Mental Illness

[rufio89]

I was just wondering what everyone's perception of mental illness is.

When someone says the following things, what do you automatically think?

Depression:
Psychosis:
Stress:
Schizophrenia:
Psychiatric Hospitals:


and how do you think this is portrayed in the media? Do you think that mental illness is glamourized, or do you think it creates an unfair and negative perception?

I'd really appreciate any thoughts people would offer...

[Bel Bel]

My thougths


Depression: Too many people claim they have it when they don't and that makes it difficult for those who really suffer as they don't get taken seriously enough

Psychosis: Scary illness

Stress: We all have it but some of us aren't good at coping with it as well as others. Take some time to have relaxtion at least once a week for an hour, maybe a massage, a long bath etc

Schizophrenia: Very scary illness. It makes me afraid to think of people with this illness being in society, even though I know medication can help it always worries me that people don't get the right help or are monitored enough to take their medication and people always seem to slip through the net. A guy killed someone in a church with a samari sword a while back if I remember rightly. It's not nice to be judgmental and I truly feel for anyone with someone in their family suffering from this because I think their are prejudicies with this kind of illness. Actually it is probalby the people without family that are much more vunerable and that is very sad.

Psychiatric Hospitals: A place full of very sad ill people who have lost grip with reality

[rufio89]

Thanks for your reply. Has anyone else got any input?

Are any of you aware that less than 5% of homicides are carried out by someone with schizophrenia, and of them, most are also drug/alcohol addicts?
The biggest risk by FAR is of harm to themselves.

Violence is not a symptom of schizophrenia, and the risk of violence is usually because people suffering from any mental disorder are more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol.

Attacks and murders by people suffering from schzophrenia are very rare. Think how often you hear these stories, once a year or maybe twice a year? Then think how many people are killed by kids with knives, or drunks, or drug addicts. There's dozens of these stories every day.

1% of the population in britain will suffer from schziophrenia at some time in their lives. There's 62million people in britain. That makes 620000 people suffering from schzophrenia, and there's maybe 1 or 2 murders a year caused by suffers.

I'm not trying to preach, but I think society has a very warped perception of the reality of the situation, fuelled, in part, by tabloid news stories throwing round words like "psycho", and it bothers me that there's this stigma attached to it, which I strongly feel could be cleared if people just knew more about the illness. In some cultures, what we would diagnose as schizophrenia, would be revered as a higher power!

[Bel Bel]

i totally agree the press makes things worse and not understanding the diease causes ignorance

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Do you think that mental illness is glamourized, or do you think it creates an unfair and negative perception?

I'd really appreciate any thoughts people would offer...

I think some mental illnesses are glamourized. I mean depression and stress definately is, most of todays teenagers are all claiming to be stressed and depressed and you don't seem to be cool unless you have self harmed from it (no doubt I'll have offended someone there, its my opinion and I am sorry if I did offend). Where I live the city centre is packed with "Emo's", don't get me wrong but they all sit there moaning about depression and self harming - its glamorizing it that way. Its a my friend did it and got attention, therefore if I do it I'll get attention (therefore glamourizing it). As Bel-Bel said it's these people which are making the "true" sufferers, suffer more; taking time and effort.

The media is 100% the cause of the "good side" of it all, 50 years ago how many people were depressed and stressed? Lots, but they didn't have all the copy cats then.

I live next to a Dr Barnardo's "hospital" - I dont know the correct wording. But it houses people who suffer from the likes of schitzophrenia and psychosis. The people who live there are all free to go as they please. Most of the people there pose no threat, however there is one woman there who I am scared of; I was out walking the dog one morning in a field where we live and lo and behold she was there 7am one winters day wearing heeled strappy sandals and a HUGE 6-9" knife. Thankfully there was another regular dog walker there at the time, but I was aged 14-16ish at the time and she STILL scares me (I'm 24 now).

I also think anorexia, alcoholics/drug abuse should be classed as a mental illness. Something inside has to trigger for people to get hooked so badly. I think the media glamourize anorexia; and I unfortunatley live in an area with a high number of alcholics and drug users I however don't think the media glamourizes that, although it does portray Amy Winehouse and Pete Dochtery in a good way (sometimes). It's bad getting on a bus sitting next to people talking about clean needles and where to get them, if you are lucky tablets and syringes fall out of their pockets (its a rare occurence). Although drinking on our busses isn't an irregular thing. I also used to work in a supermarket which was located opposite a needle exchange centre - dark late nights working there were fun...

Sorry I've gone WAY off point lol

[Jo]

One of my pet hates is when people in the media use the term 'schizophrenic' to describe a situation that has two sides to it, or has a 'split personality'. It really really annoys me because it perpetuates the myth that Schizophrenia has something to do with having multiple personalities, which it really doesn't. It drives me mad! They should at least get their facts right if they're going to trivialise something so serious. Half wits!

But anyway, here are my thoughts...

Depression:
Can mean very different things to different people! Some people say they are depressed when they are just a bit down. People who have severe depression find it difficult to see the point to life and don't just get over it in a few days. They need a lot of support, understanding and sometimes medication (although I think that should be an absolute last resort). It can be very upsetting and frustrating for those around them.

Psychosis:
Symptoms that involve a break with reality in some way (e.g. hearing voices or having delusions). It can be very very scary, especially if the delusion is threatening. Some people learn to live with their psychosis, or even enjoy it sometimes if it's a non threatening delusion. The severity and type of psychosis would determine whether or not the person wishes to, or is able to function without medication.

Stress:
Again, means different things to different people. Everyone experiences stress every day and some stress is good for us, but if it's sustained and not handled well it can become something more serious.

Schizophrenia:
A label given to people who are experiencing a collection of psychotic symptoms. Schizophrenia can be controlled with medication which enables people to get on with life - not much different from someone having a physical problem controlled with medication, but it depends on the type and severity of the symptoms.

Psychiatric Hospitals:
Necessary evil. Not always the best place for a sick person to be but at the moment they seem to be the only place available.

[rufio89]

I just wanted to bump this thread. One of my the things on my (very long) list of things, is to write an article for a newspaper.

As the portryal of mental illness in the media is something I feel very strongly about, I want to get as much opinion on the subject as people are willing to offer! Dont worry about sounding harsh or anything, I want peoples stark and honest views.

Thanks!

[m_m]

I've had to remove this post due to identity issues, I hope this is not a problem x

[snail]

Depression: Mood disorder. Common.
Psychosis: Disconnection from reality. Serious mental problem.
Stress: Difficulty coping.
Schizophrenia: Common but serious and disabling mental illness.
Psychiatric Hospitals: Places for treating mental illness.


Manufacture, I'd never have guessed from your writing style that you had Asperger's. (With some sufferers, it's obvious in the written word). I'd just like to say, rudeness and shyness are more common than Asperger's, so I think you should just tell people about it if you're having any problems, even quite casual acquaintances. Most people would be cool with it I think.