Beyond+Blue+Eyes

Name: Joanne Beasy Student number: n8318867 Tutoror: Judith Meiklejohn

Cultural Artefact Behind Blue Eyes- by The Who

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The song ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ by the Who can be can be interpreted into many different meanings. Based on the emotional lyrics, feeling, and slow tempo you experience the strong themes of depression, sadness, anger, creed, hate, love, loss, guilt etc. The first few verses of the lyrics especially pay particular attention to the notion of how too many of us in society are too quick to judge people without the knowledge of the persons life’s story, and how they come to be in certain situations. This particular strong aspect of the song and the rest of the verses can be related to the stigma surrounding mental illness, and this is one of the many interpretations I experienced.

Public Health Issue Summaries of the 2007 National Health Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing concluded that almost half (45.5%) of the total population of Australia met criteria for a mental disorder at some point in their entire life time (Andrews, et al. 2009). The mental health of Australians has been a debatable priority within government, but has never been of great concern or significance when it comes to other public health issues. However, with statistics that one in five Australians experiencing a mental disorder in the past twelve months and one in ten in the past thirty days (Andrews, et al. 2009); then mental health problems and illnesses should be of major concern, and only now are politicians and agencies are beginning to deal with this issue.

Literature Review World Health Organisation (WHO) described health as “A state of complete physical mental and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease” (2011). A person with good mental health is generally able to handle day-to-day events and obstacles, work towards important goals, and function effectively in society (Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1998). However, even minor mental health problems may affect everyday activities to the extent that individuals cannot function as they would wish, or are expected to, within their family and community (Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1998). So what constitutes a mental illness? The Mental Health Act 2000 defines mental illness as “a condition characterised by a critically significant disturbance of thought, mood, perception or memory” (Queensland Ambulance Service. 2008. p.79). The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing states the difference between mental illness and a mental problem, is that a mental problem reaches this criteria but to a lesser extent (2011). Types of disorders include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, mood disorders, psychosis etc. (Queensland Ambulance Service. 2008. p. 1). It was recognised that there was a lack of adequate mental health research and data on the prevalence of mental disorders and welfare within the community (not to mention the economic costs and personal burden). As a result in 1992 the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments of Australia endorsed the National Mental Health Strategy (NMHS) to improve the lives of people with mental illness and of the people who care for them (Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1998). It was aimed to; promote the mental health of the Australian community; where possible, prevent the development of mental health problems and mental disorder; reduce the impact on individuals, families and the community; and assure the rights of people with mental disorders (Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1998). This brought about the 1997 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing of Adults (SMHWB), where approximately 13,600 private dwellings across all states and territories participated in, and resulted in a 78% response rate (Australian Bureau of Statistics). The only limitation discovered was that it did not cover all mental disorders. Findings of the survey concluded that only 38% of people used a health service for mental heal problems in the last 12 months and 18% had a mental disorder at some time during the 12 months prior (Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1998). Comparing to the 2007 statistic stated above, there is a 27.5% increase in ten years of Australians experiencing a mental disorder. This drastic incline is due to the fact that people with mental illness are among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community (Australian Bureau of Statistics). So is stigma what is truly hurting the mentally ill? Stigma is considered to be an opinion or judgement held by individuals or society. If these prepositions are acted upon, these actions may be considered to be discriminatory (Sane Australia. n.d). Stigma against people with a mental illness most likely involves inaccurate and hurtful representations of them as violent, comical or incompetent- dehumanising and making people an object of fear or ridicule (Sane Australia. n.d). It can be so harmful that the effects of stigma alters how people view themselves, leading to a reluctance to seek treatment, excessive reliance on others, social withdrawal, poor self-worth and it may also lead to abuse of alcohol and drugs (Sane Australia. n.d). Self-stigma is basically the acceptance of prejudiced perceptions held by others, and its negative impact is costly to the person’s health and overall treatment. Effective treatments can include medication, cognitive and behavioural psychological therapies, psycho-social support, psychiatric disability rehabilitation, and avoidance of risk factors such as harmful alcohol and other drug use, and learning self-management skills (Department of Health and Ageing. 2011). Mindframe, a resource on the portrayal of suicide and mental illness provides the statistic that mental disorders are the third leading cause of disability burden in Australia, accounting for an estimated 27% of the total years lost due to disability (2011). The impact is becoming apparent, so what is Australia doing about it? The Mental Health Council of Australia has recently had the largest mental health investment in Australian history with more than $2.2 billion in new initiatives, which includes $571.3 million over five years for more and better coordinated services (2011). The government is dealing with mental health in 2011 through the federal budget, with investing $1.5 billion over five years to mental health services (Ferris. N.d). This investment allows for increasing access across the country, with the government saying 750,000 young people will be able to access a mental health service (Ferris. n.d). The real progress through awareness and treatment with mental health is recognizing the early signs and symptoms and accessing effective treatment, as the earlier the treatment starts, the better outcome. Awareness is critical, that’s why health policies are beginning to focus more on prevention (Sane Australia. n.d). Programs and services such as Sane Australia, Headspace, and BeyondBlue are just a few hosts to these policies in trying to rectify stigma, and promote awareness and prevention. STIGMAWATCH is an initiative by Sane Australia where people can report inappropriate news stories, advertisements and products, making it known that stigma won’t be tolerated (n.d).

