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Week 6 cont’d

The assignment this week is to start formulating (a) specific question(s) or defining a problem that you will be aiming to solve.

I want to develop ways to openly speak about mental health without any judgement. People who may not understand the struggles of mental health may make mistakes while discussing this matter. People who want to learn should not be judged, but rather educated through open discussions. 

Things to consider: What age is the best to start teaching about sensitive topics?  What are other countries doing to be more open about mental health?  Is it an environment one must create? If so, what type of settings create a sense of ease? Nature? Small crowds? Big crowds? 

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Week 6

The assignment this week is to start formulating (a) specific question(s) or defining a problem that you will be aiming to solve.

Realizations from meeting:

1.    Need to define and organize words and thoughts in an effective way.

a.  Defining mental illness/health and stigma was not in enough. Why? Because…

  i.  There are many factors that create a stigma. -focus on the discrimination(division/split) due to shame and disregard.

  ii.  There are too many mental disorders that becomes blurred. Resulting in dual diagnosis. Why the word mental illness gets blurred = mental illness, cognitive impairment, intellectual disability, neurodevelopmental disorder.

1.  Information to use: I will use Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders= DSM-5

Narrowing down for clarity: DEFINING A PROBLEM.

Part 1: I would like to understand why personality disorders are disregarded and shamed causing discrimination (split) among society (Western culture).

Part 2: How can we break the cycle and ways of stereotypical thinking?

More in depth list of focus: Personality disorder = ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, anxiety, OCD, physical/internal trauma, and stressor, dissociative, feeding and eating, addiction disorders.

“Personality Disorders

General Personality Disorder

Cluster A Personality Disorders

Paranoid Personality Disorder

Schizoid Personality Disorder Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Cluster B Personality Disorders

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Cluster C Personality Disorders

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Dependent Personality Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder”

Some disorders can be analyzed more easily, resulting in more research, resource, programs, and treatments available. So that is why some disorders are not listed.

Research gathered so far:

-   Scientific

o   Physical evidence. Ex: scans, chemical imbalance

-   Historical – Connects back to religion. Lack of understanding. Scapegoating. Asylums.

-   Current factors that enable stigma (please refer above to see my focus on stigma)

-   People’s opinions and thoughts on it.

Things to dig deeper into through this week’s discussion, to define problem more clearly:

- How do people struggling with mental health want to be seen or heard?

- Why does it still exist regardless of existing research and communication available through technology?

- Why is there a lack of education on “invisible” illnesses?        -police, health care systems (unclear on the treatments), doctors/psychiatrists vs. patients vs. psychologists (there is an difference in understanding from all three views), schools

- What is society lacking in terms of communication?

- How are some countries approaching and acknowledging mental health effectively?

- Why is there a split between the science (logic) and emotion (empathy) when it comes to mental health?

- How does genetic and environmental factors contribute to the stigma of mental disorders?        Research: “Recent studies in the medical literature conclude that mental health may be highly contagious, much like infectious diseases. These studies find that, controlling for a range of factors, changes over time in both depression (Rosenquist et al., 2011) and happiness (Fowler and Christakis, 2008) are strongly correlated within friends, spouses, siblings, and neighbors.”        Ex: laughter is contagious

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Week 5

Quote by Daniel Amen: "Color is not important, it's the shape that matters. Red equals the area of high activity...and in a healthy brain, they're typically in the back part of the brain. "

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WEEK 5 Stigma of Mental Illness

1. Demonstrate to us what kind of research you have done so far?

I have done blog posts to ask for people’s opinions regarding stigmatization of mental and physical disabilities. On my previous blog posts I have written down the different replies I have gotten. 

I have done scientific research on brain scans for mental illness, and I think I need to further my research in the science behind mental health.

 The many interpretations and definitions make it hard to discuss mental health. A lot of stigma seems to arise from a lack of understanding and information regarding the topic. 

Breaking the Stigma and Shame of Mental Illness| Kitty Westin   https://youtu.be/OsRF8xGgbPA

2. Continued research this week.

Inclusivity: the fact or policy of not excluding members or participants on the grounds of gender, race, class, sexuality, disability, etc.

How can we become more inclusive?

"Spreading Awareness, Reducing Stigma: Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Introduces its Faces of Mental Illness for 2016." Targeted News Service, Jul 13, 2016. ProQuest, https://search.proquest.com/docview/1804516762?accountid=25324.

Article that discusses how Canada approaches mental illness awareness in a healthy manner. They hope to educate people on mental illness by allowing participants to share their story and recovery. 

