Illnesses In Society

For countless ages, people suffering from mental illness have been cast aside and shamefully looked upon. The first buildings made to house said people were used to ostracize them for they were thought to be a detriment to society. Society only began to view mental illnesses as an “illness” during the 19th century. Even then, those affected were looked down upon and separated from society. Jump to the modern day and age, where people can take medication to sedate their psychotic tendencies; however, the stigma of mental illnesses still remains. It is as if society still does has not developed a sufficient system in which mental illnesses fits in. People with heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s, all receive sympathy and yet people will mental illnesses seldom receive the …show more content…
This coupled with the fact that both sets may possibly lead to the same conclusion, death, it becomes apparent that there is a flaw in this system humans have called society. Beneath all the human illnesses of the world there is a common factor and that factor is the human element. Beneath all the illnesses, people are still human. There is no denying that fact. As humans have developed into being social creatures, it is their right to indulge themselves in the comforts of society. To know that if harms comes their way and there is no avoiding it, they still have a backbone that will keep them strong. Going back to the heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s patients, they all have the luxury of relying on this societal backbone to make it through to the end. Regardless of the outcome, they may find comfort in it. Those affected by mental illnesses do not have the same ease of access to this societal backbone. It comes down to society playing a vital role in changing this. Ruby Wax, in What’s so funny about Mental Illnesses, begins to break the stigma on mental illnesses through her humorous presenting style. People have always said there is no time for