mental illnes in many ways remains a mysterious to us. Some scientist think that is it heredity, passed down from parents to children to children in the genes. Other think it is caused by the environment, perhaps by some trauma ina person's experience or by brain damage at the time birth. Today, most of experts feel that mental illness is caused by a combination of these factors, but they do not agree on how to treat it. One method of treatment is to lock up mentally ill people in hospitals and even prisons to seperate them from society. Another method is to place these people in halfway houses under the care of guardians who supervise them and allow them to mix with other people for some hours of the dy. In some places mentally ill patients are given drugs, and in other plasces they receive many hours of counseling and talk therapy of the type pioneered by Sigmund Freud, the inventor of psychoanalysis. What do u think is the cause of mentall illness? How should it be treatened? How is mental illness treated in other cultures?
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For somebody, mental illnes is worse than physical illnes, and in some way is true; to lose the control of one's mind is pathetic.

Long ago, the people thought that mental illness was caused by devil possession, and thus, the patient was exorcized. Also, more "cientifical" people thought that some bad "humours" caused it, and thus they made a hole in head in order to make humours come out...(this didn't recover them, but deteriorated)

I think that some mental illness as esquizofrenia are caused by problems facing reality.

Mental illness people who suffer from it are not born with it. It can be various factors which set it off say something like post natal depression. The very worst depression is manic depression and takes a lot of patience medication and time. We can also suffer this from traumatic experience as a marriage breakup etc. This comes under a Psychiatric hospital and patients are treat by a psychiatrist.

Where Learning Disability (new term) subnormal, retard: are born this way. I work in this hospital, birth trauma can cause it amongst other things. These patients are treat by psychologists.

The chemistry of the brain plays an important part in mental disorders.The changes in behavior that we see in people with mental disorders may be the result of long-standing emotional problems.But most cases of mental disorders such as manic-depression, anxiety, or shizophrenia are tought to be a mixture of biological and emotional factors.Some people irritate easily, are oversensitive, and may lack energy.When under stress, such people may become unduly depressed or anxious.Most of us have swings in mood from elation and energy to lethargy and withdrawal to some extent.Under stress, some people may become manic-depressive.
Most people, however, overcome these effects and cope with emotional problems by themselves or with the help of psychotherapy.
It is estimated that 30 to 60 percent of most patients consult their physicians mainly because an emotional problem.The physical disorders of many others are related to psychological stress.Many people who consult a physician are either anxious and temporaly in need of help (American Medical Assosiation).
When physician feels that ones problem are mainly of emotional origin, may be referred to a psychiatrist.But it is sometimes difficult to determine whether symptoms are the result of physical or mental illness or both.
It is only when people lose touch with reality and behave in bizzare and perhaps lifethreatening ways that can be considered psychotic rather than neurotic. People with psychoses may require initial treatment in the hospital, where they are less likely to harm themselves or others.

thank you

Hi guys!

I happen to work in Psychiatry and the last thing that people who are suffering with a mental illness want to hear is that they are 'different' from the rest of us.

The whole thrust of modern day, research based medicne is that we should be normalising mental illness - i.e. there but for the grace of God go I - it could happen to any of us.

I have met thousands of people during my career who are seen as different by society because they are deemed to be 'ill' - but I have to say that these people are amongst the kindess, most intelligent, caring, loving, understanding, accepting etc. etc. that I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

It is about time that society realised that mental illness is part of us all - infact it is us who somtimes - and often - contribute to making it worse.

People are people, whatever they may experience, whatever path they chose to lead - we, as society need to acknowledge and accept this - it may be differnet from us and our own views, but that's what makes the world more interesting.

Let's learn to accept rather than condemn these people - most of them are far braver and accepting than we could ever hope to be.

I am honoured to have met so many special people!

Regards

PAUL

I would like to reply to Angela's statement about mental illness. Angela, you are in fact wrong when you say that people with mental illness are not born with it.

Psychiatrists and numerous medical professionals advise that mental illness is caused by biologial and physiolgocal factors as well as contributing stresses or events in life.

Reactive, post-natal or post-traumatic depression ARE caused by a reaction to events in life, but not all forms of mental illness are, (including manic depression).

Hi Bedih,a most profound statement and rather brave one indeed.You seem to surmise that a generalisation of 'Psuchiatric Disorders ' can be quantified into these pre-determined catagories.I would agree that biological and genetics can indeed play a role in the development of Mental illness ie Hodgkinsons and Huntingdons.Both of these are genetic defects as such and do pass through lines of family traits, creating an unfortunate deterioration of the motor neurone systems.However, there is no positive proof that physiology is a predetermined denominator in the onset of any Psychiatric disorder.As we look at the whole spectrum of disorders, no one can state for instance that Schizophrenia is a biological or physiological born problem.The term 'Mental illness' is a huge field, and this is why i think you are brave for saying what you did.The sudden indicators of certain disorders, is usually developmental.....on the whole.As with the above two examples theses are unfortunately passed down.Onset of mental illness, can indeed be fuelled by traumas in life or perhaps forms of catastrophic disorders.Would you say that depression is biologically formed.....don't think so !
As regards the other cited area of contention using the Victoriana phrase 'Subnormality ', this is indeed a formulation either pre-birth or post due to a number of flaws, sometimes in this case poor hydration of oxygen to the faetus, a whole host of factors can come into play.Therefore on the whole Bedih, time to look at your text book my friend.Manic Depression is a strange topic, and this generally has no major 'put your finger on it ' cause.One must look at each and every individual , in order to isolate triggers.These tend NOT to be found in path samples Bedih.