Mental Health as a Scapegoat

I am often amazed at the number of times people are declared "mentally ill" by individuals that are unqualified to make a mental health assessment. It is often used as a scapegoat to discredit individuals while empowering those that declare such an assessment. As far as I'm aware, a declaration of "mentally ill" can only be made by a psychiatrist, psychologist or designated mental health professional.

A neighbour had often proclaimed someone, "mentally ill", whenever their behaviour did not appear normal. I had reminded this individual to refrain from making such a declaration as it sets an unfounded environment of judgement, social shunning and exclusion based on false psychiatric assessment. Unfortunately, gossip and the use of power to create the image of an individual as, "mentally ill", contributes to an environment of ostracism and stigma that is irreparable and leads to increased marginalization and social exclusion.

Quite commonly, mental illness is utilized in bullying behaviours to discredit the target of bullying that is experiencing psychological trauma from the bullying. Bullying, or social terrorism, is carried out in such a manner that it creates an environment of persecution of the target through manipulation and disempowerment. This often leads to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Accute Anxiety Disorder as a result of bullying and stalking. Mob bullying starts without warning, is unstoppable once it gets going and, for the target, they don't know when it is finished as it is completely in the hands of the bullies. The reputation of the Targeted Individual is black-marked, not only within the group or immediate area, but with external organizations that may be able to assit the target. When bullying is identified, those carrying out the bullying react very much like Bart Simpson, "I didn't do it!" and a secondary bullying run occurs which may include legal and hard-core harm. What is interesting is the constant use of power to discredit, demoralize and dehumanize the Targeted Individual. It merely demonstrates a lack of humanity.

An individual disadvantaged by way of financial, health, social status, education, etc is predispositioned to bullying and the use of mental health as a scapegoat. In the area I live in, there is a high proportion of HIV positive individuals. I often am stunned with the frequency by which those that are challenged with their health are discredited by HIV negative individuals in a position of power over these individuals. It really should be the opposite and often makes me wonder why HIV positive individuals aren't working in these positions, for only these individuals really understand the daily challenges of life with this condition. Stress really can be the end of an HIV positive individual. It isn't a concern for a healthy person and nor do they care about the negative impact on an immunocompromised individual. For an HIV positive individual, mental health is very much a concern to ensure stress is kept to a minimum. Being labelled "mentally ill" just creates a preconceived label of predjudism that establishes an environment of stress and harm.

My Mental Scapegoat