Link Between Violence and Mental Disorder Essay

Definition of Mental health

Mental health is a level of psychological well-being or an absence of mental illness. It is the mental state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment from the perspective of psychology (World Health Organization). Mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and create a balance between life's activities and efforts that would ensure they achieve psychological resilience. Mental health includes subjective well-being, autonomy, competency, intergeneration dependency and self-actualization of one's intellectual capacity (World Health Organization). According to the US surgeon general, mental health is the ability to have strong mental functions that result in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people and having the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversities. A person struggling with his or her mental health may experience stress, anxiety or depression among other things. Therapist psychiatrist, social workers, nurse practitioners or physicians can help an individual with mental illness.

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Defining mental health issues

Mental health issues are prevalent and can include different things. People who have mental problems may suffer from anger and may not be able to handle themselves. Such people may lash out at other when provoked at times could even course injuries or even death (DeLisi, 2016). Other people with mental issues experience anxiety and panic attacks. An individual may suffer panic attack one or repeatedly. A panic attack usually triggers the flight or fight response because of an occurrence of a particular feature. Some of the symptoms associated with panic attack include trembling, choking feeling, sweating, cold or hot flashes, fear of dying and chest pain. Some of the heat pans caused by the panic attack may make an individual think they have a heart attack. An individual who experiences the above symptoms should visit a doctor to get more information about his/he situation. An individual with mental illness may also suffer from anxiety which is characterized by worrying, apprehension, and fear (Douglas & Skeem, 2010). Such kind of disorders may affect how a person behaves and can even cause physical symptoms. A person who is suffering from severe anxiety can have his or her daily life severely affected. Although anxiety is harmful, sometimes it can be helpful especially when an individual is faced with a potentially hazardous situation and has to defend him/herself. The triggers that are released when a person is a dangerous situation is critical to ensuring such a person survives from the ordeal. A person can make evasive actions when in a dangerous situation because of anxiety (Talbott, 2009). However, a person who has mental issues is always feeling anxious even when there is no danger. Such a person needs medical treatment to balance his/her anxiety levels.

Defining mental illness and mentioning the most common mental illnesses.

A person who is suffering from mental illness is not able to carry out his/her daily activities properly. The ability to make a rational decision is usually affected by the psychological incapacitation. Mental health is a level of mental well-being or an absence of mental illness (Elbogen & Johnson 2009). It is the mental state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment from the perspective of psychology. Mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and create a balance between life's activities and efforts that would ensure they achieve psychological resilience. Mental health includes subjective well-being, autonomy, competency, intergeneration dependency and self-actualization of one's intellectual capacity.

Most common mental illnesses

A mental disorder can be characterized either by adult, childhood, personality or under other disorders. An adult psychological disorder can be alcohol dependence. An individual who is suffering from this condition is not able to stay away from either alcohol or other drugs. Such a person can be a functioning or nonfunctioning alcoholic. A functioning alcoholic is one that depends on alcohol or drugs but can perform his/ her daily duties. However, a non-performing alcoholic is on that uses alcohol and is not able to carry out his/her daily activities. An adult with a mental disorder can also be suffering from anxiety or adult attention deficit. Other mental illness that is sustained by adults includes bipolar disorder (Fiack, 2009). A person who has bipolar disorder can experience either high or low moods. The elevated moods are referred to as Mania while the low moods are what is clinically called depression. Adults are also faced with other mental disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. A person suffering from this condition displays symptoms of distress behavior coupled with obsessions and compulsions. The compulsions are usually as a result of recurrent thoughts which makes an individual obsess over a particular issue. A person who has obsessive-compulsive disorder can be treated through a combination of psychiatric medications and psychotherapy. Women who have also given birth in the past few years are also faced with postpartum depression which is a mental illness. A person suffering from postpartum depression can be cured through counselling and medication (Lamb & Weinberger, 2001) People who have experienced or witnessed an extreme or gruesome event can also develop a mental illness that is referred to as the post-traumatic stress disorder. A person who has post-traumatic stress disorder can be helped by attending sessions with a trained psychiatrist. Medications are also used to help such people get to sleep or relaxed when they feel anxious.

Some people are also faced with schizophrenia which is characterized by hallucinations and delusions. A person who is suffering from this condition is treated by using antipsychotic medications and psychotherapy. People living in the northern States usually suffer from a seasonal affective disorder. The mental illness is caused by the change of weather especially when fall or winter starts. A person suffering from this condition displays specific symptoms such as excessive eating, weight gain, and sleeping. Some people are also faced with a social anxiety disorder a condition that makes one develop a phobia especially when they are in front of people and think they will embarrass themselves. There are also eating disorders such as anorexia, binge eating, pica, and bulimia nervosa. People who are suffering from this mental disorder go to the extreme to ensure they do not gain weight. Unfortunately, the tactics used by this people are dangerous, and some individuals have ended up dead. Adults are also faced with sexual disorders such as dyspareunia, erectile disorder and Fetishistic disorder which prevents an individual from living a healthy life (Healey, 2010). Children are also prone to mental disorder with some children having attachment disorders. Others experience autism, conduct disorder, encopresis, enuresis and expressive language disorder. Such children can be helped overcome the challenge through medications and physiotherapy.

Association between crime and mental illness

There is a correlation between people with mental disorder and the rate crime (Yorston, 2013). Although not every person with mental illness commits a crime, some people with mental challenges have been found to have engaged in criminal activities (Fazel & Grann, 2006). People suffering from depression and anxiety have had some recorded in committing illegal activities. Some people who had mental challenges committed the mass shootings in the US for example. The individuals were motivated by either hate or the need for revenge (Mulvey, 2010). However, because they were not able to think rationally, they took out their stress on students or people partying in Las Vegas.

People with mental illness as victims

Although people with mental illness may engage in crime, there are others who are law abiding. Unfortunately, these individuals have been exposed to prison sentences even when one is innocent. A person with mental illness is not able to defend him/herself and can easily find himself in prison. People with mental disabilities have also been victims of crime. Because these individuals are often vulnerable, they sometimes find themselves being harassed, beaten or even killed (Fazel, 2006). It is therefore critical to understand that although people with mental illness may engage in crimes, some of them are law abiding and should not be harassed.

Treating mental illness as a form of crime prevention

Sometimes the solutions to crime prevention are not locking people in prison. Some of the people who have mental illness need help to adjust to the society. People who are mentally ill and engage in criminal activities do not mean to harm people but are trying to get stress from their body (Franklin, 2013). However, the way they approach their issues are wrong and sometimes end up hurting others. The government should realize the rat of people especially teenagers who are suffering from mental disorder is increasing. The solution to combating the problem is ensuring the teenagers get the necessary help.

References

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Douglas, K. S., & Skeem, J. L. (2010). Violence risk assessment: Getting specific about being dynamic. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 11(3), 347-383. doi:10.1037/1076-8971.11.3.347

Elbogen, E. B., & Johnson, S. C. (2009). The Intricate Link Between Violence and Mental Disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 66(2), 152. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2008.537

Erickson, P. E., & Erickson, S. K. (2008). Crime, punishment, and mental illness: Law and the behavioral sciences in conflict. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

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Fiack, S. (2009). Mental illness and criminal behavior. Detroit: Greenhaven Press.

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Talbott, J. (2009). The relationship between prior psychiatric disorder and chronic fatigue: evidence from a national birth cohort study. Yearbook of Psychiatry and Applied Mental Health, 2009, 196-197. doi:10.1016/s0084-3970(08)79056-x

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