This research study is a part of research field of social psychology. This research aims in theinvestigation of social representations of the general population for mental illness.Accordance with the theoretical framework, any social representation is created anddetermined through two complementary processes: objectification and anchoring. Theobjectification is a descriptive process that gives material substance to the ideas. Theanchoring is an interpretive process, in which social subjects incorporate an unknown objectin a familiar network of meanings for understanding and explanation. Regarding thestructure of social representations, some elements form the central core and determine,organize and stabilize the social representation. The core contains a small number ofelements around which peripheral elements are organized and fully dependent on the core.Their role is very important because it lies between the core and the specific situation inwhich is formed and operates the social representation and may contain many individualdifferences always compatible with the central core. The core ensures stability andconsistency of social representation, while the peripheral system tolerates heterogeneity.Regarding the research design followed a combined methodological approach involvingsemistructured research interview, survey questionnaire and method of free associations.Research conducted in the general population of rural areas of Messinia. The first phase ofresearch involves conducting interviews and the second phase of the survey questionnaires.Also presented in detail in the questionnaire and manufacturing process. For purelypractical reasons, the method of free association incorporated in a questionnaire.Regarding the findings of investigation, the social representation of mental illness objectifiedin a form of a continuum, one edge of which are the milder forms of mental illness in earlystages and usually take the form of depression. At the other end of this continuum areserious cases of mental illness, who have no contact with reality, such as schizophrenia,which coincides with the concept of madness. To these more serious cases, people withmental illness behave completely irrationally and can be dangerous without case, becausetheir mind doesn’t function properly. If cases of mental illness are in the early stages are notmade on time and left untreated, can damage a brain to deteriorate so much that evenreach the stage of schizophrenia. Also anchoring the mental illness as an illness of the mind,symptoms of which are the various dysfunctional behaviors, depending on the stage and theparticularities of each case. Mental illness also anchoring as a difficult and mentallyexhausting illness for the patient and his family, because it creates extremely difficult situation. Mental illness is very difficult to treat, even at an early stage. The most seriouscases as schizophrenia are not considered curable. In most cases of schizophrenia psychiatrichospitalization is required, either because the mental patient is extremely dangerous tohimself or others, either because the situation is so serious that it cannot be treated in thecommunity.
Psychological studies of stress experienced by seamen during a long-distance sea voyage#