Discuss how your worldview will impact your decision-making
Presently there are millions of people worldwide living with some form of mental illness, such as anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, addictive behaviors, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, multi personality disorders, and several others rooted by a mixture of reasons. Nonetheless, approximately two thirds of those individuals with mental illness don’t seek treatment. I have seen many patients that are suffering since they choose not to talk about it and one of the reasons is discouragement or shame. Research shows that favorable exchange with one’s close social circle or environment has a more encouraging effects on the persons wellbeing and mental health (Tough, Siegrist, & Fekete, 2017). Unfortunately, some individuals within the close social circles to people who suffer with mental illness view treatment plans or medications as not relevant. Even if I have never suffered from any type of mental illness, I can only imagine how hard it must be for those that do and how worldview would impact decision making with regards to medication for these health conditions. Any insinuation of criticism or negativity surrounding treatment needed discourages those people that are suffering. When individuals with mental illness need help, they need to feel comfortable enough to seek and receive active treatment for these conditions. Too often patients feel shame, humiliated, dishonor, and remorse over the need to seek medical assistance whether is medication or psychological treatment.
In various occasions individuals, family, friend, and fellow coworkers have their own perceptions of how a depressed or anxious person should behave as they may not fit the stereotype or have any medical history. As well, it must be discouraging within a person’s culture to express their feeling and not be viewed as weak as they are told to “get over it” or “stop looking at things in a negative way”. For instance, remarks similar to Emily Wu Truong article states “Don’t share your
problems or else you’ll bring shame to yourself and the family” (Truong, 2017). My observation regarding comments of this sort is that it comes from uneducated people and sadly contributes in keeping those in pain away from being mentally and physically healthy or seeking help either with therapy or medications. Emily Wu Troung statements demonstrate how a person similarly struggles with how the world views them. Emily states, “I also grew up being my own worst enemy. Despite how kind I was to others, I did not know how to be kind or loving to myself. I didn’t know how to feel proud of myself. In my mind, I was the tormenter and the victim. I was only capable of seeing my weaknesses. I felt inadequate and anxious around people. I wanted to share my heavy heart, but didn’t know who I could trust. I was a lonely girl who felt damaged, but yearned to be loved and accepted. Throughout my life, I was paralyzed by my fear, feelings of inadequacy and self-disappointment” (Truong , 2017).
Mental illnesses are thought to be caused by a variety of environmental and genetic factors which include DNA traits, CVA, brain injury, environmental exposures before birth, psychological, cope mechanism, and brain chemistry. It is crucial for healthcare providers and organizations to be the voice and supportive hands in the lives of those individuals that don’t have good support or guidance around them to survive something as serious as mental illness. It’s somehow encouraging that awareness continues to grow and more people get educated. Some organizations are putting more in place to help all those living with anxiety, depression, and disorders. For many years the month of May have been designated for Mental Health Awareness, in which the objective is to provide support, public education, fight stigma and advocate for policies to support mental illness patients and their families. It is important to break down the stereotype associated with mental health disorders in the hopes that they can change the perception of mental health worldwide.