Donna DiMatteo-Gibson January 15, 2012 Prejudice, Stereotypes, and Discrimination are the greatest problems faced by humanity. When one group of people discriminates against another group of people so profoundly, historically it has caused people to commit murder or torturer on other individuals or groups. Every day we all live with or have seen prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination in one form or another. This is a serious problem and one of humanities’ greatest challenges. Social Psychologist has been trying to analyze the social, cognitive and societal origins of prejudice and stereotypes and discrimination for many years.
There is an epidemic of sexual slavery in countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. This issue has long been recognized as a destructive force in the world, spreading HIV and other diseases around the world at an alarming rate. Women and children are sold into slavery at a very young age (from 4 to 30 years old), often beaten, and forced to perform sexual acts which create irreversible damage in a human being. Many social economic issues such as extreme poverty, corrupt government officials, and lack of infrastructure has rendered these countries vulnerable to the high demand of the escort industry in countries around the world. These problems will be addressed looking through the global lens of power and its influence.