Question

Share your thoughts/opinions/experience about our society and their perspective on mental disorder? How can we change some of the stigma associated with such diagnosis?

Answer 1

Before the development of the field of psychology, mental illnesses were considered as possession by evil spirits. Religions played a major role in ignoring the person and playing the blame game on evil spirits thus ignoring humanness. Society ignored and treated people with mental illnesses brutally and they were chained, beaten and secluded. Things haven’t changed much since because even today people do not accept mental illness as a normal disease and it is treated like any other physical disease. Most of the children with disabilities and even adults undergo a huge pressure when they get out in the society out of fear of being mocked.

Firstly, government needs to ensure that enough awareness programs are conducted among the public about mental illnesses through different media and local governments. Secondly, children should be taught about how to treat people with mental illnesses, so that they would treat children with disability and mental illnesses with respect. Thirdly, enough help centers need to be set-up to help the mentally ill people to get support. This will bring things to normalcy and motivate more people to get help.