Impact of Mental Illness Essay Example

Many people experience mental illnesses. But what if your mental illness prevented you from working or attending school? I will explain what mental illnesses are, how they impact their ability to obtain an education or job, and why they are not as big of a problem as they seem. 

Everyone in this room, I'm sure, knows someone who suffers from mental health conditions. If not, mental disorders are conditions of health marked by changes in emotion, thoughts, or behaviour (or a combination of these). Distress and difficulty functioning in social, work, or family activities are symptoms of mental illness. Many people suffer from mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, or something else. According to the World Health Organization, one of every four people will suffer from a mental or neurological condition at some point in their lives. Approximately 450 million individuals are now affected by such illnesses. Furthermore, many people with these conditions will not seek medical attention.

So, how does this impact their ability to obtain an education or a job? There are many misunderstandings regarding persons who are mentally ill. People with mental illnesses get treated differently and do not receive the healthy connections, social interactions, and inclusive surroundings they need for optimum health. In simpler terms, persons with mental illnesses do not receive the correct treatment from other workmates. Other rights abuses that people with mental illnesses face include rejection of marriage and reproduction, hunger, physical assault and negligence. But the fact is that many persons with mental illness thrive in the workplace. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, people with bipolar illness, for example, are known to be creative and intelligent. In addition, persons with mental conditions benefit from the flexibility of work hours and places. One final example is that people with mental illnesses do well in the healthcare centre as they have lived experience with their condition.

However, not all mental illnesses are a disability. Even with mental health issues, people can still do a lot of things, and occasionally even better than we can. While having a mental illness can be an issue at work, there are ways to deal with it. Whether they need to take a day off or merely take a break, this shouldn't be a problem because they can still carry out daily tasks. At schools, there are many services available for people who require them.

So why should you care? Mentally ill people are just like anybody else. They should be able to work and receive an education just like you and me. They should have the right to good health and should get treated equally. They are also people, and they should get treated as such. I have explained what mental illnesses are, how they impact their ability to obtain an education or job, and why they are not as big of a problem as they seem.