I have chosen to study panic disorder because I have been involved with it a few times throughout my life and it is an extremely unsettling thing to witness. Someone that I am very close to has experienced a panic attack, but I never realized that it was actually a psychological disorder, so I am interested in finding out more.
I have noticed that psychological disorders is a sort of taboo in our society. People are so open to talk about physical ailments that they might have like being paralyzed or having cancer, but people usually keep their mental illnesses in the dark. Depending on the region in which you live, the treatment of those with mental illnesses are different. In Asian countries, people are very much encouraged to be as normal as possible. Therefore, people with psychological disorders are seen as a source of shame. About 26% of the American population has a mental disorder, which is 1 in every 4 people. If that statistic is accurate, then there are so many people with psychological disorders that no one knows about. However, in past years, people have begun to fight more and more for equality for all people. With all of the cancer awareness, fighting for gay rights, people are more inclined to represent their mental disorder with determination and bravery. For example, a young girl at my church has down-syndrome and her parents have been very public about loving their daughter unconditionally and giving her the normal life that she deserves. That kind of behavior and treatment wouldn't be so common in the past. Years ago, people with psychological disorders have be excommunicated from society or even killed because they are seen as incompetent human beings.
I have noticed that psychological disorders is a sort of taboo in our society. People are so open to talk about physical ailments that they might have like being paralyzed or having cancer, but people usually keep their mental illnesses in the dark. Depending on the region in which you live, the treatment of those with mental illnesses are different. In Asian countries, people are very much encouraged to be as normal as possible. Therefore, people with psychological disorders are seen as a source of shame. About 26% of the American population has a mental disorder, which is 1 in every 4 people. If that statistic is accurate, then there are so many people with psychological disorders that no one knows about. However, in past years, people have begun to fight more and more for equality for all people. With all of the cancer awareness, fighting for gay rights, people are more inclined to represent their mental disorder with determination and bravery. For example, a young girl at my church has down-syndrome and her parents have been very public about loving their daughter unconditionally and giving her the normal life that she deserves. That kind of behavior and treatment wouldn't be so common in the past. Years ago, people with psychological disorders have be excommunicated from society or even killed because they are seen as incompetent human beings.