Often when we were young, before going to bed, we took a
look under our beds hoping that there wasn’t a monster underneath. We swore
that we heard something scurrying below, or that we saw glowing red eyes. When
we told our parents, they always reassured us that there is no such thing as
monsters.
The truth is,
there are such things as monsters, and people with mental illnesses
have to face them daily. Some people refuse to recognize these monsters as a
real problem. Others just want to look the other way and avoid the person
altogether. People with mental health problems are often told to just brush it
off or to snap out of it. Even when mental illness is acknowledged as something
real, people with these problems are often viewed as freaks with no hope for
recovery.
Do you think that mental health problems are actual health
problems like heart disease or diabetes? Do you think that people with mental
illness are just “crazy?” Do you believe that a mental illness like depression
is a weakness or character flaw? Do you
believe it can just be shrugged off? Once someone develops a mental illness,
can he or she recover? Do you have any overall thoughts on mental illness?
16 comments:
I think people with mental illnesses have a real disease or disorder that should be treated like heart disease and diabetes. The people with mental illness aren't necessarily crazy, just a little more crazy then everyone else. I also believe that if a person was to have a mental illness that they have a problem dealing with, then they should be treated in a way that would be able to help manage their illness. By any means necessary.
John
Long ago, people thought they could cure people of mental illnesses by locking them up and performing "therapies" on them (such as drilling holes in their heads, electrocuting them, to name of few of the tortures they were forced to endure). They believed that those people could "snap out of it" anytime they wanted to and/or were just monstrosities that needed to be dealt with. It is a good thing that we don't often see that (except in movies and documentaries} in the present day.
You cannot cure all mental illnesses but you can treat them (but not with the ancient torture methods of the past). It is a misconception to think that you can cure someone of something that is wired into their brains. We know of no cure for Downs Syndrome, Autism or Schizophrenia, among others, but people with those disorders can receive help. I have been on both sides of this debate, as a victim and an onlooker, and know that it is easy to feel frustrated when people act out and such. BUT, I have also been teased when I was younger because of the fact that I have a mental illness (or social disorder if you prefer to label Aspergher's Syndrome as that,)and wasn't like everyone else. It also frustrates me when people are idiotic enough to tell people who clinically depressed or have some other mental disability to "just snap out of it." THEY CANNOT DO THAT! Their brains are hardwired to be the way that they are and no amount of telling them that it is all in their head, or "bullying them to make them tougher" is going to change that. They need love, support, and the help of not only doctors but therapists and medication as well. I know only too well that not taking your medication can have devastating consequences, and so it annoys me when people refuse to take them. If the doctor says these pills work, and you know other people who have had it work for them, then it's most likely not going to kill you. Why live with waking nightmares when you can have a healthy life?
Now, some people can "get over" (to use the term loosely, because you really are never cured) some diseases and/or respond so well to medication and therapy that most "normal" people would not guess they had anything wrong with them! But still others behave differently and are made fun of because of that. It is shameful and disgusting that people think they have the right to beat someone else down to the point where they want to kill themselves, just so they can feel like kings. THOSE people are the true monsters. And it is most likely because of this that children with Aspergher's Syndrome also develop depression (just like I have.) People need to understand, and only with time and education will they ever reach it.
Lauren Smith
I do not think that a mental illness is any different than heart disease or another illness. The reason why people think that a mental illness is different than heart disease or another illness is because those mental illnesses affect one’s behavior. It is a very big misunderstanding that a person with mental illness is considered “crazy”, or “mad”. This is very wrong; there are many kinds of mental illnesses that have different signs and symptoms. There are some mental illnesses that can make a person crazy but not all mental illnesses can make a person crazy.
-Nilay
Mental illness is a very treatable disease and should be treated as such. Those that say snap out of it are ignorant. Can you just snap out of cancer or heart disease? NO!
Thankfully through organizations like Bring Change to Mind the stigma surrounding mental illness is slowly disappearing. The most important thing to realize is that it is possible to have a full and happy life even if you live with mental illness. Rebecca Spellmeyer
For some, mental illnesses is treatable. it is nothing you can just snap out of . it takes time and the correct treatment. Should no one be treated like they are crazy. there is no such thing of crazy. my sister was depressed and she went to her doctor to get some help for it, and instead of the doctor evaluating her, he put her on a hundred milligrams of Zoloft when he should of started her off with ten. my sister started acting weird, talking to herself, and even hearing voices. the doctor ruined a perfectly sane person. know people say she is crazy. No, she is mentally challenged right now. they should be treated with respect,and there should be more people helping out with the situation then brushing it under a rug.
