I am choosing to focus on the liberal approach. In addition,
how I strongly disagree that Mental Illness is an individual’s problem. Individuals,
who are mentally ill, require the support of the community the live in to help
them get through hard times in their lives and help them adapt to society with
a little more ease.
There is a news article in the Vancouver Sun titled: Panel to give firsthand accounts of living with mental
disability, illness at Vancouver conference. This article talks about how group homes are a great place
for individuals who are diagnosed, with both a developmental and psychological
illness (Ellis, 2012).
Lyle Lexier, Julie Huber and Ed Kaufmann are three individuals who
have been dually diagnosed; they are going to be telling social workers,
nurses, doctors and other health professionals about their experiences with a
dual diagnosis.(Ellis, 2012) One thing that Lyle Lexier will be taking to the
conference is “It’s bad to treat disabled individuals as children or criminals”(Ellis,2012).
I agree with Lyle’s statement individuals who are mentally ill are not always
criminals and are not children, a lot of mentally ill individuals are very
intelligent. I personally think that by these individuals attending this
conference that this shows that mental illness is not an individual’s problem,
but a problem for the community as a whole. It is the government’s responsibility
to ensure that there are the proper resources and support systems for those who
are mentally ill to avoid putting them in prison where they will most likely be
mistreated, because apparently punishment is a type of treatment in Canadian
prisons.(referring to last blog)
Karlie
Karlie
Bibliography
Ellis, E. (2012,
November 13). Panel to give firsthand accounts of living with mental
disability, illness at Vancouver conference. Retrieved November 15, 2012,
from Vancouver Sun:
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Panel+give+firsthand+accounts+living+with+mental+disability+illness+Vancouver+conference/7543789/story.html
I agree, society should focus more on programs to help individuals with a mental illness. Telling an individual with a mental illness that it is their fault can cause them more stress and want to not take part in a community. Showing individuals with mental illnesses that there is support and helping them access it would strongly benefit a community cause these individuals would then feel encouraged to participate in the community.
ReplyDeleteSheri
I agree with your statement that mental illness is not the individual’s problem. Often people with mental illness are stigmatized and do not access the appropriate services due to this. Society needs to be more accepting of people’s differences and communities need to work together to ensure the needs of this vulnerable population are being met. Unfortunately, some group homes are overcrowded, underfunded and do not have the resources to properly care for and help each person living in the home. I believe that more funding should be distributed to group homes to ensure that all individuals can receive the proper and essential services they need to succeed in their life.
ReplyDeleteKristen - Mental Illness Group
I completely agree that a person living with mental illness is not just that one persons challenge, I believe that it is a community issue. I think we should look into the first nations thoughts in this regards. The whole community would raise a child not just one person. This is so important especially when working with people living with mental illness. The government needs to see this and offer supports to the people and their families. I find it difficult to live in this society as it is. We as social workers should look at this as a holistic perspective and help in every aspect of their lives.
ReplyDelete-Britney
LGBT
I also strongly agree with your point that mental illness is not an individual problem, and that those who do live with a mental illness require support for the community they live in. By providing support to those people we are able to empower them and get them the benefits they need. When we look at all the policy issues that face people with mental illness, such as poverty, housing, employment etc. I believe by not looking at it through the liberal point a view and actually seeing that it is not an individual problem but a community issue because these people are community members that have just as much potential as any other community member to help make our communities stronger and provide their strengths, skills and abilities.
ReplyDelete-Amanda
I have to also agree that mental illness is not an individual problem. It has been stated that these individuals are vulnerable due to this fact I think it is imperative that communities support them. This support is necessary in order to reintegrate people with mental disabilities into society. With support from communities I believe that this can be achieved, and these individuals should not be overlooked. These individuals have a lot to contribute to society, and in the end they too can help support communities.
ReplyDeleteAlissa B-mental illness group
Great info
ReplyDeleteWhat is good mental health and how do you achieve it?