Quote: “ ‘By continuing to share their stories and paths to recovery with the public, the Faces help others to want to do more to erase stigmatization. They inspire many of us to seek help and to support loved ones with a mental illness, and they encourage more action on the part of policymakers,’ continued Phelps.”

"Domestic Violence's Overlooked Damage: Concussion And Brain Injury." All Things Considered, 30 May 2018. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A541372431/OVIC?u=los12365&sid=OVIC&xid=1e7f6931. Accessed 2 Oct. 2020.

Quote: “STONE: Head and neck injuries are some of the most common. And Zieman is showing just how much traumatic brain injury is a part of that. The lack of recognition has left many survivors in the dark without a diagnosis, often blamed for their cognitive impairment.  ZIEMAN: They've been labeled for so long with all these horrible things. And in the end, it's not only not their fault but there is a true medical reason behind these issues. STONE: While many patients initially seek out the clinic because of physical symptoms, Dr. Zieman says their research shows anxiety, depression and PTSD usually end up being the most severe.” 

"UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS." US Fed News Service, Including US State News, May 04, 2012. ProQuest, https://search.proquest.com/docview/1010847577?accountid=25324.

Quote: “According to Bela Sood, M.D., medical director of the center, mental illness is still considered taboo - in large part, because it is a problem that is not obvious to the naked eye. Much of it is behavioral in nature and belongs to a spectrum of behaviors that can go from normalcy to a point where they cause a disability. The disability is then observed to occur in very specific arenas, such as at school or within the home, and it is not obvious to observers until they begin to delve into it, said Sood.” Section under Mental Health Reasearch at VCU: “ ‘The center is an excellent site for research... testing cutting-edge mental health screening, assessment and treatments, said Michael Mason, Ph.’ ”

This article discusses the science of mental illness decreasing the stigma of mental health.

Movies and tv shows involving mental disorders.  13 Reasons Why, The Joker, Silver Linings Playbook, Split, etc.  Do these movies “glorify mental illnesss”?

3. What kind of take-aways and questions have you identified or stood out for you?

-This week helped me realize I needed to narrow down my topic even more. So I have decided to focus on the stigmatization of mental health. 

-Finding a neutral term for mental illness may be an important step to help approach the topic of stigma. Neutral words to consider: mental health 

-Instead of generalizing mental illnesses, maybe we just need to specify it as is. Ex: Depression, Bipolar, OCD, etc. 

-How do we integrate mental health, into our education system? 

-How can society become more inclusive towards those who are stigmatized. 

-Is digital information causing more harm and miscommunication? 

-More resources/funding is needed to to study more in depth about mental illness.

4. Who are people that you want to talk to about this issue? Who is active in your area? (designers, artists, activists, psychologists, scientists, et cetera) You should be sharing your project direction, but this time can also be used for further research and adding to your blog. 

I would love to speak with psychologists, psychiatrists, and someone who works with neuroimaging. Then I would like to speak with activists and people who are affected by mental illnesses. I think this would give me more insight of two different views. science vs. (emotion/experience?)

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WEEK 4

4. ADJACENT PHENOMENA. WHAT IS HAPPENING. WHO

My train of thought has led me to these adjacent phenomena: 

1.  Etymology:  Through the researches I have been doing, I felt like I was re-learning language, and how to utilize it in an empathetic manner. As someone who always struggled to communicate my thoughts, this research was a whole new level of difficulty. Also the blog posts taught me that when I spoke about a sensitive matter, I needed to explain ideas tailored to each audience group. 

2. Clarification and Empathy However, even after explanation, some interpreted differently. I think the important thing to do here is clarify and try to come to an understanding on both ends instead of walking away from it. When people fight, the reason why it festers and builds is due to misunderstanding and miscommunications. As mentioned in my previous post, when we use wrong analogies to communicate an idea, that becomes problematic. Maybe clarification means explaining more deeply than comparing. Because stigma itself is caused by comparing one group to another. 

3. Fear of...  Another reason why mental illness and physical disability is stigmatized may be due to fear. But fear of what? Maybe people are projecting their insecurities onto others. Maybe people just fear what they don’t understand. Or maybe they don’t want to come off ignorant so they don’t dig into these topics, and jump to assumptions. Maybe this is the vicious cycle of stigma. 

4. Social, political, and economic issues These 3 issues are another adjacent to the psychology of mental and physical disability stigmas.  Social: The way media represents and romanticizes these concerns start creating harmful stereotypes. It enables society to act and treat people in a certain way.  Political/Economic Issues: A health care system is available, but the benefits differ for mental health and physical health. Sometimes, one may be harder than the other to get. Due to this issue, it starts becoming an economical issue. Does this mean people who can’t afford both services, need to pick and choose one or the other? This topic will tie into my next adjacent phenomena. 

5. Doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists I read an article about someone who had a spinal muscular atrophy and she began having suicidal ideations. But when she went to get help for her mental health, someone said, “Oh, well, it’s a good thing you can’t commit suicide anyway, right?” Also, she explained how the doctors assumed she didn’t need help for her mental health due to her physical disability. The same issue arises, mentioned in number 2. We should clearly identify the two as different ideas. A lot of things I hear ( in regards to mental illness) from psychologists, psychiatrists, and doctors are that people should take medication (and are “pressured” to), because if you had diabetes you would take medication for that. Mental illness may be a chemical imbalance in the brain, but it is so much more than chemical imbalance majority of the times. Medication could simply be a means to numb the pain and get patients hooked on a “non-addictive” medication. I understand why the analogies are used, but mental illness does not have a long history of being addressed. So maybe more data is needed before it gets “clumped” together with another disability or illness. Also, when I looked up definitions for mental health/mental illness there were several definitions, which brings me back to number 1. 

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WEEK 4

3. AREAS OF FOCUS THAT YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT WITHIN YOUR OVERALL AREA (and train of thought?)

1. Why do we feel so uncomfortable talking about these sensitive topics. 

2. Is there a certain fear behind these topics. (internal, deep psychological fear). Why do some associate disability with being one step closer to death? 

3. Is stigma used as a way to distract people from their own insecurities? Are people looking for someone to blame? Outwardly projecting emotions? 

4. How is media forming, romanticizing, and stereotyping these topics.

5. I understand empathy is important, and I am trying my best, but I feel like there are other important factors that are needed, as well, in addition to research.

6. How do artists/designers externalize and address these concerns. 

7. Why do we struggle to come to an agreement on the right/better way to approach stigma. People feel uncomfortable, so they avoid it. 

8. I want to dig into the history of it, because to understand better, I need to get to the origin (or close to the origin) of stigma. Hopefully as I analyze stigma and different time periods, I hope to detect a pattern. 

9. Researching into these topics, many people want to be heard and understood, but even this process of approaching to understand is so difficult. Why? People who try to understand may come off offensive. But people who get offended may not understand the “other story”. So again, the cycle of avoidance continues.

10. The importance of TERMINOLOGY and PHRASING.  

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WEEK 4

2. Document Findings. 

Humanities Research Findings Through blog posts: The question I posted had differing responses. 

One response said(summarized): mental illness can be summed up as mentally defective. And that people should stop lying.  Then someone responded by explaining about the MRI’s scan that show the difference in brain scan between people who have mental illness and who do not. 

One other response posted explained how their partner sees mental illness as the same as someone getting into an accident and losing mobility.  (I find this a problematic way to approach mental illness. Yes, mental illness should be acknowledged, but it should not have a metaphorical connection to another disability or concern. I think that sort of analogy brings about confusion to oneself and others. It may also form resentment.)

Observational:  When I observed/saw videos on people addressing these issues, many problems arose from lack of listening. To truly be empathetic means to listen. However, even when people with illnesses and disabilities explained and even showed people their concerns, they interpreted it the way they wanted.

Scientific:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2691158/- https://www.who.int/health-topics/disability#tab=tab_1- https://youtu.be/esPRsT-lmw8-http://arthistoryteachingresources.org/lessons/disability-in-art-history/ https://youtu.be/esPRsT-lmw8

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WEEK 4

1. WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN AND WHY? 

Psychology of mental illness and physical disability stigmas. I decided to dig deeper into this topic, because researching these topics brought out SO MANY conflicted emotions in me. The more I researched about this topic, the more I felt  there are no solutions to the chosen topic. Even when I discuss these topics there seems to be so much miscommunication due to differing interpretations and perspectives. But I don't want to give up just yet...

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Research Methods 9/19/2020

I will list the methods I think are most effective to least effective for each topic. 

Topic 1: Using biomimicry to find solutions. 

1.Scientific Research 

     a. This research method is the most effective because biomimicry is a biological science that we can observe and conclude. 

For example, I would: 

-identify the problem(forming topic) 

-hypothesize ways to solve the problem 

-gather data on the problem and information to support my hypothesis

-then analyze the data and the test subject(ex: plants, animals, insect)

-revise until a conclusion forms

Biomimicry has quantifiable results that can be furthered by practice-based research. 

Through this research, I hope to find overlooked information that can apply to biomimicry. It is ironic how biomimicry was one of the apparent answers in front of us that leads to a sustainable environment, yet we strayed away. 

