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Hmm, study says that 38% of Europeans suffer from mental illnesses...

Started by Baggins, September 10, 2011, 11:50:42 PM

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Baggins

Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

Fierce Deity

Eh, I already know that I suffer from a mental disorder, but it's easy for me to adapt after years of therapy. However, the way that every parent throws their kid on the ADD/ADHD bandwagon, I feel would tip the scales unfairly. ADD is a real disorder, yet any kid can walk into a doctor's office and say "I don't care about school" and get this affliction applied to they metaphorical psyche. But in reality, mental disorders can also be due to stress. Especially during a rough time for the country (or the world even), I wouldn't be surprised if depression arose among the masses. It happens, but is it due to a chemical imbalance, or are they depressed for a reason. It's what separates a disorder from anything else.

I don't mean to sound inconsiderate, but kids that have a hard time in school most likely are deterred because they are lazy or don't like their teacher/subject. It doesn't mean that every kid who has a hard time has a learning disorder. ADD actually prevents a child from focusing, it doesn't mean they are lazy. Also, alcohol and drug dependence? I don't consider that a mental disorder, it's an addiction. But the reason they would use those substances may be linked to depression, and that depression may be linked to a justifiable reason (being laid off, divorce, death in the family).

Also, mental health is a hard thing to hone in on. The only person that knows what's going on in one's head is that very individual. The only person that can diagnose this individual is a complete separate entity known as a psychologist/psychiatrist. It's a very biased approach in terms of what is really affecting the individual: a mental illness or life.
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."

Damar

The last statistics I heard were 1 out of 4 people had a mental illness (which it looks like is still the case, according to that article.)  The reason that you've got 38% in Europe is because the article stated they included neurological issues.  That may mean they included issues stemming from strokes or traumatic brain injuries, which lead to neurological symptoms but wouldn't necessarily be coded as a mental illness, thus skewing the result up from the 26%.

As for diagnosing, it can be difficult to get a full picture.  It's important to look at different areas of the person's life.  A mental illness isn't just going to affect one particular area.  You see it globally in the person's life.  If a kid has ADHD symptoms at home, but not at school when a teacher provides structure, then they don't have ADHD.  They probably have issues at home.  Likewise you have to see if the symptoms and behaviors are causing distress in the person's life or in the lives of others.  I have to check my door to make sure I locked it once or twice.  I'm never late for work or anything and it doesn't cause problems.  It's technically an OCD trait, but I wouldn't be diagnosable.

Mental health exists on a spectrum.  Situational factors can lead to symptoms manifesting, or to the onset of a disorder that the individual is predisposed to through genetics.  But society has this idea that mental health is creepy, a sign of weakness, or is all in the person's head.  It's insulting and just wrong.  And it keeps people from seeking help.  The mentally ill aren't violent, they aren't stupid, and they aren't weird.  They're people with an illness.  The sooner society recognizes that the better treatment the mentally ill can receive.