Consider the following:
Many people with serious mental illness are challenged doubly. On one hand, they struggle with the symptoms
and disabilities that result from the disease. On the other, they are challenged by the stereotypes and prejudice
that result from misconceptions about mental illness. As a result of both, people with mental illness are robbed
of the opportunities that define a quality life: good jobs, safe housing, satisfactory health care, and affiliation
with a diverse group of people. Although research has gone far to understand the impact of the disease, it has
only recently begun to explain the stigma in mental illness. (Excerpt from Understanding the Impact of Stigma on
People with Mental Illness by Corrigan and Watson, 2002)
Although this statement was written almost a decade ago, it still holds great value in today's perspective on
mental illness amongst our patients, family, friends, etc.
Discuss the following:
Do you feel we might look differently upon the person(s) with mental illness if we have a perspective grounded in
an understanding that this is a genetic diagnosis? How so? Comprehensively explain your perspective.
Take, for example, an alcoholic. We often are quick to view an alcoholic as a person who can, under the right
circumstances, control his/her addiction to alcohol. When considering that addictive behavior is closely
linked to one's genetics - may be the alcoholic may not be able to so easily enter into a state of sobriety
because his/her genetics too heavily influence his/her response to alcohol.
Try to bring in some discussion about how one's ethnicity and/or culture might also influence possible
stereotypes/biases when considering the mentally ill person(s).
Sample Solution