Cultural and social Analysis Mental health and well-being are fundamental for quality of life; they are basic elements of social cohesion, productivity and peace and stability in the living environment (Baumann. 2007). The human picture of the world is shaped by relatively stable norms, values and expectations (2007). Then why does stigma exist? Psychiatrist Anja Baumann wrote that stigma is a distinguishing mark, establishing a border between a stigmatized person and others attributing negative characteristics to this person (2007). When it comes to recognizing mental instability and vulnerability of a mentally ill person, a feeling of existential insecurity arises, and furthermore group building processes dividing ‘us’ and ‘them’ (Baumann. 2007). Baumann also states that in a social context, negative characteristics are weighted stronger than positive ones, and for the mentally ill; characteristics which are recognized in one person are generalised to the whole group (2007). When these values are disturbed by people with unusual or abnormal behaviour, ‘normal’ people feel the desire to separate from them and form a social distance (Baumann. 2007) Normal being what people may take for granted: function, a sense of place in an intersubjective world, empathic connection with reciprocating others, peace of mind, happiness, and participatory citizenship (Johnstone. 2001). A low social distance is characterized by a feeling of a common identity, of belonging to a group, based on the idea of shared experiences, receives our sympathy, openness and understanding (Baumann. 2007). In contrast, a high social distance is characterized by a strong aloofness, mostly connected with a diffuse fear. The other person appears to be a stranger, an outsider or even an enemy from whom we want to be distant (Baumann. 2007). Significant factors that affect high social distance are; assumptions, dangerousness, disturbances in the affective expression, demographic factors such as higher age, male gender and cultural background (Baumann. 2007).

The conceptualisation of mental illness differs from culture to culture, as does the level of stigma, although there is some evidence that people with mental illness may be more stigmatised and marginalised in some cultural groups (Mindframe. 2011).

Therefore it is a challenge and a task for society to provide the people living in it with the interpretational patterns to take away the recognized strangeness from mentally ill persons and thus making them an accepted other member (Baumann. 2007). However, the media influences the way we think, shaping our beliefs and our reaction to issues (Sane Australia. n.d). Often the media helps to improve attitudes, although stigma portrayed in the media is especially harmful because the media plays an important role in shaping and reinforcing community attitudes; it is a double edged sword (Sane Australia. n.d). Yet it is also a powerful tool, as the media are essential players in any movement for change, as they have an important role within the public. Carefully designed cinema advertisements, and posters are distributed in places where young people get together, in associations with school and education programs for the intent that stigma attached to mental illness will be demystified (Johnstone. 2001). Young people will have a better understanding of the early signs of mental illness and able to help friends, as society has a clear responsibility to reduce the stigma they face. It is vital for the younger generation to be brought up in a society where having a mental illness is not the end of the world, and that there is treatment. Stan Walker, a program leader for child and adolescent mental health services states that if the stigma that is attached to childhood mental illness is not broken down, unmet need may result in juvenile criminality, poor educational attainment, long-term mental health difficulties, self-harm or suicide (2005). This relates to sociologists Durkheim’s theory on suicide; “People take their own lives not because of the psychological states of depression or mental illness, but rather because of the social forces acting on them which reduces their attachments to the wider society to the point that they become isolated, separate and autonomous from others” (Morrison 2009. p.201). Essentially, suicide is about the attachments to society, not the feelings of the individual at the time. To ignore or to be indifferent to such profound human suffering would be to abandon those in distress and to compound their vulnerability in morally unacceptable and culpable ways (Johnstone. 2001). We must not abandon the mentally ill and leave them languishing on the margins of community, of humanity (Johnstone. 2001).

