Discrimination And Empowerment Mental Health Social Work Essay

This essay will foremost specify what favoritism is and what it means to know apart. Examples will be used to show what favoritism may look like. A definition of authorization will besides be used. The essay will so critically research theory and thoughts around power and how power manifests between groups. This portion of the essay will touch on the thought of ‘othering ‘ . The essay will travel on to concentrate on mental wellness, ‘race ‘ and racism. The essay will utilize the thought that ‘mental unwellness ‘ is a societal concept and expression at how ‘mental unwellness ‘ can be unfastened to influences of racism from society .

The essay will do links to institutional racism in mental wellness and psychopathology.

In a basic sense to know apart agencies to: “ differentiate ” or to “ recognize a differentiation ”. In this basic sense it is a portion of day-to-day life to know apart. For illustration, a babe will frequently know apart between a alien and their health professional.

Discrimination becomes a job when the ‘difference ‘ or ‘recognised differentiation ‘ is used for the footing of unjust intervention or exclusion . Anti-discriminatory pattern in societal work concerns itself with favoritism that has negative results ; whether this is ‘negative favoritism ‘ or ‘positive favoritism ‘ . Both are every bit as damaging.

Thompson ( 1998 ) defines favoritism as a procedure where persons are divided into peculiar societal groups with an uneven distribution of power, resources, chances and even rights. Discrimination is non ever knowing  and there are assorted types of favoritism . Discrimination can be direct, indirect, based on perceptual experience or on association.

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The Equality Act 2010 is statute law that protects persons and groups against favoritism. The Equality Act 2010 brought together several pieces of statute law to protect several ‘protected features ‘ : age, disablement, gender reassignment, matrimony and civil partnership, race, faith or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Discrimination does non merely happen on a personal degree, harmonizing to Thompson ( 2012 ) , favoritism occurs on three degrees ; personal, cultural and construction. This will be explored more subsequently on.

‘Empowerment ‘ is a term that frequently comes in to play when analyzing favoritism ; therefore it is of import to hold an apprehension of both. Authorization is the capacity of persons or groups to take control of their circumstance and utilize their power to “ assist themselves and others to maximize the quality of their lives ”. Authorization is so non an absence of favoritism and power but an person ‘s capacity to have or portion that power and take control. Therefore authorization is an anti-oppressive pattern non an anti-discriminatory 1. They are linked but non the same.

Social workers act as ‘mediators ‘ between service users and the province. Social workers are in a function that can potentially authorise or suppress . For this ground Thompson argues that “ good pattern must be anti-discriminatory pattern ” , no affair how high the criterions of pattern are in other respects. Thompson ( 1997 ) reminds the reader many times throughout his book that “ If you ‘re non portion of the solution you are portion of the job ” . I choose to include this because it reinforces that societal workers need to dispute favoritism and take action against it. Discrimination is political, sociological and psychological. To ‘accept ‘ and digest it and to non to dispute it does so do societal workers portion of the job. Discrimination has links with power which the essay will travel on to explicate following.

As defined by the Oxford Dictionary ( 2012 ) power is “ the ability or capacity to make something ; the capacity or ability to move in a peculiar manner to direct or act upon the behavior of others or the class of events ; or physical strength or force exerted by person ” . From this definition power could be seen as a coercive force or autocratic. However, some theoreticians would reason that there is more to power than merely coercion and authorization. Parsons  took a different position on power. He saw power as a manner of keeping societal order alternatively of a force for single addition.

Parsons believed that to be able to implement coercive action and justify it, there needs to be a corporate involvement from the societal system as a whole ( Rogers 2008 ) . Lukes ( 1974 ) would differ with Parsons definition on power. Lukes argues that power is less abstract  and that exerting power is the determination to exercise control. Lukes  illustrates this point as: “ A exercisings power over B when A effects B in a mode contrary to B ‘s involvements ” . Dominelli ( 2008 ) focuses more on the thought of viing power ; which group has more power than the ‘other ‘ . This splits people to either be in the dominant group or the minority. A dominant group tends to be deemed superior, and with high quality comes privilege. As a consequence the other group is deemed inferior, the minority and disadvantaged. It is this compound of laterality and subjugation that favoritism derives from. It is a groups perceived superiorly over another group that ‘justifies ‘ coercive action, control and favoritism.

