The Stigmatization Of Mental Illness

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Stigmatization. It is like a disease that creeps into society, negatively impacting a group of people. It is found deep rooted within mostly every culture. It spurs out of ignorance and give rise to discrimination, stereotypes and prejudice. Throughout history, one of those groups of people are those suffering from mental illness. They have constantly been put to shame and have been dishonored not because of their psychological illness but of society’s lack of comprehension of it. These stigmatization has an impact on these minorities in a way that hinder them from being accepted into society and seeking medical treatment. Through religion, mental illness has been viewed as form of punishment or demonic possession. In the ancient world cultures, it was believed that mental illness was the result of supernatural phenomena, sorcery and the evil eye. During the Middle Ages, the mentally illed was thought to be be possessed and in need of religion. In cultures with strong ties to family honor, they were hidden from society in order to avoid the idea that it was due to immoral behavior within the family. These negative attitudes towards mental illness continued into the 18th century in the United States, leading to stigmatization of mental illness and degrading confinement of the mentally illed. Many were abandoned, homeless and put in a dungeon, out of the public eye.…show more content…
Stereotypes pervades the news daily. Just recently, in the news, in the Charleston Church shooting, a man walks into a church and after sitting with the church members through bible study, he shot and killed nine people. Most news report ended with the man suffering from mental

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