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Jordan Adams

Ms. Wilson

English II Honors

10 December 2019

Problem Solution Essay

Mental illness is a series of disorders affecting thought, action, and behavior. It affects

people regardless of age, religion, and race, and can often go undiagnosed or untreated, and often

misrepresented. With or without treatment, it can lead to violent acts that impair everyday life

and social functions. One large group of people affected by mental illnesses are teenagers.

Countless of teenagers everyday are, mostly negatively, affected by mental illnesses. One

of the reasons is due to stresses put on teenagers. A 2014 report by OECD concluded that South

Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, making it the “4th leading cause of death

in South Korea, and the number one cause of death for youths aged 9 to 24” (Toohey, South

Korea’s Mental Health Crisis). Suicide being the leading cause of death for youths emphasizes

how little is being done about the situation and its causes, such as mental illness. An article titled

South Korea’s Mental Health Crisis ​tells of the cultural stigmas, with mental illnesses often

being associated with violent crimes. An article by Jennifer O’Brien talks of the immense

pressure put on students, with many cities in the country undergoing curfews for students to

combat issues of late-night studying. There is a similar issue going on in Hong Kong, with

lwb.gov.hk providing the Task Force’s findings of the increased youth suicides from 2015 to

2017. In a 2013 study done by cdc.gov, 17 percent of high school students responded that they
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had considered attempting suicide. Another high cause of mental illness is substance abuse.

According to mentalhealth.gov, drugs and alcohol are high contributing factors. The symptoms

include behavioral, physcial, and social changes. It can cause impairment, including “health

problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home”,

according to an article by samhsa.gov (Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders). Failure to

complete responsibilities can lead to strained family relationships and a low chance of being

accepted into colleges and universities or holding a job. Another major cause is social media. In

a piece by Muhammad Ramzan, he states that many social media sites are “associated with

low-self esteem, dissatisfaction with life, and anxiety and depression” (Ramzan, Excessive Use

of Instagram Causing Anxiety and Depression Among Young Adults). According to

childmind.org, a 2017 study showed that suicide rates in eighth through 12th grade females

increased by 65 percent between 2010 and 2015, with depressive symptoms increasing by 33

percent. A study by Twenge, however, showed that those who kept a balanced social and media

life had less depressive symptoms.

With many causes that lead to mental illnesses, there are many possible solutions. One

solution, propsed by Sungwon Roh, states a need for more research and development put into

mental health systems with more professionals. A similar plan was proposed by the Task Force

in Hong Kong, stating one recommendation as “enhancing mental health promotion and public

education” (“Report of the Task Force on Prevention of Youth Suicide to the Chief Executive”).

Roh’s report says that “most investments in mental health research projects have been sporadic

and have lacked continuity,” with the roles and responsibilities needing to be clearly defined

(Roh et al., “Mental Health Services and R&D in South Korea”). Roh states that the national
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mental health service needs to manage and support the mental health policy programs and

research. He says that the 2.7 percent funding of research and development needs to be

increased. Increasing and expanding the budget and services can help people receive the help

that they need. However, there may be budgeting problems, with more money going into other

services such as the military and defense. Another solution proposed is the proper treatment of

those with mental illnesses. According to an nm.org article, TV shows often misinterpret mental

illness and “perpetuate harmful stereotypes that feed the stigmas attached to it” (Costello, “What

TV Gets Wrong About Mental Illness”), which may lead to biased stereotypes against those

suffering. The article also provides research showing that exposure to another person’s suicide or

death can take a heavy toll.Additionally, CDC.gov’s research shows that, in 2012, males took

their lives at nearly four times the rate of females, making it the seventh leading cause of death

for men. This also shows how misrepresented mental illness is among men, and how some may

feel they are forced to bottle up emotions and stress to avoid appearing “weak”. But cases vary,

and misdiagnosis is not rare.

Mental illness encompasses a broad range and is often times portrayed stereotypically.

Those with mental illness may not receive the proper treatment they need. The best solution to

combat the problems coming with mental illness is to treat it properly. Budgeting and

inaccessibility to reach those in lower-income and rural communities is a major issue, but by

educating the general public on mental illnesses properly, people will more likely be able to

identify if someone is suffering from a mental illness, and can help them receive proper help.

From a younger age, people should be educated on the issues concerning mental health,

especially in teenagers. Starting small is better than starting nowhere.

Works Cited

Costello, Agnes Katherine. “What TV Gets Wrong About Mental Illness.” ​Northwestern

Medicine,

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/emotional-health/what-tv-gets-wrong-about-mental-i

llness​.

Holland, Kimberly. “Mental Health Basics: Types of Mental Illness, Diagnosis, Treatment, and

More.” ​Healthline, 1​ 9 September 2018,

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health#statistics​.

“Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders.” ​Mentalhealth.gov, 2​ 2 March 2019,

https://www.mentalhealth.gov/what-to-look-for/mental-health-substance-use-disorders​.

“Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders.” ​Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services and

Administration, 1​ 3 April 2019, ​https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disorders​.

Miller, Caroline. “Does Social Media Cause Depression?” ​Child Mind Insitute,

https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/​.

O’Brien, Jennifer. “Stressed and Depressed: Mental Health in South Korea.” ​The Borgen

Project, 1​ 5 February 2019,

https://borgenproject.org/stressed-and-depressed-mental-health-in-south-korea/​.

Razman et al., Muhammed. “Excessive Use of Instagram Causing Anxiety and Depression

Among Young Adults.” ​Pakistan Library & Information Science Journal,​ 2019,

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,custuid&custid=s8455861&db=lih&AN=

138208789&site=ehost-live&scope=site​.

Roh et al., Sungwon. “Mental Health Services and R&D in South Korea.” ​International Journal
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of Mental Health Systems,

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,custuid&custid=s8455861&db=a9h&AN

=115956341&site=ehost-live&scope=site​.

“Report of the Task Force on Prevention of Youth Suicide to the Chief Executive.” ​Labor and

Welfare Bureau, ​https://www.lwb.gov.hk/eng/other_info/TFPYS_Report_(English).pdf​.

“Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug USe and Health: Mental Health Findings.”

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,​ 2012,

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,custuid&custid=s8455861&db=eric&AN

=ED529252&site=ehost-live&scope=site​.

“Suicide Facts at a Glance 2015.” ​Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/suicide-datasheet-a.pdf​.

Tooley, Kylan. “South Korea’s Mental Health Crisis.” ​Korean Economic Institute of America,

http://keia.org/south-korea%E2%80%99s-mental-health-crisis​.