Question

7. When does mental illness go to the dark side? And how “dark” can that “side” become?

8. How does mental illness change:

A family?
A society?
A culture?

Answer 1

Ans 7. Excessive egotism and low self-awareness are the psychological profiles associated with the ‘dark side’.

People are complex creatures, driven by conflicting motives often expressed as multiple selves. On the one hand there is a presenting, idealized self, the one every one sees and is well behaved; and on the other hand, there is the side that expresses depression, doubts, anger, selfishness and narcissism. This is often referred to as ‘the dark side’. the may characterized by moodiness, mistrust of others, an excessive sensitivity to criticism and typically someone who is aloof and might be described as arrogant. They are hard to please and quick to anger. They tend to be psychologically detached from others and thus find it hard to form good quality relationships.

people with mental disabilities were seen in a different light and seen as sub-humans, and weirdoes. Mental illness was deemed as a kind of 'untouchable' aberration. The stigma attached to it was demoralizing. Those with mental illness were isolated, abused, and often subjected to unconventional treatments such as sorcery, and witchcraft that led to physical abuse and death. Mentally challenged people were described using many colorful adjectives such as 'crazy', 'lunatic', 'insane', 'nutcase', etc. Hospitals, known as asylums, treated mentally ill patients differently using barbaric methods, as no one really understood the disease. For example, In my younger days, I knew a number of people who suffered from mental disorders. In a small village, we had our share of illnesses. There were no modern treatment facilities, proper medications, or qualified physicians to evaluate or treat. I clearly remember a few instances where young men in shackles and arm and leg braces, and tied to posts on the porch like animals. Their incessant cries for help, their deplorable physical conditions, and the faces of bewildered parents and family members are still vivid in my mind. This is generally seem to be a dark side with the mental illness.

Ans 8. Ans 8. When depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or another mental illness enter a family, the emotional cost can be high and family members can be deeply affected. Depending on their circumstances, they may struggle to help a family member who doesn’t have access to care or may not want assistance. They will need to learn how to support and encourage their loved one, and cope with the range of symptoms and behaviors of the illness.

Some of the top issues for family members and caregivers are: The mental illness often becomes the family’s primary focus. Family members have different perceptions of the problem and have conflicts about the solutions. Feelings of helplessness, frustration, loss, guilt and compassion fatigue.

People with mental health problems say that the social stigma attached to mental ill health and the discrimination they experience can make their difficulties worse and make it harder to recover.But even though so many people are affected, there is a strong social stigma attached to mental ill health, and people with mental health problems can experience discrimination in all aspects of their lives.

people with mental health problems are amongst the least likely of any group with a long-term health condition or disability to: find work

be in a steady, long-term relationship

live in decent housing

be socially included in mainstream society.

This is because society in general has stereotyped views about mental illness and how it affects people. Many people believe that people with mental ill health are violent and dangerous, when in fact they are more at risk of being attacked or harming themselves than harming other people.

Stigma and discrimination can also worsen someone's mental health problems, and delay or impede their getting help and treatment, and their recovery. Social isolation, poor housing, unemployment and poverty are all linked to mental ill health. So stigma and discrimination can trap people in a cycle of illness.

Attitudes toward mental illness vary among individuals, families, ethnicities, cultures, and countries. Cultural and religious teachings often influence beliefs about the origins and nature of mental illness, and shape attitudes towards the mentally ill. In addition to influencing whether mentally ill individuals experience social stigma, beliefs about mental illness can affect patients’ readiness and willingness to seek and adhere to treatment. Therefore, understanding individual and cultural beliefs about mental illness is essential for the implementation of effective approaches to mental health care. Although the reasons for stigmatization are not consistent across communities or cultures, perceived stigma by individuals living with mental illness is reported internationally. For instance, the World Mental Health Surveys showed that stigma was closely associated with anxiety and mood disorders among adults reporting significant disability.