sanchez rosa chap 1

comments
1. This study, as a whole, aims to answer the question, what is the most common approach of Filipino Psychiatrists and Psychologists to the most common mental illness of the Cebuanos. (enclose question in quotation marks)
2. The objective of this study is: (you have more than one objectives)
1. To know the most common mental illness of Cebuanos? (Based on the records of mental illness diagnosed at Vicente Sotto Medical Hospital)
2. To know the possible reason why Cebuanos are prone to have this problem?
3. To know the most common approach/method used by Psychiatrists and Psychologists to treat this Illness?
4. To know how the method is done?
3. In this study, since it seeks to answer what are the causes for mental disorders ---biological, psychological, or social --- it will aim what specifically is the cause especially if it is due to social factors. (faulty)

Chapter I
Introduction

Rationale
Mental illness is one of the huge problems not only of the Philippines, but also of the whole world, yet it is not given enough attention by developing countries like the Philippines, and even the developed countries as well giving just a little percent of their country’s total GDP. In Japan, which belonged to the developed countries, it is said that they spend a total of 0.5% from their total GDP for mental health yet it is still not enough considering the damage mental illness could cause (Abanilla et.al, 2008).
Mental illnesses are acquired in different ways; it could be biological, environmental, or psychological. Biological in a way that it is passed on genetically by the parents to the offspring; environmental due to political, disasters, and economic reasons; and lastly it could be psychological due to traumas and abuses. These things could affect the mental state of a person. Having these factors that can cause mental illness, Filipinos are unaware of them due to lack of education.
As the ongoing problems of the society intensify ---natural calamities and even the considered unnatural once brought by global warming, killings, unsolved cases, injustices, etc. --- many ordinary citizens are being affected. In the Philippines, corruption as one of its problems may lead to other problems such as massive unemployment and great number of uneducated and financially unsatisfied individuals. These things based on cause-and-effect phenomena in the society may also result to crimes and to abuses which may lead to a mental illness due to unbearable life events.
Since poverty is always on the rise, many in the Philippines cannot afford to send those that are psychologically-ill into mental hospitals and as a result they are left to wander along the streets with no proper care by a family member or doctor. These people are called in the Filipino language as “taong grasa” and in the Cebuano Dialect as “buang” or insane. Unfortunately, due to lack of public awareness of how these people should be helped, many look down on them and consider them dangerous, leaving them at their helpless state. And considering this reason, Filipinos tend to just take it for granted; without even knowing the results and consequences of it. The victims of these illnesses are being isolated from the society and being discriminated, thus, led to more damage psychologically.
Since Filipinos do not really take mental illness seriously due to lack of knowledge about it and also because of poverty, most of the Filipinos do not undergo treatments for mental disorders other than schizophrenia, autism, and other obvious cases of mental illness. Mental illness as perceived by the common people is characterized by an obvious sudden change in behavior (schizophrenia). It is even stereotyped that for those who have a mental illness are “buang” or insane, referring to schizophrenia. In this research study, Cebuanos’ most common mental illness based only on the records of mental hospitals will be assessed. The mental illness will be addressed through knowing the probable cause of the illness ---biological, psychological, or environmental. Next is through gathering of information from the experts about the approach they are using to address the most common mental illness of Cebuanos, the procedure of the approach they are using, and most importantly, what things should be done to help prevent Cebuanos from acquiring such mental illness.

Statement of the problem

This study, as a whole, aims to answer the question, what is the most common approach of Filipino Psychiatrists and Psychologists to the most common mental illness of the Cebuanos. It will be based on the records of Vicente Sotto Medical Hospital’s Asylum, and the approaches of Professionals in this field found in the domains of Cebu province, particularly in the city of Cebu.

The objective of this study is:
1. To know the most common mental illness of Cebuanos? (Based on the records of mental illness diagnosed at Vicente Sotto Medical Hospital)
2. To know the possible reason why Cebuanos are prone to have this problem?
3. To know the most common approach/method used by Psychiatrists and Psychologists to treat this Illness?
4. To know how the method is done?
5. And to know how effective the method is?



Significance of the Study
Mental illness may be a result of certain factors in the society including culture, and norms. In this study, since it seeks to answer what are the causes for mental disorders ---biological, psychological, or social --- it will aim what specifically is the cause especially if it is due to social factors. This study will benefit the Cebuanos since it will aim to address their most common mental illness, and it will also help them to be more aware and do extra precautions for their mental health after the probable cause of the illness will be known.
This study will also benefit the Government since it will give them the idea of what in the Philippine society, specifically the Cebuano society, could probably cause such illness and they could make laws and other proper actions to help prevent the Filipinos from acquiring such mental illness. If the problem is social the local government may be able to do something about it through making the citizens more aware that certain values or culture of Cebuanos will open for the probability for more citizens to acquire mental illness, therefore must be less practiced or applied.
Lastly, this study will give everyone an idea of how mentally ill individuals should be taken care of and it will call for everyone’s attention to help those that are left in the streets or “taong grasa”.