Issues of Daily Living for Persons with Mental Illness

Abstract The essential elements of well being and health include an adequate income from meaningful employment, healthful diet, comfortable and safe housing, and good health. Well being also includes being able to improve one's life through education and the building of good relationships. The absence of these elements is faced by people who have experienced mental illness, and thus, in addition to being challenged by the illness, they are also challenged by the social consequences which are the result of the absence of the elements of well being. This paper elaborates on these issues and the difficulties faced by people with mental illness. People who experience mental illness are challenged not only by their illness, but also by the social consequences, which follow or even exacerbate their illness. The impact of poverty, homelessness, inadequate and unsafe housing, low quality or no physical health care, and lack of or interrupted education and unemployment on the lives of mental health consumers/survivors is incalculable. These social consequences are the “side effects” which result from the inadequate system of care for persons with mental illness. This paper further expands upon these challenges of daily living for those who struggle with mental illness.