Psychological illnesses may not be as obvious as physical disabilities or illnesses, nevertheless they are just as disabling in their own way. Society, however, is more accepting of those with physical than psychological illnesses or disabilities....

Mental well-being is largely considered to matter more than physical health, with society being more favorable towards the physically ill or disabled than the psychologically disordered. In my opinion, there are firm grounds for this attitude, despite the disabling nature of both types.

First, people with physical illnesses are considered more likely to recover and integrate with society than those with mental sicknesses. Medical systems worldwide have made significant improvements in treatment of physical diseases, along with inventions of a wide range of supportive medical aids. Meanwhile, although advice from psychological therapists is now available, mentally incompetent people still depend mainly on their own strength of will to rehabilitate themselves. Furthermore, mental disabilities can interfere with communication abilities and even isolate sufferers from their families and friends, consequently worsening their condition. They also often struggle to socialize, which is probably why most societies do not welcome them.

Second, even the physically disabled people can find suitable jobs while the mentally disabled can hardly work at all. For instance, those who lost one or more limbs can still be employed where usage of such body parts are not prerequisite, such as certain internet-based positions. It can also be observed that there are numerous organizations prioritizing employment of the physically disabled in many countries, which is not the case for the psychologically incapacitated. Most people believe that a healthy-minded person, regardless of physical being, is able to work and be productive, whereas the unhealthy-minded are more of a burden to their caretakers.

In conclusion, it is hardly deniable that physically disabled or ill citizens are more accepted by society than psychologically unhealthy ones due to the former’s greater likelihood and capacity to function normally. However, I believe governments, in a join effort with scientists, should work on more effective measures to support mentally unhealthy citizens.