2.Practice-Based Research

3.Humanities Research

Topic 2: Psychology of mental and physical stigmas.

1.Humanities Research

     a. This research method is most effective because stigma is a social matter, developed by the people. It is crucial to understand the people receiving and causing stigmatization.

-Interview people on this matter

-Utilize social media platforms regarding this topic to ask questions

-Educate oneself on the acceptable/appropriate 

 languages to use. 

- Help create a universal agreement regarding idealogy . 

-Understand how stigmatized people want to be heard and understood

-Empathy is KEY

Through this process, I hope to narrow down the accepted terms and phrases to address this topic more confidently. 

2.Scientific Research 

3.Practice-Based Research 

Notes to Self: The method of understanding and educating oneself on an idea/topic to problem solve seems universal. But why does it become so complicated when applying it to “emotional” issues? Is it better to remove empathy and approach it scientifically?

Stigmatized people must understand and accept their situation to properly educate the misinformed. The misinformed needs to learn empathy and really listen to what people who are stigmatized want and how they want to be heard. It is a two-way street. 

Topic 3: The model behind startups

1.Practice-Based Research

     a. This research method is most effective. The real-life experience of attempting, failing, and succeeding is the best method in understanding the model behind startups. There is a limit to solely relying on research data and analyzing the model due to the fluctuating conditions businesses present. The process of starting a business is the chance to grasp the mechanics of the model and adapt to creatively problem solve. 

For example, one can spend countless hours researching, calculating, theorizing how to create a service or product. However, the realistic challenges present itself in the prototyping steps. ( I know this is not business-related, but I am applying this process to the experience of creating a startup.)

2.Scientific Research 

3.Humanities Research 

Notes to Self: Feedback from last week, "If there were a proper tried and true recipe for a start-up, for a business - would not all starts follow that recipe and then with an equal advantage all succeed and fail due to other factors.”

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Week 2 Assignment

Topic 1: Using biomimicry to find solutions. 

Questions:  I have been able to find only positive articles regarding biomimicry, but are there negative impacts due to biomimicry? If so, what are they? Can they actually be harmful to environment, humans, animals, or the insects and how? If so, how can we fix it?. Biomimicry does not harm animals, insects, environment, ecosystems, however, IF animals and insects are observed in a controlled space isn’t that unethical? So, are there any ethical concerns regarding biomimicry? If so, what are these concerns and how can we solve them? What do we do if ethical lines have to be crossed for a big discovery during this process? (These questions arose, when I thought of histories Eureka moments. Although new discoveries have led to significant changes and benefits, we later learned about the negatives that came with these discoveries. Examples of these cases are, the Gold Rush, Industrial Revolution, development of plastics, etc. These discoveries led to harming the environment along with other consequences. Thus making it very difficult to reverse its negative outcomes, of which we suffer from even to this day.) So how can we address and fix what may become harmful now, to break this repetitive cycle?  How can we observe and research about animals and insects that are hard to study(ex: deep sea creatures)? How can we start reverting back to nature more for solutions? There are a lot of products and materials that involve biomimicry, but not much application of the lifestyle/habits of the animals, insects, environments utilized in our daily lives, why is that?  Can we study the lifestyle/habits of animals and apply that routine into our lives? What is the most difficult process of biomimicry and why? How can we simplify it? Is the changing environment affecting the study of biomimicry? If so, how? How hard is it to transition into sustainable solutions, and why is it so difficult? How can we create a smoother transition? How does each individual discover/narrow down from the multitude of animals, environment, or insects to study? And what is the most effective way to find which one to study? What is the most difficult process of biomimicry and why? What other qualities of animals, insects, the environment can we incorporate into our materials?

Notes to self:  Biomimicry is a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges — and find hope along the way.

Topic 2: Psychology of mental and physical stigmas.

Questions:  How can we change the way mental health is perceived? Why is it so uncomfortable to speak about these matters? How can we educate people on the correct words to use? One research claims stigma arises due to a lack of awareness, education, and empathy. So how can we integrate these matters into the education system (these topics are taught, but people are not taught how to address/deal with it)? Why is mental illness and physical disability stigmatized differently? And how are they similar? When and how did stigmatization happen? What is the origin of stigmatization? How and why does it serve as a functional value for individuals, groups, or societies? What enables stigmatization? If it is society that enables it, how did each individual get influenced to think in that way? Who continues to develop/define the “norm”? Isn’t the definition of normal “subjective”? Yet, why are there a set of criteria of what is considered normal?

