Paradigm Shift Essay Idea
For my paradigm shift essay and TED Talk, I am planning on focusing on the evolution of mental health. Throughout the years, mental illnesses have become more prevalent throughout society. The research around them has increased and now they have become more normalized. Without the stigmatism, people suffering from mental illnesses are free to seek help through therapy and medication. 
However, recognizing mental illnesses has not always been so accepting. Especially during the 1950’s, mental health was brushed aside and they created brutal tactics in order to “cure” patients. One of the most popular forms of treating disorders included sticking people in asylums. Through this, these institutions were “places where people with mental disorders could be placed, allegedly for treatment, but also often to remove them from the view of their families and communities” (A History). Along with asylums, lobotomies were also a form to cure patients with mental disorders. Lobotomies tried to reconstruct the frontal lobe in order to change their actions and disrupt the circuits in their brain.
Now, society accepts people dealing with mental illnesses. It is no longer hidden from the rest of the world and no longer shame those who have been suffering. Since the emergence of constructive therapy and proper medications, people have been able to live with their illnesses day to day. In the United States, approximately eighteen percent of the population and thirteen percent of children (ages 8-15) have been diagnosed. Also, the DSM, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, is a manual that lists all diagnosed mental illnesses. Currently, the manual is in its fifth edition. This means that more disorders are being diagnosed every year.
I am hoping to concentrate on the transformation of recognizing and diagnosing mental illnesses throughout history. Starting from the mid-1900’s to current day, the change in tactics are drastic. The stigma against those suffering from mental disorders has decreased immensely, and the fight to further address the issue is ongoing.
“A History of Mental Illness Treatment.” Concordia University, St. Paul Online, 14 Oct. 2016, online.csp.edu.
lkp5256
I think that this is a very strong topic. I recently when to a haunted house and their theme was an insane asylum, and it was terrifying. I know that it was over dramatized for effect; however, the concept of being trapped in a place like an asylum is the most terrifying part. People with mental illnesses were treated like they were dangerous or a problem. Mental illness used to be something to be ashamed of. It used to be something that needed to be hidden from the world. But, currently, mental health is becoming more openly talked about. It is no longer a source of shame, it is becoming more normalized within society. I am glad that people with a mental illness are no longer being treated like they were the problem. I think that your essay and TedTalk will be very interesting.
Lauren Spadt
Mental health is such a prevalent topic in today’s society and I agree that we have become more aware of it and the stigmas surrounding it in recent years. This is a topic with which many people have personal connections, as well, and the shift in mental health awareness has improved the quality of life for many people in our society. I think you can go into the scientific and social causes of the issue, as well as the technological and social effects of recognizing mental illness as a treatable illness that can be lived with. I am looking forward to learning more about the history of our society’s relationship with mental health.