When people form oppressive relationships the inclination is to do a strategic determination that excludes a peculiar group or persons from accessing power and resources  . ‘Othering ‘ can be experienced as multiple ; multiple subjugation. Peoples can be ‘othered ‘ at the same time due to a figure of societal divisions, for illustration, being a black adult female who experiences mental wellness issues. Social workers need to recognize power and its links to favoritism. Not to could farther suppress. It can experience uncomfortable to be in the privileged place ; whether this is as a white individual or a adult male and so on. The ‘privileged group ‘ demand to prosecute in the battle for equality . White people need to prosecute with the battle against racism and accept duty for racism as it is a job of white society and hence involves white people. This account can be applied to any other groups that are considered to be the ‘other ‘ .

Rogers and Pilgrim ( 2006: 15 ) suggest that high quality is a societal building: a “ merchandise of human activity ” . Dominelli ( 2002 ) goes farther to state that subjugation itself is a societal concept as oppressive dealingss are non pre-determined but they are reproduced between societal interactions and modus operandis. Language is frequently used as a cardinal portion of societal interaction and is besides a really powerful tool. This relates to a great extent to societal work as societal workers are responsible for composing reports/care plans/assessments. Depending on how societal workers word written pieces of work can so paint a really different image of the service user they are working with. I was one time told that ‘words are the slugs of bias ‘ , this illustrates that labels and linguistic communication can be powerful, damaging, potentially prejudiced and oppressive.

Although labels can be damaging they are a portion of societal interaction. Labels help us to build our societal universe and we use them to happen similarities and differences to treat the universe around us. Although the procedure of labelling is “ cardinal to human behavior and interaction ” societal workers need to be cognizant of when these labels have the possible to be detrimental, oppressive and rein forcers of favoritism. Social workers need to reflect and see what labels they give people and what impacts this may hold. Labels can be used to alter or prolong power dealingss which can hold an impact on bias and on accomplishing equality.

This essay will utilize the subjects discussed so far to concentrate in on mental wellness as an country of pattern and critically explore institutionalized racism within mental wellness pattern and psychopathology. To get down I will briefly return to Thompson ‘s ( 2012 ) PCS analysis in relation to mental wellness and ‘race ‘ . The ‘P ‘ degree is our ain single attitudes and feelings. Although it is of import to analyze our ain beliefs we do non populate in a “ moral and political vacuity ”. For this ground Thompson ( 2012 ) besides refers to the cultural ( C ) and structural ( S ) . ‘P ‘ is embedded in ‘C ‘ and ‘C ‘ and ‘P ‘ in ‘S ‘ which builds up meshing beds of favoritism ; personal, cultural and structural.

The ‘C ‘ degree is where we learn our norms and values. Persons learn these values and norms through the procedure of socialization which occurs through societal establishments such as the household, faith and the media. These establishments can bring forth thoughts about what is considered ‘normal ‘ or ‘right ‘. From this it is non surprising that there is an attitude in society that people who experience mental wellness issues are violent and a danger to society ; even though there is no relationship between mental wellness and force. However, the general media uses footings like ‘psycho ‘ ( Ward 2012 ) or ‘crazed gunslinger ‘ ( Perrie 2011 ) in relation to Acts of the Apostless of force creates prejudice. This bias can so be used to know apart. For illustration, a community may non desire a ‘mental place ‘ to open nigh them as ‘the mental people ‘ will do a menace to their community.

The ‘S ‘ degree is the degree of institutional subjugation and favoritism. Ideas that Thompson ( 2012: 34 ) refers to as being “ ‘sewn in ‘ to the cloth of society ” . Western psychopathology is loaded with cultural values and premises that are based on western civilization. This suggests that western and white is ‘normality ‘ and anything that deviates from this is ‘abnormal ‘ , or as antecedently discussed ; ‘other ‘ . It is the ‘C ‘ and ‘S ‘ degree which the essay will concentrate on more.

