One of the Things About Mental Illnesses

Ruthanne

Ruthanne

Caregiver
Location
Midwest
It is very much stigmatized and wrought with Discrimination.

Once people know you have mental illness they sometimes have you down for a psychopath or someone who is with ill intentions towards everyone.

It's simply not so. People with mental illness are the same as everyone else and wish to lead the same kind of life most enjoy .

The incidence of violence by mentally ill is about 4 percent of the population. The rest of the violence is by so called normal people.

Learn the facts by doing your research on mental health. Good 🤞 luck.
 

Stigmatized is an understatement.
Its actually surprising how many people will use the fact that you have mental disorders against you. It’s done often and by those you’d least expect it.

Its even more shocking to discover that the ones doing the discrimination against those with mental disorder often have the most psychopathic tendencies which happens especially with mob mentally.

We see this type of behaviour happening throughout the world. Teenagers attacking marines ? Adults attacking anti vaxers! People attacking the poor and homeless
These people might not have mental disorders but they display psychopathic tendencies. Having a tribe of followers doesn’t make it OK!!! It makes it more pathetic

Thank you for the post Ruth.
 

The American Psychiatric Association defines mental illness as “Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses can be associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.”

The article goes on to say:
“Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a medical problem, just like heart disease or diabetes.
Mental illness is common. In a given year:

  • Nearly one in five (19%) U.S. adults experience some form of mental illness.
  • One in 24 (4.1%) has a serious mental illness*.
  • One in 12 (8.5%) has a diagnosable substance use disorder.
Mental illness is treatable. The vast majority of individuals with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives.”

Mental health stigma has definitely lessened as mental health literacy has increased. The younger generation has been much more open about mental health issues, and contact with them has also done its part to lower the stigma.
 
Ronni said:
The American Psychiatric Association defines mental illness as “Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses can be associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.”

The article goes on to say:
“Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a medical problem, just like heart disease or diabetes.
Mental illness is common. In a given year:

  • Nearly one in five (19%) U.S. adults experience some form of mental illness.
  • One in 24 (4.1%) has a serious mental illness*.
  • One in 12 (8.5%) has a diagnosable substance use disorder.
Mental illness is treatable. The vast majority of individuals with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives.”

Mental health stigma has definitely lessened as mental health literacy has increased. The younger generation has been much more open about mental health issues, and contact with them has also done its part to lower the stigma.
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Stigma still exists among many people tho. Thanks for posting
 
Ronni said:
“Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a medical problem, just like heart disease or diabetes.
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In theory this is accurate, but in reality, there are an awful lot of people who don't grasp that things like clinical depression and anxiety *are* in the mental illness realm. They think it's only the severe things we hear about, so their answer to depression and anxiety is "calm down" or "snap out of it." I think when one hears those things often enough, they just give up trying to explain and withdraw with a hearty "what's the use?" :cry:
 
PeppermintPatty said:
Stigmatized is an understatement.
Its actually surprising how many people will use the fact that you have mental disorders against you. It’s done often and by those you’d least expect it.

Its even more shocking to discover that the ones doing the discrimination against those with mental disorder often have the most psychopathic tendencies which happens especially with mob mentally.

We see this type of behaviour happening throughout the world. Teenagers attacking marines ? Adults attacking anti vaxers! People attacking the poor and homeless
These people might not have mental disorders but they display psychopathic tendencies. Having a tribe of followers doesn’t make it OK!!! It makes it more pathetic

Thank you for the post Ruth.
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Many of these people attacking homeless, mentally ill and other groups are a product of Groupthink which causes people to act in ways they may not singularly. There is a lot of research on Groupthink.
 
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PeppermintPatty said:
Its even more shocking to discover that the ones doing the discrimination against those with mental disorder often have the most psychopathic tendencies which happens especially with mob mentally.
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It used to be easy to get someone "out of the way" by having them committed to a mental institution, usually for some gain, like money or other personal gain. Psychopathic and monstrous.
 
Ruthanne said:
Many of these people attacking homeless, mentally ill and other groups are a product of Groupthink which causes people to act in ways they may not singulary. There is a lot of research on Groupthink.
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Groupthink is the same as other mob mentality thinkers. Their justification is that if enough people are doing it , then it must be ok. This lets them feel less responsible as an individual.

Much criminal activity involves Mob Mentality as do many group criminalists , some involved in organized crime.

Having mental disorder can definitely be used against you.
 
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Nathan said:
It used to be easy to get someone "out of the way" by having them committed to a mental institution, usually for some gain, like money or other personal gain. Psychopathic and monstrous.
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You got that right. When my mom and dad were killed, some of my relatives wanted to put me in an orphanage, which isn’t a mental institution, but along the same lines. When or if they would have succeeded, they would have controlled all my assets left to me by my parents. Hadn’t my grandparents stepped up and decided to ask the court for Guardianship, that’s exactly what would have happened. I never would have had anything because my dad’s 2 brothers were greedy as all get out and they would have converted everything to cash and spent it. My parents were well off for the time it was and their age thanks to my paternal grandfather.
 
I agree there is stigma to mental illness. Not everyone with mental illness, diagnosed or not will ever harm another person. I got this quote off the abuse forum I go to: "mental illness does not make your harm of others acceptable."

While my mother could be a good mother, there was never any real consequence to her behavior. She was enabled and supported by my stepfather, including financially. She had a comfortable but not lavish retirement. Mainly worked part time after she married my stepfather. She could function in society. She could terrorize behind closed doors. And this really ticks me off.

I gave her too much of myself. More than she deserved. But I also know I was severely conditioned. I had essentially zero resiliency.

Mental illness is everywhere. From the filthiest of the filthy rich, to the homeless person on the street. It knows all cultures. On that forum I go to there are people who have identified themselves from many countries and races, including Native American.

