Mental Illness
So it seems nowadays that mental illnesses are the norm. They are becoming more mainstream and now there are people acting like they have an issue even if they don't. Living with a mental illness is tough and people that fake having a problem like this are the reason many of us with real issues get treated like we are faking illness just to get out of work, school, etc.
What is a mental illness?
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, it is a “condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling or mood. Such conditions may affect someone's ability to relate to others and function each day. Each person will have a different experience, even people that have the same diagnosis... ”
Yes, mental illnesses affect people differently. No one is the same in anything and why should a mental illness be any different?
Why do people develop mental illness?
According to the Kim Foundation, “an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans age 18 and older or about 1 in 4 adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. When applied to the 2004 U.S. Census residential population estimate for ages 18 and older, this figure translates to 57.7 million people.”
Mental illnesses can happen to anyone in a variety of different scenarios. It can be from genetics, environment, being a victim of a crime, a rape, etc. When a mental illness affects someone it can happen for various reasons that are usually outside of the victim's control.
That is not to say that people with mental illnesses are victims. If they don't get proper treatment then yes their mental illness can be crippling. However, with proper treatment, it can be manageable depending on the person and the diagnosis. However, the real killer is the stigma attached to mental illness and the reaction of society as a whole towards people who let it be known that they have a mental illness.