Natoka
Mental illness is defiantly a real illness and I don't even think it is questionable. Your body is controlled by your brain so if you have say a deterioration of your frontal lobe of you brain you may have issues controlling your behavior, a good example is turrets syndrome.
Schnitzel
Having somewhat of a mental illness myself, it's pretty easy for me to relate to this topic. I have a relatively severe social anxiety problem and it bugs the absolute crap out of me when people just tell me to "get over" whatever I'm being anxious about. It isn't that easy. A million scenerios just float around in your head constantly; what could go wrong in a situation, what's okay to say, what isn't, what do I do in this situation? It's very overwhelming. Luckily my issue is easily medicated and I am very pro-medication so that worked out for me, but I know it isn't that easy for some people. Even being able to understand what's going on in at least some people's headS doesn't stop me from being maybe a little judgemental of people with more severe mental health problems like Schizophrenia. It's just so hard to understand mental illnesses when it isn't happening to you. But I definitely don't think there is no hope for people with illnesses like that; I do believe people are able to recover.
Andi
I think that mental health problems are “actual problems,” and they would be harder to deal with than heart disease or diabetes. I say this because if you think about it, these are problems that generate in your mind, or your brain, and you have no control over them a lot of the time. With heart disease and diabetes, at least a person has an idea of what they are dealing with because their situation is routine and they can control it. Mental health problems can vary. For instance, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are two mental health disorders that are hard to control and can really make a person feel lost. However, having a mental health disorder doesn’t make a person crazy. From a medical standpoint, this person is lost and needs help, so it isn’t fair to call them crazy. It isn’t a weakness or a character flaw. In fact, it is the complete opposite. If a person can recognize that they have a condition like that, then they are very strong for admitting that, and hopefully they seek help. A lot of disorders can be treated, but not necessarily cured. There are various types of therapies, and in some cases, medications, that help people control these disorders. Thankfully, technology and pharmacology has come a long way to help people who have these disorders.
Chelsey
I think you should be more specific about what kind of mental disorder you are talking about. Are you talking about mental retardation, learning disabilities, socially impaired, or what? Even depression is considered a mental disorder, which only deals with emotions. Of course being mentally disabled is an “actual” health problem. Heart disease and diabetes are the physical type of health problems while mental disorders are the mental type of health problem. Mental disorders cannot be shrugged off, or else they would not be characterized as such. If it could, then it would just be an issue with their character, not a sign of mental instability. Many people are born mentally disabled, like having cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is when a portion of the nerves in the brains fails or did not form, causing less reactions in the body. Those people can’t “shrug” it off since they can’t repair the nerves by themselves. Mentally retarded people are also unable to just “shrug” it off; they also have no chance of recovering. Although, someone with depression has a chance of recovering. Well, depression might be a hormonal disorder. There is an imbalance of hormones in a person with depression, since they can't produce the hormone that makes them happy. Anyways, mental disorders are a real problem; I think you wanted to focus on a certain type of disorder but you were not specific.
-Charlie
I do think mental health problems are actual health problems. I DO think that some people with mental health problems are sometimes labeled "crazy," but I don't mean that in a negative way--only that "crazy," as bad as it sounds, for some people is a synonym for "mentally ill" or 'mentally challenged" (to use politically correct language).
I think many, many people--maybe even most people--are at least a little "crazy" in that their brain functions have been affected by something outside themselves (such as prolonged drug or alcohol use) or inside themselves (such as a genetic tic or unique psychological reactions to stimuli). I mean, the brain is a complex organ, and many times when someone makes an apparently bad decision--a major mistake--the true cause of the mistake is a change in the brain that the person hasn't recognized or adapted to yet.
I do not think mental illness is a weakness or character flaw. Every individual is unique, different from others (thank goodness) and sometimes what seems crazy, insane, or mentally ill to an entire set of people is perfectly natural for the individual, given the brain he/she has to work with.