Notes to self: Social Model of Disability CDC: Fear and anxiety about a disease can lead to social stigma, which is negative attitudes and beliefs toward people, places, or things. Stigma can lead to labeling, stereotyping, discrimination , and other negative behaviors toward others.

Topic 3: The model behind startups.

Questions:  What is the best way to sustain a startup, during negative events like pandemics? Did some startups actually benefit from Covid-19? If so, was it through the service/products they already had or did they seize opportunities to develop new ones through this event? Does the luck of timing have a lot to do with starting a company? If so, what were the circumstances they were in that provided this opportunity? What motivates a person to create a company and take on such a risky task? And how do they overcome the pressure that comes with it? How did startups start for each individual? Was it through connections, by licensing an idea and reaching out to someone? How does one prepare for a startup? And what advice or life experiences helped the most? Is there as established process within the company and employees that keeps the company running? What qualities does one need to start and successfully run a business?How many times has someone tried to create a startup? What did they learn each time?   

Notes to self: Statistics

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INTERESTS REVISION A

1. THE STUDY OF NATURE (BIOMIMICRY)  EXPLANATION:  Nature has infinite solutions to our questions/problems. Yet, we forget to take a step back and reconnect with our primitive surroundings due to the systems, products, habits, norms, etc. that are already available/embedded in our lives.  QUESTIONS: -Can we study the lifestyle/habits of animals and apply that system into our lives? -What other qualities of animals, insects, the environment can we incorporate into our materials? 

2. THE STUDY OF ADAPTATION EXPLANATION: The human mind and body are affected by the sedentary lifestyle. Although the world has experienced numerous benefits through the systems and technology created by humans, the process of adapting to change affects everyone differently. Examples include Covid-19, Industrial Revolution, new leadership, etc. QUESTIONS: -Why do some adapt well while others don’t?  -How can we prepare for the next transition in life? (ex: from quarantine lifestyle to the “normal” life.)  -Is this constant change bad for humans mentally and physically?  -How does this transition in life happen(globally and personally)? -Who sets the standard for the change, and why is it set in a certain way?

3. THE STUDY OF THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIAL STIGMA EXPLANATION:  Issues around the world get swept under the rug and stigmatized. My interest in this topic originated from the stigmatization of mental illness. I think there is a standard psychological connection to all social stigmas and would like to delve deeper into it. QUESTIONS: - Why are people programmed to feel uncomfortable when it comes to specific issues/emotions?  -How was the “norm” set for society, and who is currently developing it? -Isn’t the definition of normal “subjective”? Yet, why are there a set of criteria of what is considered normal?

4. THE STUDY OF BUSINESS SYSTEM/MODEL AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT EXPLANATION: Many businesses have a system for success, and I would like to know how it is accomplished. While listening to successful people in business, I heard many different philosophies that they lived by. Examples: - To succeed, you must give up a "normal" life. -To employees, customers are the kings, but to the boss, employees are, so treat them like one. -One investor only invested in people who had little experience in corporate life. (Reason: Those people were likely to succeed because their minds weren’t tied down to the limits/standards seen in corporate life.) QUESTIONS: -What drove an individual to take on such a risky task? -When and how were businesses able to succeed during a specific period? and how did they manage to sustain that success? -Is there a political system within the company and employees that keeps it running? -What qualities does one need to start and successfully run a business?

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Break the stigma

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Interest 3: PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIAL STIGMA

Many issues around the world get swept under the rug and stigmatized. Examples of these issues can range from mental health illness, racism, sexism, LGBTQ community, ageism, etc. Who, what, when, where, and how did topics like these become "uncomfortable" and "taboo"? What is the psychology behind social stigma? 

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Negatives of Sedentary Lifestyle

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Interest 2: ADAPTING TO THE TRANSITIONS IN LIFE

The increase of sedentary lifestyles is affecting the human mind and body. The world has experienced numerous benefits through the systems and technology created by humans. However, that also leads to a change in lifestyle. Many are tied to their desks, tv/computer screens, reach for fast foods/processed foods, etc., due to its convenience.

Many questions arise when I think about the lifestyles we currently have. Who sets it and how is it set? 

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Robotic Spoons that prevent spilling mimics chickens’ head.

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Interest 1: APPROACH LIFE THROUGH NATURE(biomimicry)

When I was hiking with my brother and looking around my surroundings, I remembered my brother saying, "Nature has answers to our questions/problems." We easily tend to forget to refer back to nature due to the systems, products, habits, norms, etc. that are already available/embedded in our lives. Taking a step back into our primitive surroundings and connecting with nature may provide infinite solutions to problems.