The Concept and Nature of Mental Sickness

Many studies have demonstrated the influence and vagueness of such diagnosis on the part of the individual being evaluated. The social stigma associated with mental sickness is more potent and enduring than virtually any other form of stigmatism. Such social stigma may lead people not to seek professional help when it is necessary. Being labeled a mental case in itself is anxiety- provoking which brings with it lowering self-esteem and the undignified desire to live to the label so tagged. Rather than been unable to solve ongoing problems posed by their society and environment, mentally sick people learn that they are persons to be feared, pitied, disliked, degraded and isolated. Often they are viewed as malingerers, weak-willed and unassertive in overcoming their personal problems (Schwartz et al 1978). These negative labels generate quite a lot of negative emotions from these patients which in turn compound their problems. We will have less mentally sick people if the society is more cautions in labeling people as abnormal and less liberal in categorizing behaviours as abnormal.