In modern society, the thought of being healthy has consumed our daily lifestyle.

People
are now, more than ever, focused on becoming physically fit. This is a new trend that has slowly
erupted in the United States and many other countries around the globe. Recently, people have
been extremely conscious of what foods they consume, the amount of weight they have lost, and
how toned their bodies are. Even though the interest in physical health has been constantly on the
rise, many people fail to take into consideration the importance of mental health. Mental illnesses
arise due to an abundance of reasons such as high levels of stress, poverty, and sometimes just
simply bad luck (Wahowiak). Regardless of the reason, mental illnesses exist and must be
acknowledged, despite the fact that it is a suppressed topic.
To the majority of individuals, mental health is a topic that is uncomfortable to discuss.
Perhaps it is because it is a very personal matter. Even though this might be the case, it is an
important topic to investigate further because mental illnesses are more common than one might
expect. In fact, every year, around 44 million adults in the United States are affected by some
sort of mental illness (Carrbrown). This is a significant number, and therefore it is necessary to
pay attention to the mental health of Americans. To be more specific, of the 44 million adults
living with mental illnesses, 1.1% live with schizophrenia, 2.6% live with bipolar disorder, 6.9%
live with major depression, 18.1% live with anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress
disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and phobias (Carrbrown). Furthermore, according to the
U.S. Surgeon General, one in five children and adolescents experience the signs and symptoms
of a disorder in the course of a year (Mental Health in Children and Young Adults). It is
essential for mentally ill patients to seek treatment in one form or another. According to Dr.
Shem Heller, society need mental-health services to develop good mental health and brain health,
to promote recovery from mental illness, and to provide care for those with mental-health

disorders (Heller). Since theses types of illnesses are not visible on the surface, many people
simply pretend they do not exist. They do exist, however, and mental illnesses should be treated
as any other physical illness.
The World Health Organization reports that mental illness is among the leading causes of
disability across the globe (Jacobson). The main reason it results in difficulties for many people
is due to the social stigma that surrounds those with mental illnesses. As stated in the Merriam
Webster dictionary, a social stigma is a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or
group of people have about something. Harold E. Alexander, M.D., a psychiatrist, explains
stigma perfectly as he calls stigma the 'double whammy' because it is the second setback that
people face after they just learned he or she has a major mental illness (Barnett 6). They are
essentially shunned from society as people accept distorted realities about those with mental
disorders..
The stigma surrounding mental illness leads bystanders to accept several false
accusations as there are stereotypes that the general population assumes about those with mental
illnesses. The most common stereotype is that all mentally ill people are particularly violent and
dangerous beings (Brooks 8). Surprisingly, the reason they are violent is because they are
abusing street drugs, and not because of their disorder. Around 15 percent of people who suffer
from serious mental illnesses take advantage of street drugs. However, the contribution of mental
disorders to the total level of violence in society is very small (Brooks 8). Other stereotypes that
people associate with the mentally ill is that they are not able to function in the community, they
cannot take care of themselves, they belong in an institution, and they must always be on
medication (Heller). For some people, these statements are true, but it is a generalization. With
that being said, it is essential to educate society about the truths of mental disorders. They simply

do not deserve to be overlooked by normal citizens. It is unethical that when a person breaks
their leg, everyone rushes to sign their cast. However, when someone announces that they are
suffering from depression, people run in the other direction. The general population does not
want to be associated with the mentally ill. But why is that?
Agonistic attitudes towards those with mental illnesses have been around for centuries. It
dates all the way back to the Salem Witch Trials of the late 17th century, in which those believed
to be witches were executed (Lieberman 2). While this is clearly not the same situation
Americans are facing today, this event in history paved the way for the mistreatment of
Americans. The Salem Witch Trials and other situations throughout history taught people to
ostracize those who are different. This sentiment is still very much alive. The majority of citizens
do not accept differences in society, and unfortunately this leads to high levels of discrimination.
Jeffrey Lieberman, a journalist, thoughtfully explained that,"though we live in a time of
unprecedented tolerance of different races, religions, and sexual orientations, mental illnesses
involuntary medical conditions that affect one out of four peopleare still regarded as a mark of
shame, a scarlet letter C for crazy" (Lieberman). This unfortunate situation is a reality in modern
civilization, and thus it is important to understand why the stigma exists and how it affects
society as a whole. Stigma towards mental illness exists as a result of a lack of awareness and a
spread of inaccurate information; this lack of understanding negatively impacts the lives of those
with mental illness as well as the productivity of American society as a whole.