Mental Illness The foremost question relating to mental illness concerns about its very existence - whether mental illness actually exists or not? According to Thomas Szasz, mental illness is a mere myth (Szasz, 1960) and does not exist, as illness can be defined only in terms of physical pathology and most mental disorders have no such demonstrable pathology. In a similar viewpoint, it was argued that biology was not relevant to

When one throws the element of ethnicity into the mix, the process of diagnosis becomes even more difficult. Let us take, for instance the effect of religion on the diagnosis of a mental illness. In some religions it is considered to be "normal" to experience visions, see ghosts, and talk to the dead. However, from a strict clinical standpoint, these things do not exist and therefore indicate a break from

mental health field and the economy. The writer presents a hypothesis that the economic downturn can and does contribute to increased mental health issues. National economies fluctuate constantly. Sometimes the slump is short lived and other times the downturn lasts for years. The mental health of those who live in an area that is suffering from an economic downturn can fluctuate as well. Those who are caught in the throes

Inclusion of Cultural Factors Into the Mental Health Treatment Mix Today, the United States and numerous other Western nations have experienced fundamental shifts in their demographic composition, and a growing body of evidence indicates that cultural factors such as different views of mental illness, interpretations of behavior, and family structure have fundamentally changed counseling and psychological treatment. In response, clinicians have sought to integrate evidence-based practices that take into account cross-cultural

Social Status and Health Generally, people belong to numerous social categories that influence and shape their life in different ways. These categories are based on obvious characteristics such as gender and racial background. Nonetheless, there are other less obvious characteristics that influence the identity and behavior of individuals. According to Douglas & Pacquiao (2010), there are 19 characteristics that collectively define one's social status. Based on the 19 categories, my social

Mental illness appears in various forms. It is characterized by some serious disruptions in someone's thoughts or even demonstrated in their actions. The person presenting these symptoms is often unable to deal with the day-to-day activities and patterns of a normal life. Mental illness can take over 200 forms each having an effect on the patient's disposition, character, traits, and even the way they interact with others. Some of the