The Fight For Mental Health Awareness - 1828 Words

When most people hear the two words â€Å"mental illness†, a stigma comes to mind of human beings who are â€Å"stupid†, â€Å"retarded†, â€Å"hopeless†, and â€Å"incapable†. Society as a whole undermines the serious and harsh realities of hardships ones with mental health issues face each and everyday. Mental health awareness and advocacy has recently come more into focus, as celebrities such as Demi Lovato are using their voice to speak out and make an impact in our world. Demi inspires and advocates for those who are too ashamed and too scared to stand up for themselves. In November 2010 after an intervention by her family and friends, Demi Lovato checked herself into a treatment facility to receive support for her severe depression, bulimia, anorexia and cutting (Vena). Since she left the program in January 2011, she has been an extreme advocate in the fight for mental health awareness (MacKenzie). On September 4th 2014, the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) honored her for her actions, encouragements, and support efforts. She is one of the leaders in the movement, and is not backing down from the fight. With her influential status, Demi Lovato spoke at the NAMI National Convention in support to effectively decrease the stigma of mental illness by education and providing awareness to implement a much-needed change in our world. The introduction to the speech begins with Mary Giliberti, the National Alliance of Mental Illness National Executive Director, proclaiming Demi’sShow MoreRelatedMental Health Awareness And Improvement Act802 Words   |  4 PagesMental Health Awareness and Improvement Act The shortage of aid for treating mental health disorders is often disregarded as inconsequential because of a lack of awareness surrounding the subject. Both the general public and policy makers seem blind to the prevalence of the problem, even though mental illness affects 1 in 5 Americans and costs the country an estimated $247 billion dollars annually (Blumenthal, 2015). The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015 was written to address mentalRead MoreMental Illnesses And Mental Health1165 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction World Health Organization (WHO, 2014) defines Mental health as a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. Whereas Mental illnesses (MI) are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood or behavior associated with significant distress and impaired functioning (Health Canada, 2012). MI affects people of all agesRead MoreThe Stigma Of Children With Mental Illness1608 Words   |  7 Pagesassociation with mental illness. This stigma creates a negative feedback loop in how society views people with psychiatric disabilities. Media portrays people with mental illness as scary, bad, dangerous, unpredictable, and un-educated. These views cause people to shy away and fear the mentally ill. This stigma also affects a person’s willingness to seek help when they are experiencing a mental illness. Some cultu res, such as Hispanic Catholics, may not recognize mental illness as a health problem,Read MoreBackground Information . Cheltenham High School (Chs) Serves1546 Words   |  7 Pagesthere’s not much information regarding mental health that’s available to teachers and students. This underlying need that has been brewing at Cheltenham High School since the start of the academic school year. Each week at practicum, there are stories of a crisis that had already occurred in relation to mental health. Upon consultation with teachers, staff and school nurse, the theme that consistently popped up was the lack of mental health knowledge or awareness and training to appropriately addressRead MoreThe Media Influences Public Attitude Essay1500 Words   |  6 PagesThe media, who influance the publics attitudes towards issues such as the mental health stigma, have the ability to determind individuals perceptions and opinions on important matters due to the way they present the information. For example if the media were trying to create a barrier between those with mental illnesses and those without this could easily be done by only publishing negative stories reguarding the situation. The Press Complaints Commission The press complaints commission (PCC), whichRead MoreMemersion Reflection Analysis1593 Words   |  7 PagesWest Chester, Pennsylvania. The services provided by this organization to victims of domestic violence are impressive. The second immersion was at the Food Bank of Delaware. It was great to tour the Food Bank facility and see workers in action to fight hunger in Delaware. Both immersion activities were enjoyable learning experiences. In addition, I enjoyed learning about some of the other immersions that my colleagues attended as well. The immersion presentations on different religions were fascinatingRead MoreMental Illnesses : A Mental Health Disorder1653 Words   |  7 PagesMental illnesses are brain diseases rooted in biology. Approximately one in every four adults has experienced a mental health disorder according to the Huffington Post. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) statistic identified mood disorders as the third most common cause for hospitalization i n the U.S. for youth and adults. Mental illness compared to other chronic diseases is far more complicated and subjective. This serious and objective health problem has become increasingly obvious recentlyRead MoreThe World Health Organization Describes Mental Disorder1197 Words   |  5 PagesThe World Health Organization describes mental disorder as â€Å"a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviour, and relationships with others† (Mental Disorder). Some mental disorders include depression, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, dementia, anxiety disorder, etc. Mental Illness is very important today as about â€Å"1 in 5 adults in the U.S.–43.8 million, or 18.5%–experience mental illness in a given year† and about â€Å"1 in 12 adults in the U.S.–10 million, or 4.2%–experiencesRead MoreSports And Its Effects On Sports1397 Words   |  6 Pages Concussions in Sports Sports have been a major source of entertainment since the Romans and Greek times, when the Greeks had the earliest version of the Olympic games, and the Romans had gladiator fights and chariot races. In the United States sports, still plays a significant role as one of the leading entertainment industries in the country. In 2010, the big four US professional sports leagues, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, generated $22 billion in gross revenue, with the whole US sports industry generatingRead MoreThe Positive Impacts of Exercise740 Words   |  3 Pagesthe purpose of physical health and emotional relief and relaxation, which has a positive impact on the physical performance of people. Physical exercise has been known to mankind since the since the very first civilizations because of the benefits it provides with the small amount of effort. Different exercises have been part of different societies, cultures and regions, based on awareness and requirement of the people. Physical exercise not onl y boosts and elevates the health of people; it also has