Mental Issues, Mindset And Social Work

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3 pages in length. The American mindset toward mental illness, mental retardation and addiction has historically been an attitude of disdain and weakness; those who suffered from these conditions have long been considered undesirable fringe of society and best kept at arm's length. In short, Americans want something done about such individuals so they are dealt with and kept out of mainstream society, however, they do not necessarily want to be the ones handed the responsibility. This is a perplexing reaction in today's world given the propensity of mental health problems that exist - both diagnosed and undetected - in what is often heralded as the world's most prosperous and progressive of societies. A significant reason for this mindset is because Americans are vastly undereducated about mental illness, mental retardation and addiction, and too often draw erroneous conclusions about the social value of these struggling individuals. Bibliography lists 3 sources.