Mental illness is defined as a health condition that is characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior, associated with distress and/or impaired functioning (Mental Health Basics, 2013). "Both the rate of diagnosis of depression in the U.S. and rate or prescribing an antidepressant for its treatment has increased over the past two decades" (Sclar, 2012). There are also some research studies that indicate the rate of diagnosis and treatment vary by ethnicity/race (Sclar, 2012). In society mental illnesses has faced critical opprobrium due to stereotypical views (www.mentalhealth.org). People tend to believe that individuals with mental illness have more violent tendencies; when in actuality they pose a greater threat to themselves (www.mentalhealth.org). Individuals have a propensity to neglect and punish themselves rather than face their problems head on. A quick google search can allow someone to self-diagnose, but leaves little drive to seek help.
Due to possible scrutiny by others people tend to shy away from potential help or not seek help at all. Ultimately people are scared to have others cast judgment and others simply turn …show more content…
Research involving how different ethnicities react to mental illness, specifically depression was few and far between. If society views mental illness as a weakness crutch people can lean on, then how about different cultures. As we said above, people tend to self-report their mental health. Racial/minorities may have less of a tendency to perceive their mental health symptoms as an indicator of a disorder that needs the attention of professional (Jang, Park, Kang, Chiriboga, 2013). This reason for minorities to forsake their mental health due to cultural views, or is there an outer lining reason for this? That is part of what we hope to achieve during this study, to discover whether socioeconomic status plays a part in who receives
Due to possible scrutiny by others people tend to shy away from potential help or not seek help at all. Ultimately people are scared to have others cast judgment and others simply turn …show more content…
Research involving how different ethnicities react to mental illness, specifically depression was few and far between. If society views mental illness as a weakness crutch people can lean on, then how about different cultures. As we said above, people tend to self-report their mental health. Racial/minorities may have less of a tendency to perceive their mental health symptoms as an indicator of a disorder that needs the attention of professional (Jang, Park, Kang, Chiriboga, 2013). This reason for minorities to forsake their mental health due to cultural views, or is there an outer lining reason for this? That is part of what we hope to achieve during this study, to discover whether socioeconomic status plays a part in who receives