Analysis of Artefact //No one knows what it's like// //To be the bad man// //To be the sad man// //Behind blue eyes// //No one knows what it's like// //To be hated// //To be fated// //To telling only lies//

This verse just sums up this whole discussion representing the victim’s point of view when it comes to stigmatisation of mental illness. ‘Blue eyes’ referencing how sad and depressed they are to be stereotyped and marginalised, knowing the fact that people are actually out there physically hating and judging them for something they cannot really control. Especially when these disgraceful people in society think they are ‘faking’ their illness for attention. It makes sense for them to feel more stress they should. //No one knows what it's like// //To feel these feelings// //Like I do// //And I blame you// //No one bites back as hard// //On their anger// //None of my pain and woe// //Can show through//

These two verses then fight back and purely express how angry they are at society (and nevertheless themselves) for making them feel inadequate, poor, and even filth. So angry and upset that they ‘bite back’ on this anger so that they don’t feed the stigma into thinking they are crazy lunatics.

//When my fist clenches, crack it open// //Before I use it and lose my cool// //When I smile, tell me some bad news// //Before I laugh and act like a fool// //And if I swallow anything evil// //Put your finger down my throat// //And if I shiver, please give me a blanket// //Keep me warm; let me wear your coat// The line “//when I smile, tell me some bad news, before I laugh and act like a fool//” “//And if I swallow anything evil, put your finger down my throat//” describes the medication aspect of this issue and how fake they feel when they’re on anti-depressants and how they are not themselves. Isolation and homelessness is strongly symbolised through feeling cold and by //“…please give me a blanket”// just to make them feel just the slightest bit okay and sheltered.

As a result in reflecting this assessment piece, it has made me more aware socially and culturally aware on mental illness, and become more sensitive on this issue. Especially when dealing in emergency situations in my chosen career.

References

Andrews G, Browne M, Johnston A, Slade T, Whiteford H. (2009). 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: methods and key findings. //The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists//

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (1998). //Mental Health and Wellbeing: Profile of Adults, Australia, 1997//. Retrieved from [].

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. (2011). Mental Health. Retrieved from http://www.health.gov.au/mentalhealth BBVCTom. (2008, December 13). The Who- Behind Blue Eyes (Original Version). Retrieved from []

Ferris, Samuel. (n.d). Mental Health is taking the right steps on a long journey. //Underneath the Radar//. Retrieved from []

Johnstone, MA. (2001). Stigma, social justice and the rights of the mentally ill: Challenging the status quo.//Australian and New Zealand Journal of Mental Health Nursing//. 10//,// 200–209

Morrison, k. (2009). //Marx, Durkheim, webber: Formations of modern social thought.// (2nd Ed.) London: SAGE publications ltd.

Mental Health Council of Australia. (2011). Media Releases. Retrieved from []

MindFrame. (2011). Facts and Statistics. Retrieved from []

Queensland Ambulance Service. (2008). Mental Health Intervention Project. QLD: Author.

Sane Australia. (n.d). What is Stigma. Retrieved from []

World Health Organisation. (2011). Mental Health. Retrieved from []


 * Reflections/Comments**

Wiki: Who’s Crazy? The mentally ill, or society for stigmatizing them?

Very interesting read! I like the fact that you actually delved into about the aetiology of mental illness and how it affects the brain, and your use of a lot of different definitions from a thorough amount of research of stigma, giving us a broader understanding. The utilitarian theory I have not heard of before and I’m very intrigued by it and how their reason behind their actions is for ‘the greater good’- scary thought that people can live like that. I thought the cultural artefact chosen was very much appropriate for the topic as well, entertaining!

Wiki: Running like a Girl: How Equitable is the Playing Field when it comes to Women in Sport?

Nice wiki! I’ve been playing a range of sports over my life and I’m a female, and I’ve only really experienced sexism or the likes of it when I got too old to play in a mixed team and had to start playing all girls, but it’s still very interesting about the theory of Marx and dominance. Was there any studies done in Australia?I agree with you and the way society portrays woman for ‘sportainment’ alongside with hegemonic masculinity. One clear example was the Australian woman’s Olympic team of beach volleyball; the only reason they got more television coverage was due to the fact they changed their uniform to a tiny bikini!