Content Descriptions
- America’s Stigma on Mental Illness
- Most Stigmatized Mental Illnesses
- Depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Risks of Stigmatizing Mental Illness
- Treatment for Mental Illness
- Eating Disorders
- Homelessness due to Mental Illness
- Dangers of Ignoring Mental Illness
- Working Hypothesis
The mental illness population in the United States has been stuck with a stigma for years. It’s not believed that mental illness is as serious as a physical illness or injury when in some cases it can be much worse and much more dangerous to the patient. Over 40% of adult Americans are plagued with a mental illness, though they are not treated properly. The reason they don’t get treated is either because of social stigma or self-stigma. Either they fear coming out about their mental illness due to the misconceptions of mentally ill people being violent or “crazy”, so they avoid getting help in fear of being misconstrued as something they are not.
1a. Working Hypothesis 2
There’s a self-stigma, where the person does not want to believe they have an illness because they do not want to believe they are suffering, or they think that it’s not that serious and they believe this problem will eventually fade away on their own. Pastor Rick Warren says, “If I have diabetes, there is no stigma to that. But if my brain doesn’t work, why am I supposed to be ashamed of that?” This proves that there are people who are ashamed of their disorders, one of those people could be someone you know very well, yet because they’re ashamed they don’t get help and that could lead to a disastrous event such as suicide, which could be avoided without the unfounded prejudice.
2. Topics for Smaller Papers
- Definition/Classification Argument
There’s a wide stigma that mental disorders cannot be medicated though there is lots of research and information that proves otherwise and I could write my small paper on how medication can be extremely beneficial to mental illness sufferers.
- Cause/Effect Argument
I could write one of my small papers about how people with mental illness are treated lesser than others, therefore they fear getting help, and by not getting the proper care they need, their condition worsens which could lead to suicide.
- Rebuttal Argument
They say there’s no evidence of mental illness, yet there are MRI’s and CT scans that prove the chemicals in the brain are off balance. That they differ from the brain of a non-mentally ill person.
- Current State of Research Paper
I feel I’ve made substantial progress on my paper, taking evidence and sources from both the internet, books, and people in my life such as sufferers and therapists. I’m confident I can take the paper to a place where the stigma on mental illness will start to be seen as bogus. I will anticipate that people who read my paper will change their views on mental illness, and maybe take a stand to do something about it, or at least spread the word. I’m excited to shed light on mental illness because it is hidden in the dark and needs to be acknowledged because it is a real issue and must be taken care of before it gets out of hand.
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Counterintuitive 
This is intriguing NBN, but still vague where it should be crystal clear. You won’t talk readers out of their preconceptions without being very specific about the pervasiveness (and therefore the normalness) of mental illness. See my advice about your Definition Argument (and everybody else’s) at the Help for Definitions page under the Models menu.
Single Cause with a Single Effect
“A lack of compassion on mental illness can lead to suicide”
Many people who suffer from mental illnesses, such as depression or bipolar disorder require a high level of care to manage their symptoms, but without this level of care their symptoms increase and grow worse, which could lead to a suicide attempt.
Single Cause with Several Effects
“Ignoring mental illness can result in life changing results for mentally ill people.”
Ignoring the severity of mental illness can change the way people’s lives go. They could live on with the illness untreated which can be dangerous. They can lose their friends, family, their job, or even their homes. And they can potentially harm others and themselves because of what their minds are telling them.
Several Causes for a Single Effect
“There’s no single cause for suicide.”
Suicidal thoughts can happen to anyone because of any reasons. From a young age we’re taught that bullying can lead to suicide, meanwhile we aren’t taught about mental illnesses that could potentially give us those feelings. A damaged childhood, a traumatic event, a life changing discovery, all of these things can lead to someone committing suicide.
A Causal Chain
“Lack of funding for mental illness research leads to less diagnosis’ and care.”
Funding for mental illness is something that not a lot of government officials take seriously, therefore there’s a lot less diagnosis’ of mentally ill people who are mentally ill. This results in the patients not getting the care they need and it also sweeps mental illness under the rug.
Causation Fallacy
“Mentally ill people are all violent.”
Not everyone who is diagnosed with a mental illness is violent and should be feared. A common misconception is that someone with, for example schizophrenia, will be trying to harm themselves or others in a violent matter to save their own lives, but with a proper dose of medication and therapy, their symptoms can be managed.