Week 10
discussion
Discussion: Influencing Social Change
Individuals with psychiatric mental health disorders are
frequently stigmatized not only by society as a whole, but also by their
friends, family, and sometimes healthcare providers. In your role, however, you
have the opportunity to become a social change agent for these individuals. For
this Discussion, consider how you might make a positive impact for your clients
and advocate for social change within your own community.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Apply strategies to become a social change agent for
psychiatric mental health
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources,
please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course
Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Angermeyer, M. C.,
Matschinger, H., & Schomerus, G. (2013). Attitudes towards psychiatric
treatment and people with mental illness: Changes over two decades. The British
Journal of Psychiatry, 203(2), 146–151. Retrieved from
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/203/2/146.full
Bui, Q. (2012).
Antidepressants for agitation and psychosis in patients with dementia. American
Family Physician, 85(1), 20–22. Retrieved from
http://www.aafp.org/journals/afp.html
Note: Retrieved from from the Walden Library databases.
Dingfelder, S. F.
(2009). Stigma: Alive and well. American Psychological Association, 40(6), 56.
Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/06/stigma.aspx
Jenkins, J. H.
(2012). The anthropology of psychopharmacology: Commentary on contributions to
the analysis of pharmaceutical self and imaginary. Culture, Medicine and
Psychiatry, 36(1), 78–79. doi:10.1007/s11013-012-9248-0
Note: Retrieved from from the Walden Library databases.
Price, L. H. (2010). Violence in America: Is
psychopharmacology the answer? Brown University Psychopharmacology Update,
21(5), 5. Retrieved from
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1556-7532
Note: Retrieved from from the Walden Library databases.
Optional Resources
Bennett, T. (2015).
Changing the way society understands mental health. National Alliance on Mental
Illness. Retrieved from
http://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/April-2015/Changing-The-Way-Society-Understands-Mental-Health
Mechanic, D. (2007).
Mental health services then and now. Health Affairs, 26(6), 1548–1550.
Retrieved from
https://web.archive.org/web/20170605094514/http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/26/6/1548.full
Rothman, D. J.
(1994). Shiny, happy people: The problem with “cosmetic
psychopharmacology.” New Republic, 210(7), 34–38.
To prepare for this Discussion:
Reflect on how you might influence social change for
psychiatric mental health.
