Mental illness.

Essay by bwaldon22 October 2005

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Why do different societies have different concepts of mental illness?

Different societies have different concepts of mental illness. Varying from culture to culture, there might be a distinctive system of beliefs, values, and way of living. What may be the acceptable way of behaving in one culture may be unacceptable in another culture. This will undeniably affect the behaviors, thoughts and emotions of the individuals in a culture, which leads to the diversity of concepts of mental illness.

Are there characteristics of mental illness specific to immigrants?

No, there aren't characteristics of mental illness specific to immigrants. According to the article Ethnic Minorities and the Psychiatrist by Calvin Johnson, immigrants are just as likely to develop the same mental illnesses as their relatives back home and the mental illnesses such as schizophrenia which is very serious (86). This shows that immigrants are not specifically mentally ill due to the process of immigration.

What are the consequences of exposure to racism for mental health?

There are several consequences of exposure to racism for mental health. To this day, minorities have less access to, and availability of, mental health services and are less likely to receive needed mental health services. In treatment minorities often receive a poorer quality of mental health care. Minorities are underrepresented in mental health research. Therefore, minorities collectively experience a greater burden from mental illness than non-minorities. The failure to recognize these disparities causes more problems for society and brings hope that they can be critically addressed in the near future.

How are the concepts "anomie" and "alienation" related to the above?

Anomie and alienation are related to topics discussed above. Anomie is a displacement between an individual and their community. Alienation is the state in which one is unconscious. For instance, these concepts relate to racism for...