Individual Report Hypothesis

Student name: Evelyn Kanuri

Topic Name: Health and Well-being

Research questions:
1. To what extent do people who have mental illnesses receive the same opportunities
and wages compared to those without a mental health condition?

2. To what extent does the media impact how people view and treat those with mental
health conditions?

3. To what extent are individuals with mental illness treated differently in healthcare
settings compared to those without?

List out 6 websites and 6 authors who have done extensive research on the topic you
have chosen:
Websites
1. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/stigma-and-discrimination

2. https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/March-2020/The-Many-Forms-of-Mental-Illness-Discri
mination

3. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/stigma-discrimination-and-men
tal-illness#challenging-stigma-associated-with-mental-illness

4. https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/rights-restrictions/mental-health-laws/discrimin
ation-and-mental-health/

5. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/stigma-and-discrimination

6. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25653100?searchText=mental%20health%20discrimination&sear
chUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dmental%2Bhealth%2Bdiscrimination%26
so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A47
6630bbc45ac24f3e5247a976d7060e
Authors
1. Katherine Ponte
2. Graham Thornicroft
3. Jonathan Kenneth Burns
4. Rospenda, K. M., Richman, J. A., and Shannon, C. A.
5. Sylvanna M.
6. Stanley J.

Write 300-350 words on the topic you have chosen.

Health refers to being emotionally, physically, socially, and mentally strong. Being healthy is
not just the absence of diseases but also the well-being and happiness of a person. People
with mental health disorders are discriminated against by society, the media, and the work
environment. The discrimination creates many barriers for a person dealing with mental
illness. Such as barriers to education, unequal employment opportunities, difficult social
relationships, and even accommodation. Many people with mental illness are assumed to be
incompetent and unreliable, resulting in getting less salary, being underpaid, or having less
access to quality jobs.

In society, people stigmatize people with mental illness. When this person is labeled by other
people it could make the illness worse to cope with. The psychotic symptoms increase,
eventually making it harder for the individual to recover. Society often labels people with
mental health disorders because of the lack of understanding or the fear of their condition,
even though people with mental disorders are more likely to harm themselves rather than
others.
The media falsely portrays people with mental health disorders as criminals and dangerous.
This is another way in which people with mental disorders are discriminated against in
society as well. In employment, people with mental health issues are treated more poorly
because of their illness. More indirect discrimination is when a person or organization
arranges something where a person with mental illness is put at an unfair disadvantage.
Harassment is more common. Harassment targeting people with mental health issues can
lead to increased fear and anxiety. This makes the mental condition worse for the individual.

The stigma of other people also causes the person to avoid or be reluctant to seek the
treatment they need, in fear of how they would be stigmatized. Another issue is how the
health insurance does not cover mental health treatments.
One way to improve inequality is to raise awareness of what people with mental illnesses go
through and how discrimination and stigma impact them.