Adolescents' attitudes towards mental illness and mentally ill person



Abstract

This research paper studies the attitudes of adolescents towards mental illness and mentally ill persons, on a small scale. The attitudes of seventy nine young boys and girls were collected through questionnaire and sixteen responses were studied and statistically analyzed on the basis of mental illness and physical cause, mental illness and Psychosocial Cause, and mental illness and social acceptance. The results suggest that mental illness is positively related to attribution to physical causes. The psychosocial causes also correlate positively with mental illness; however, it is negatively related to social acceptability. This shows that mental illness can exist due to physical and psychosocial causes. On the other hand, the mental illness can be controlled by socially accepting the affected people.

Adolescents' attitudes towards mental illness and mentally ill person

Introduction

It is not always easy to define what mental illness or psychiatric disorders. Ignorance and misunderstandings lead to erroneous use precise terminology, which has the effect of reinforcing the myths and sometimes prevent people from seeking the care they need. In general, mental illness is defined as behavior or emotional reactions of a severity marked (Chou et al, 1996), which are associated with some level of distress, suffering (pain, death) or disability. The origin of this disorder, there is a dysfunction or a series of psychological dysfunction, biological or behavioral level

Social acceptance towards people suffering from mental health problems caused by a fixed stereotype of mental illness. Despite the fact that the "era of the Internet" availability of knowledge about health and mental illness is quite common, still more people rely on myths (Burton & Westen, & Kowalski, 2012). There is a high level of ignorance about mental health problems and social awkwardness significant in understanding other people lived through the difficulties and conflicts. Ability to establish an appropriate level of relationship with other people, and recognition as equal, sometimes for many people the subject of difficulty (Arker & Eker, 1994). They lack the appropriate level of empathy and interpersonal training. They cannot also talk openly and honestly about what you do not understand, ashamed or afraid. Instead, stereotypes are perpetuated, current knowledge, full of derogatory references to mental disorders that become negative overtones, repulsive, depreciating, inclining some people to reject and deepen resentment. The level of ignorance can sometimes result attitude to others, and so the lack of self-criticism and insight, leading to the lifting of self-esteem at the expense of others, the less expansive, disadvantaged.

In the literature, the division was selected for several attitudes towards people with mental illness (Haslam & McGarty, 1998). The negative attitude internally experienced anger or fear to the overly positive with the dominance of acceptance and kindness. Between these poles are a space seemingly positive behaviors, or indifference "overridden" insincere kindness or overprotection. This attitude applies to believing in the power of mentally ill persons. Emphasis is on the way his disability.

Some researchers argue that patient's mental disorders are not ...