What’s The Problem With Mental Health

Mental health is one of the main components of the assessment of one’s overall health.

We know that due to extensive research, experiments, and diagnostic efforts made over the last 6

decades in the United States. With the United States as the “third most depressed country in the

world” (McPhillips), it is necessary for constant research and methods of improvement of the

quality of life for those suffering. It had become evident that a large portion of the world’s

population suffers from some sort of mental illness, whether it is one with more evident

symptoms or one with silent symptoms. Much like the United States, there are many countries

across the world with extensive populations suffering immensely from mental health issues. The

difference is, in many of these countries, research is not as extensive, if present at all. Resources

for mental health are scarce, partly because of the lack of recognition of how many suffer. This

can be attributed to the strong stigmas in place in so many cultures across the world. Jason

Nieuwsma, a psychology well-known for his field studies examining indigenous perspectives of

mental health, attributes much of the neglect of recognition of mental illness to the culture and

environment in which people are raised in. “Cultural and religious teachings often influence

beliefs about the origins and nature of mental illness, and shape attitudes towards the mentally

ill” (Nieuwsma). These ideas and misinterpretations about mental illnesses, its sufferers, and the

causes of mental illness cause people within these cultures and religions to be embarrassed to

seek help or even admit their symptoms. This is in fear of how others may perceive them and, in

some areas, in fear of their lives. The fear instilled for seeking help causes so many people to

suffer in silence and has detrimental effects on the victims as well as their family members, the

economy, and the entire population of the world. Without the loss of these stigmas, and

establishment of proper resources and education about mental illness, the world will continue to
suffer, which it does more than we are led to believe. For as many problems as there are in terms

of mental health and its lack of representation there are twice as many solutions that we, as a

society, should be open to pursuing.

Since the beginning of written history, there have been documented cases of what we

now know were mental illnesses. This history, as embedded as it is in so many cultures, has

caused many subliminal issues with its generational drift. Ingrid Farreras, an Associate Professor

of Psychology at Hood College (Maryland), studies and teaches the historical background of

where stigmas about mental illnesses started the common beliefs that have remained present

throughout history. “Throughout history there have been three general theories of the etiology of

mental illness: supernatural, somatogenic, and psychogenic.” (Farreras). Many examples of

mental illness were attributed to possessions by evil spirits, curses placed on the victim, or

displeasure of the Gods. In other ancient cultures, such as Greek, mental and physical illnesses

were thought to be caused by too much or too little bodily fluids. Ancient Chinese culture

attributed mental illness to an imbalance of “yin-yang” energies. Though these interpretations

were from as long ago as 460 BC, their effects have lasted years and though the specific beliefs

have changed, the stigmas remain in many ways. In China especially, it is seen as disgraceful to

divulge your mental illness as it could “damage” the family lineage. Deidre McPhillips, a data

editor for the World News, has recorded time and time again the high rate of mental illness in

China, as well as the lack of progress the country has made in this category. For this reason, so

many people in China still suffer in silence, though it is the “leading country in the world for

mental illness” (McPhillips).

The stigma-caused lack of education in schools and resources for the public lead way to

many problems that affect more people than one would expect. When some disorders, such as
depression and anxiety, go untreated, they have the potential to worsen with time. This may lead

to the victims committing suicide. In 2016, the suicide rate of the world was at an all-time high at

800,000 globally, which equates to one suicide every 40 seconds. Erkki Isometsa, a writer and

researcher published in United States National Library of Medicine has studied the alarming

statistics between those who have committed suicide and how many of them had undiagnosed or

untreated mental disorders. “More than 90% of people who die by suicide show symptoms of a

mental health condition” (Isometsa). In areas with strong cultural stigmas, these rates may be

attributed to those who are embarrassed by their mental illness and go so far as to take their own

lives than admit their symptoms. Not only do mental illnesses affect the victims of them, but also

the economy. Thomas Insel MD, a contributor of the American Journal of Psychiatry and author

of the article titled, Assessing the Economic Costs of Serious Mental Illness, attributes a lot of

this economic distress to the lack of suitable mental health care resources in the disability

system, prisons, and in the general public. “Serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion

in lost earnings per year” (Insel). This money is lost due to absence of employees, inefficient

work, etc. These lost funds could be counteracted and prevented if more money was put into

budgeting for treating and supporting treatment of mental illnesses. “2.8%was the median

amount of the health budget allocated to mental health in 2011” (Mental Health Atlas 2014).

This represents the lack of recognition and representation there is for the severity of mental

illness. The lack of education about mental illness worldwide, and the complacency of officials

led by cultural stigmas cause lack of resources for those suffering, and it encourages them to

suffer silently.

Stigmas about mental health are not new and have been passed on through generations

for centuries. Although they themselves may not cause mental illness, they do cause people to be
afraid to admit their problems, which can be detrimental. Though times have changed and

education has improved, the basis of these stigmas still remain and education in the countries

with these stigmas is sometimes manipulated or the topic of mental health is ignored. Mental

health is a very large part of one’s overall health and should be treated as such in every part of

the world. Until there is proper education about mental health in religions and cultures that have

lacked education and instead supported stories and ancient ideas, and until there are sufficient

resources available to those who suffer, the world will continue to suffer. Mental illness affects

more than just those with the illnesses, and it will benefit the whole population if resources are

readily available and stigmas are worked through and encouraged to cease.
 Works Cited

“History of Mental Illness.” Noba,

nobaproject.com/modules/history-of-mental-illness#vocabulary-somatogenesis.

“U.S. Among Most Depressed Countries in the World.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News

& World Report,

www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-09-14/the-10-most-depressed-

countries.

Nieuwsma, J.A., Pepper, C.M., Maack, D.J., Birgenheir, D.G. (2011). “Indigenous perspectives

on depression in rural regions of India and the United States.” Transcultural Psychiatry, 48(5):

539-568.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22021105

Isometsa, E.T., (2001). Psychological Autopsy Studies - A Review. European Psychiatry, 16(7),

379-85. Retrieved December 6, 2018,

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11

Insel, T.R. (2008). Assessing the Economic Costs of Serious Mental Illness. The American

Journal of Psychiatry. 165(6), 663-665

https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2008.08030366