Do you believe in mental illness, mental problems?

[Anonymous]

I cannot think of any at the moment, but if you agree with their existence, then what will you do to destigmatize such treatments?

I may be lacking imagination here, sorry.

Yes. I do believe in them. And we must take appropriate action on them.

No. There is no such thing. You just need to be strong, and everything works out.

Something else...

[ArrowheadSW]

Oh yes it is most definitely for real. Just like any illness like heart disease, asthma, diabetes: there are diseases of the brain also. Anyone who has any doubt should try holding a conversation with a mentally ill homeless person.

Now there is a trend that wants to refer to a lot of less severe issues such as mild anxiety or mild depression, as mental illness. Of course these things are of concern, but referring to those issues as "mental illness" to me takes away from the seriousness of the more severe crippling mental health issues.

[OlderAndWiser]

I was a mental health counsellor for 5½ years and I primarily evaluated patients in the emergency room to determine whether they should be admitted to the hospital for inpatient treatment. I evaluated a man who heard voices coming from his dog so he barehandedly tore off one of its legs and ate it. I evaluated at least a thousand paranoid schizophrenics who were floridly psychotic. I saw manic-depressive patients who claimed they had found a cure for cancer or knew the secret for world peace. Yes, mental illness is VERY real!

[OlderAndWiser]

Thanks for MHO!

[ArrowheadSW]

@OlderAndWiser Oh yeah for sure! I worked in medical just up until recently, and although I didn't spend that much time working in psychiatry, I did see my share. Funny how people say they think that these people just need to try harder to get their act together, or all they need to do is get a job, or whatever. It is a disease involving brain function and needs to be addressed as a medical problem as well as a societal problem.

[OlderAndWiser]

@ArrowheadSW Yeah, telling a schizophrenic to just get their shit together is about as effective as pissing in the ocean to raise the tide.

[ArrowheadSW]

Well said! Funny how some people think they know it all when it comes to this but they've never tried to have a conversation with a severely mentally ill person.

I have a friend whose daughter (in her 20's) tried to kill him 3 times over the course of a year. Finally she was brought into the system and he pleaded with the facility to do what they could as he didn't want her released until she was stable and actually on medication. (Schizophrenia of course.) They took him seriously and got her stable and she has been on medication for 2 years now and doing fairly well. You can actually have a conversation with her and she laughs at your jokes and everything.

[OlderAndWiser]

@ArrowheadSW I ad an extended conversation via DMs yesterday with a young man who has BPD and he was essentially saying give us a chance and we can be as good a partner as anyone else. There's far too much Field Of Dreams mentality in our culture; no matter how many chances you give a BPD, they cannot have a stable relationship or be a satisfactory partner. It's just the way it is!

[ArrowheadSW]

There is a local psychologist on the radio one morning each week, who won't attempt to treat those with borderline... I think he refers those out although he won't outright admit it. I have a friend whose girlfriend fits that personality disorder. He has been with her for several years and is at his wit's end at this point. She won't go to therapy but insists that he goes.

[OlderAndWiser]

@ArrowheadSW Personality disorders are VERY resistant to treatment.

[menina]

Of course, mental illness exists. Just because you look fine, it doesn't mean you're feeling fine.

So many people in the world suffer from mental illness but they either aren't taken seriously, or they can't live without pills. It's really sad.

If people paid more attention to mental illness so many problems could be avoided. Also, the suicide rate would drop significally.

[menina]

Thanks for the MHO.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I do believe in them because I have been through it.

[NathanDavis]

they do exist... whether we want to believe it or not

mental health is a thing...

[exitseven]

Yes, I do believe in them. Especially since i joined GaG.

[LimitedBenefits101]

It don't exist, it's a stupid trend, notice how everyone is struggling with mental illness problems

[clampfan101]

Yes, and they should see a doctor to find the best help treatment.

[fonduegirl]

It's mental illness, not Santa Claus