Institutional racism explains how institutional constructions, systems and the procedure embedded in society and structures that promote racial inequality . It is considered to be the “ corporate failure of an administration to supply an appropriate and professional service to people because of their coloring material, civilization or cultural beginning ” . Jones goes farther than this definition to besides include “ Torahs, imposts, and patterns which consistently reflect and produce racial inequalities ” . Institutional racism is believed to be a more elusive and covert type of racism ( Bhui 2002 ) and frequently said to be unwilled.

BME groups are otherwise represented in psychopathology . Peoples of African-Caribbean heritage are over represented yet people of Asiatic heritage underrepresented in mental wellness scenes. As BME groups deviate from the ‘white norms ‘ they appear to have either excessively much attending or excessively small ( Sashidharan 2001 ) . This would propose that the systems which operate within psychopathology are institutionally racist.

Both ‘race ‘ and ‘mental unwellness ‘ are societal concepts. Thompson ( 1997 ) argues that despite the deficiency in biological grounds for the account of racial classs it is still a widely common manner of thought. Bailey ( 2004 ) argues that ‘mental unwellness ‘ has ever been a societal concept hence unfastened to racism and other signifiers of favoritism. The declassification of homosexualism in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM ) illustrates Bailey ‘s ( 2004 ) point.

‘Race ‘ instantly brings up issues around power and the relationship between what is seen as ‘natural ‘ and ‘social ‘ ( Westwood 2002 ) . Historically ‘it was viewed that inequalities around ‘race ‘ had a ‘natural ‘ account ( Westwood 2002 ) . ‘Race ‘ could be traced back to anthological tradition ( Rogers 2006 ; Craig et Al 2012 ) and colonial discourse with the belief that white individuality is superior ( Westwood 2002 ) and that black people are “ deficient civilization ” , “ barbarians ” and a “ subhuman species ” ( Bailey 2004: 408-409 ) . Harmonizing to Bailey ( 2004: 408 ) “ the effects of racism on psychopathology can be straight linked to the early stereotypes about black people originating from pseudoscientific racism ” . It is this pseudoscience racism ( scientific discipline which lacks scientific method or grounds ) that underpins racism in mental wellness services today ( Bailey 2004 ) .

Racism has many different sides and is a multidimensional signifier of subjugation and favoritism ( Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012 ; Thompson 2012 ) . Racism is widely known to be the cause of disparities in wellness and mental wellness . BME persons find themselves voyaging their manner through a system that works from the dominant discourse of the ‘medical theoretical account ‘ ( Corneau and Stergiopoulos 2012 ) . This allows a little sum of room for different and alternate models to dispute racism which is already ingrained in the system.

To exemplify this point I will utilize an illustration from my pattern. I work with a black adult female who experiences mental wellness issues. She has religious beliefs and normally openly takes about her beliefs at place. She fears one occupant as he is really spiritual and she feels that he has ‘special powers ‘ . I supported her to an assignment with her head-shrinker as she had begun to experience mentally unwell. He did non ask about any societal, cultural or structural factors that may impact on her mental wellness. I tried to recommend the experiences she had shared with me and reiterated what she was stating. However, he advised her that the ‘tugging ‘ she experienced in her tummy was physical and to see a physician and increased her anti-psychotic medicine. Her religious experiences were non validated, he individualised the ’cause ‘ of her ‘illness ‘ and used a medical intercession.

Western psychopathology tends to divide the head from the organic structure and spirit ( Bailey 2004 ) . Harmonizing to Bailey ( 2004 ) many BME service users find this attack “ unhelpful and irrelevant to their experiences of mental hurt ” . This is because for many BME the head, organic structure and spirit work in brotherhood and the feelings and behaviors behind this is woven into people ‘s wider being . Kortmann ( 2010 ) believes that these types of clinical intercession are frequently uneffective due to service users non-western beginning and tend to discontinue interventions earlier. For illustration, some African civilizations can believe that ictuss are cause by evil liquors ( Kortmann 2010 ) and hence do non take medicine prescribed as they do non believe it to be an unwellness.

Westwood ( 2002 ) writes that the negative impact of racism can hold a important impact on an person ‘s mental wellness. However in a recent piece of research Ayalon and Gum ( 2011 ) concluded that black older grownups experienced the highest sum of prejudiced events but there was a weaker association with this and experiences of mental wellness issues. To account for this it was concluded that BME groups experienced more events of favoritism over their life class and as a consequence have become more resilient to it ( Ayalon and Gum 2011 ) .