To a degree, I think some minor mental "illnesses" or emotional "disturbances" SHOULD be shrugged off (using your phrase)--especially if they are harmless to others. Like I said, every person is different, so how we can we evaluate or judge someone with accuracy since we haven't had the same experiences they have had? The cliche "walk a mile in his shoes" before judging makes a lot of sense to me. (except that it's impossible to walk a mile in someone's else's shoes, or even to put that person's shoes on, because the "shoes" the person wears are a result of his unique experiences, which cannot be duplicated.
Yes, people recover from minor mental illness or disturbances all the time--it's called adapting, or adjusting to the circumstances. As for major mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, I think recovery is often possible but much more complicated and time consuming. I do think some major illnesses are likely not treatable and that the person might not ever recover.
I like the idea of people recognizing that every person's set of experiences differs from every other, and that sometimes these sets of experiences make people act differently from others. This is a good thing and should be encouraged. The more people in our culture who recognize that the differences in people's behavior (as a result of their unique brains, which are influenced by their experiences), the more people will be forced to open their minds to accommodate diversity, which I think is a good thing.
James Burke
I sincerely believe that mental disorders are just as serious or sometimes more serious than any other help problems. I work with people who suffer from metal problems quite often and the one thing I have noticed about them is that they become way too dependent on the medications that they are taking to help cope with their problems. Often, when they have one doubt or begin feeling down they want to load up on their medications before even giving themselves a chance to begin feeling positive again, but isn’t it human to have doubts and disbelief once in a while? While mental disorders are sometimes tougher to fight than typical health problems, I think that sometimes people abuse their privileges and access to the medications helping to cure them.
Elizabeth Luke
Mental illness is a real problem--disease. People everyday have to face their worse nightmares with this disease. It's true, that there is no set cure for certain situations dealing with mental illnesses, but that it no reason that they can't receive help. I'm not saying shove pills down their throat until they are vegetables, but sometimes all they need is one person to listen to them, proving to themselves that they are not as crazy as others think they are. You shouldn't have to force a person to take drugs or talk either, they'll be ready when they decide it's right, all you have to do is be there for them.
Katherine Stack
Mental illness such as Major depression and schizophrenia, are indeed as harmful as the other diseases. The fact that a person can put their body through that much stress with little to no help can cause death or even more mental stress. Mental illness is the same as a virus in the sense that there is not a cure for the problem just medication to help you cope with it. For a person to think that you can just brush it off or just snap out of it is inconsiderate and frankly rude. How are you going to tell a person what they should do if you haven’t experienced it themselves? This understanding of the problem will only take time and a willingness to learn.
-Christopher Hodges
I figure that these things are legitimate illnesses/disorders/problems of whatever type that fits. As with any problem, if it's happening to people, some resources need to be devoted to the understanding of it and the possible progress we could make to lessen its severity or eliminate it.
Addison
i suffer from manic depression, or in other words bi-polar disorder. the emotional depression spikes i would hit were all in my head caused by issues most could brush off. i kept these thoughts to myself and after holding it in for years the fear of hurting myself and depression manifested itself in to paranoia and was combated with drug use. when i told people i felt like i might have the illness they never took it seriously. i was alone with demons in my head that would appear and remind me i'm weird and crazy. my reflection was an enemy and the only i felt i could maintain happiness was to stay in a stat of inebriation.
i had a chemical imbalance that forced my mind to make me hate and fear itself, and poeple told me to "brush it off". its not a song stuck in your head you just wait and awhile and its just gone, its hormones and your own body reacting to situations in which it believed to be a appropriate matter. you don't tell someone with asthma to just breathe right do you. mental illness is a curse that makes you your own enemy and all efforts to fight back only hurt the enemy in you.
brent
People automatically think about the physical body when it comes to health. The problem is that people often forget about mental health. To have mental health is also very important. It should not be shrugged off. Some may believe that some are just plain crazy, which can in fact be true. However it is still a mental illness. If you are into psychology you know that there are many functions of the brain that answer to the reasons why people do what they do. With this knowledge you will learn that all people with mental illness can be helped. Some may need counseling, some may need medicine, some may need both. Either way there is a way to get help. Never feel alone because the truth is that there are thousands that are struggling mentally just like you.
Missolo
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