That's the problem with mental illness. It's everywhere.
 
Most of you have seen at least parts of “Full Metal Jacket.” We had a recruit from Arkansas that loved his rifle and told us that no one would do better on the range than him. We had heard those stories before, but this young Marine said he started shooting when he was 5 years old and shot everyday and did his own reloads. He left boot camp with a range score of 99.7. No one ever saw anyone else ever shoot like that.

He was later sent to Iraq and came back with 2 medals. He saved his patrol during a firefight one night and an Officer on another night. We wanted them to do an article on him, but they chose not to. I’ll never forget his name, Jimmy “Buddy” Osborne. A simple farm boy from Arkansas that shooting his rifle was his loving and joy.
 
”Toxic masculinity” notions can play unto the stigma of mental illness. In my father’s time and more discretely today, it was/still is considered shameful to experience or admit to symptoms of mental illness. Mental illness was too often considered to be a character weakness or moral failing. Men were curtly told to “buck up” or “get a grip, man” rather than show any signs of anxiety, depression, or the like much less seek treatment. Masking pain with denial in the face of societal disapproval has taken a terrible toll on many…
 
I've written essays, appeared on Public Access TV, spoke to Cornell students and founder/president of ActiveMinds@TC3 at community college. instead of rejection or being stigmatized for mental illness I went public and shared my experience to inspire and educate people about mental illness.
 
Fyrefox said:
”Toxic masculinity” notions can play unto the stigma of mental illness. In my father’s time and more discretely today, it was/still is considered shameful to experience or admit to symptoms of mental illness. Mental illness was too often considered to be a character weakness or moral failing. Men were curtly told to “buck up” or “get a grip, man” rather than show any signs of anxiety, depression, or the like much less seek treatment. Masking pain with denial in the face of societal disapproval has taken a terrible toll on many…
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...heavy drinking was more socially acceptable than the honesty admitting to the pain.
 
Everyone has a story. When I shared my story with NAM and "In Our Own Voice" it was therapeutic. Then sharing became redundant and boring until I stopped altogether. I examine my past life as a detective searching for self not nearly as interesting as taking LSD, but with tamer results.

I don't know who I am or why I behavior the way I do. Do people usually know themselves? Based on my experience, people cannot identify themselves honestly and without prejudice. Maybe I am not lost, but merely displaced from my past and therefore broken.
 
Mr. Ed said:
Everyone has a story. When I shared my story with NAM and "In Our Own Voice" it was therapeutic. Then sharing became redundant and boring until I stopped altogether. I examine my past life as a detective searching for self not nearly as interesting as taking LSD, but with tamer results.

I don't know who I am or why I behavior the way I do. Do people usually know themselves? Based on my experience, people cannot identify themselves honestly and without prejudice. Maybe I am not lost, but merely displaced from my past and therefore broken.
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I know myself. I am no surprise to me.
 
I worked in some avenue of mental illness all my workin life whether psychosis or neruosis or alcoholism/drug addiction ; even the mentally insane locked away. Then there were a few on the grey areas/margins of life who somehow by accident of good fortune stayed on the 'outside; even own places or rental or with family who were still severely disturbed but supported by friendly GP's and mental health community workers.

the ones permanently inside seemed to have the most enjoyable lifestyle of all 'the broken' ones - everything was organized for them from art therapies through wood work classes - watch the flying chips! to gardening - sorta enclosed village life - these were the good old years when health services were still run quite well.

Now all the institutions [long term ] have closed and so social services already under strain has to cope with it all.

Some of these 'inmates' as they were called seemed to have severe chemical inbalances - defined as psychoses ; others less servere defined as neurosises? then there were the fringe dwellers the psychopaths - now seen as chemically inbalanced alsos. who came in and out either at their own whims or the whims of the law! - drug addicts and alcoholics also needed help - sometimes it was more fun working inside than outside?

don't think much has changed much new names crept in and then of course the 'genderbenders' of the new age - am I really man or woman. Never saw them in the early days? and finally the dementias - complex challenging but worthwhile all the same!

remember:

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.
Socrates
 
My favorite Mental Illness joke?

Doctor: "Do any of your other family members suffer from mental illness?"

Patient. "No. They all seem to enjoy it."

(I have schizophrenia. My wife is bipolar. But they say comedy is 'Tragedy plus Time' and I tend to agree. We've both had our share of flights of fancy on many occasions. I could write a book. Hon is manic as I type this and it's exhausting on the family...but I'm doing much better.)
 
I have learned after suffering from severe depression and anxiety for 30 years that the stigma to mental illness is everywhere even within one's own family. But you just have to hang in there and I truly believe it helps to have a good doctor.
 
I was going for an interview about a psych. RN position at Allentown State Hospital.(ASH) Since this was pre-GPS, I got lost. I stopped a woman and asked for directions. She was quite casual and friendly. She asked where did I want to go. When I told her "ASH", she jumped back like I was contagious. She just walked away. This happened twice. I finally found the place. I got the same reaction when people found out I worked at a psych. hospital.
I think the reason is that other medical specialties deal with a body part, like eyes, ears, livers, stomachs, lungs, feet, etc. Cats and dogs have body parts, too. Psych deals with the person. I guess it is unsettling to be intimately familiar with our fellow human beings, and not know what is bouncing around between the ears. Centuries of belief, that mental illness is because of demons, past sins, moral weekness, or possessions; do not die easily.
 
Chet said:
There is a lot of variation in human behavior so it's hard to say whose nuts and who isn't. A former neighbor was bi-polar and her problem was obvious.
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Many years ago, somebody once explained to me that everybody has something.

Human beings can get emotional illness-problems or mental health illness-problems.
Sooner or later human beings get medical issues or problems.
 

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