Mental Health Identity

There is often the misconception that people with mental health issues are dangerous and are criminals. This stereotype probably came into existence due to the media around the world reinforcing people’s ideas, while also lacking awareness and exposure. Therefore, like many places in the world, Croatia had a mental asylum where they kept the patients locked up, and away from the rest of society while claiming to rehabilitate the patients. Interestingly, many of the patients locked up had never committed a crime, but were simply in need of proper psychological care. However, there has been a huge shift in the way they approach mental health rehabilitation and they have transformed the prison into something resembling that of a university that …show more content…
Initially, I thought the topic was strange, and did not really see the value in learning about the basis of identity. However, I learned that identity is sculpted throughout a lifetime. Also, although certain parts of a person are decided at birth, I know from personal experience that many values are acquired through experience, as well as the constant adaptation of interests. The reason why I believe there is a connection between mental illness and identity, is because a person that is constantly feeling rejected, or discriminated due to their mental health, will most likely begin to shape an identity that consists of inferiority, and confusion. More than that, their identity begins to mould itself while being locked in a prison for no reason except their mental condition, without the exposure to the positive aspects of life. Lastly, one of the lessons I learned in that unit, was that the Latin word for identity is agnoscoscere, which means, to recognize, to acknowledge, to allow, to understand. Therefore, in order for an individual to thrive in their community, no matter their mental state, they need to be given the tools in order to understand themselves, and live in a way that supports their strengths, not their