Some authors argue that to build institutional racism as the account to the disparities in mental wellness can add to the argument and efficaciously alienate BME groups even further . Singh and Burn ( 2006 ) province that, the accusal of racism within psychopathology will give service users the outlook that they will have a poorer service and this will promote service users to withdraw with services or offer voluntary admittance. What Singh and Burn ( 2006 ) are theorizing is presented by Livingstone ( 2012 ) as self-stigma ; the stigma that is present on an single degree instead than on a cultural or societal. It is the stigma that is internalised that can forestall people from entree services and therefore, actively know aparting against one ‘s ego. Therefore, Singh and Burns ( 2006 ) argue that persons to remain off from needed services until it is excessively late and there are few options but to confine them and implement intervention.

Although Singh and Burn ( 2006 ) make a logical point they fail to recognize BME service user experiences of Mental Health Services. Bowl ( 2007 ) conducted a qualitative research to derive the positions and experiences of South Asian service users as most literature is through the lens of faculty members and professionals. The experiences of this South Asiatic group would surely propose the presence of institutional racism within Mental wellness Services. The chief countries identified were their dissatisfaction in non being understood in the appraisal procedure due to linguistic communication barriers and cultural incompetency . This misinterpretation led to misdiagnosis and refusal of services.

Racism is frequently non the lone signifier of subjugation that people face. Disadvantage can happen from several countries. BME groups sing mental wellness issues are already subjected to multiple subjugation. There is non adequate words in this essay to research this farther but wanted to admit that signifiers of subjugation are non experienced in isolation of each other. For illustration, links have been made between person ‘s lower socio-economic position and experience of mental wellness issues and how black people can confront the added emphasis of gaining less and sing higher degrees of unemployment. This begins to exemplify the complexness and how subjugation is inextricably intertwined.

Institutional racism has been highlight in a figure of Inquiries in pattern. It was foremost highlighted in the Stephen Lawrence Report in 1999 ; a black immature individual who was murdered in a racialist onslaught and yet once more in the David Bennett Inquiry in 2003 ; a black adult male who died in 1998 after being restrained faced down by several nurses for about half an hr. Lord Laming ( 2003 ) besides identified issues around racism in his Inquiry into the decease of Victoria Climbie. There is non adequate words to travel into any of these enquiries in any item but they have been included to show institutional racism in pattern in the constabulary, mental wellness service and societal work.

It may look that whilst mental wellness services operate within the medical theoretical account that is catered towards the white bulk things will non alter. Institutions and systems are so hard to alter, nevertheless societal workers can work with service users to authorise, recommend, challenge and expose favoritism in services and convey approximately societal alteration. Authorization is complex in general but becomes more complex in relation to ‘race ‘ and ethnicity  . Social workers need to foremost be cognizant of institutional racism before they are able to dispute it . For societal workers to dispute institutional racism they need to dispute policies that do non turn to the demands of BME groups. To make this, societal workers need to be cognizant of the complex power dealingss and deeply deep-rooted racialist forms in society.

In my pattern in a mental wellness puting I have contact with medical professionals and frequently back up services users to assignments. I find that I must keep onto my societal work values and non acquire drawn into the medical theoretical account manner of working but to stay holistic in my attack. To reason, this essay has demonstrated that favoritism is far more complex than handling person otherwise.

It has focused on a more elusive, covert and indirect signifier of favoritism: institutional racism. The essay has examined the links between favoritism, racism and power and introduced the thought that ‘mental unwellness ‘ and ‘race ‘ are both societal concepts. It is this elusive and covert signifier of favoritism that can be damaging. It can be difficult to recognize as it is woven into the really fabric of society  . However, the message in this essay is that societal workers need to recognize power dealingss, how they operate, on what degree they operate at and to dispute favoritism ( anti-discriminatory pattern ) and work with service user to authorise them to get the better of these obstructions ( anti-oppressive pattern ) . Social workers must ‘swim against the tide ‘ and non conspire with these attitudes no affair how profoundly deep-rooted and embedded they are in society. For the societal workers that fail to make so will finally go portion of the job.