What is it about mental illness that scares people? Is it that they are afraid that they will become ill?

Question

I have a relative who suffers from mental illness, and has had several breakdowns. Each time this happens, he loses friends--or people don't call or come around. Some people take a negative approach, while others just turn their backs. He is in his early thirties and is not yet married. He has a very sad story--and I just am curious as to what you think.

Answer 1

I think that most people are afraid of mental illness because they don't understand it. They know little to nothing about the various disorders except what they learn through the media. It is very rare that there is an educational or positive program on mental illness. Usually stories involving mental illness make it into the news because a crime or horrific incident has occurred. Ussually because a mentally ill indivdual has not received the medical help they need or has stopped taking their medications because they thought they were better and no longer needing them. Or they see the homeless person on the street who can't connect with the right social services because they don't have a permanent address.

There are never stories telling of the thousands of people who suffered through a bout of depression an concurred it or schizophrenic's who are leading productive and stable lives because they were properly diagnosed and taking their medications. Or a Bi-Polar indivdual who's awesome creativity has created amazing works of art or mother with post pardum depression who has fought their personal battle and are now bonded with their child and are awesome mothers. That's the side of mental illness that people never see.

It wasn't all that long ago that mentally ill people where "taken away" and "locked up" never to heard from again. Entire generations heard tales of horrific treatments and testing that went on in psychiatric homes. Some of those treatments alone would be enough to scare anyone away from mental illness. In part up until the late 70's early 80's very little was known about mental illness and very few "out patient" treatments were available. During the previous era's many churchs claimed that the person was possed by the devil and as a lot of people in those times were church going that's what they were taught.

Not knowing what causes a mental illness is in part also to blame for societies general reaction to mental illness. Perhaps some people do think that it might be contagious but more are afraid because they didn't know what to expect from a mentally ill person. It is going to take a lot of public education to contradict what little knowledge they generally have about mental illness. Until then it will unfortunately continue to be a struggle for people who suffer from a mental illness to be accepted into society and treated as they should be.

Answer 2

Their is a HUGE stigma against mental illness, most major insurance companies don't even fully cover mental health treatment. It is almost as people think mental illness is not a real disease. This is not new, it has been going on for generations. People used to think someone that suffered from Mental Illness was possessed by demons, and in some non-enlightened corners of the world, people still think that. People have been taught to be afraid of a mentally ill individual as they might be "dangerous". Studies have found that a mentally ill individual is usually NOT dangerous to society, if anything they are dangerous to themselves, but not society. Their are some dangerous mentally ill individuals, as their are dangerous "sane" individuals, and many times that is so when they start using street drugs and/or alcohol, which tend to make any one violent. Some good books to read regarding mental illness are,
"The Quiet Room: A Journey out of the Torment of Madness" by Lori Schiller (true story), and "72 hour hold" by Bebe Moore Campbell (fiction).

Answer 3

I think it is partly because of their lack of knowledge on the subject. People tend to be afraid of things they don't understand, or have no knowledge about.

Another contributing factor I think is also the way Hollywood portrays those with mental illness -which all too often they are portrayed as crazy, out of control, and dangerous.

Also the field of mental health is the newest field in medical history. Physical ailments have been "doctored" for many years because back in the day mental illness was a taboo subject. Anyone with a mental illness was swept under the carpet to avoid "family shame." These feelings and practices were around for so long, that the "taboo" feeling about them are still strongly embedded in today's people's minds. Just as acts of prejudice towards those of ethnic origins have long become illegal but people still tend to carry around prejudice attitudes towards them. People's attitudes towards those with mental illness is also a form of prejudice. Just because society changes -doesn't mean the thoughts and feelings from long ago aren't still heavily embedded into others' minds.

Answer 4

I am a retired mental health worker and the following are some sobbering facts. "One in four perople in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives, reports the World Health Organization (WHO). Although many mental illnesses can be treated, almost two thirds of sufferers never seek professional help. "mental illness is not a personal failure," says Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtlland, director general of WHO, "In fact, if there is failureIT IS TO BE FOUND IN THE WAY WE HAVE RESPONDED TO PEOPLE WITH MENTAL AND BRAIN DISORDERS." She adds: I hope this report will dispel long-held doubts and dogma and mark the beginning of a new public health era in the field of mental health." According to present health trends, "depressive disorders...are expected to rank second by 2020, behind ischaemic heart disease but ahead of all other diseases," says WHO. With proper treatment, however, suffers "can live productive lives and be a vital part of their communities."

"The global toll of mental illness and neurological disorders is staggering." declares Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO). A recent WHO report reveals that mental disorders are "among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide." About
450 million people in the world currently suffer from mental or neurological disorders, says the report.

Your relative loses not friends but acquaintences when he relapses. A true friend would familiarize themselves with the diagnosed disorder and when practical be supportive even if
it's at a distance temporarily. Oftentimes people take their leave because they don't understand the considtion, maybe not even wanting to understand. The condition can (to them) reflect their own vulnerability; one may erroneously perceive an element of danger even though the one suffering from certain disorders is in most instances a victim rather than a perpetrator of any sort of violence.

Again It is estimated that 1 in 4 people worldwide will be afflicted with a mental illness at some point in their life (with all the stresses, strains, cruelties, abuses:emotional, physical, sexual, etc.) So for those intolerant of this particular disease, "Be kind" it may be closer than you think.

Answer 5

It is a very good question. Unlike phyiscal illness, mental illness is still regarded by many as having a "stigma" attached to it. The irony is that most mental illnesses are just as "phyiscal" as, for example an illness such as diabetes. They are caused by physical disorders of the brain, usually disturbances in neurotransmitters and receptors of those neurotransmitters (especially serotonin).

Mental illness, however, changes the way we behave towards others - and that makes people feel uncomfortable. So I think withdrawal of friends will be inevitable for anyone with a mental illness - that is human nature, unfortunately.

Answer 6

People fear what they don't understand. I think that many people look at mental illness as a weakness, something that the person should be ashamed of, so they look away when it happens, not realizing that the person who is suffering needs the most support at that time. People just don't know how to deal with something they've never personally experienced.

Answer 7

My MIL is bi-polar & schizophrenic. I believe that people fear the unknown, and since mental illness is not as well know as some other diseases, it's scary to people. It's very sad, and people should really try to learn more, instead of turning their backs on these people who just want to live a normal life, have normal friends & do normal things.

Answer 8

It's as though people in an age of so called, "better education" and enlightenment are still in the dark ages.

Panic attacks for example are often misunderstood except by a few - and people like your relative are treated as if they are dangerous and severely retarded.., as if it is catching.

They fail to see these people are very intelligent and normal. The only means of education people is to start with the schools and create some form of humoresque ad and commercial campaigns. Humor tends to stick with people better than monotone "educational" stylized ads.

Not meaning to make fun of those with mental impairments in such ads or commercials, but of those who over react to them.

Answer 9

Mental illness is perceived as causing irrational thought or behavior. Most people prefer to relate to others on a rational level, therefore most people would be wary of dealing with the mentally ill for fear of encountering an irrational situation. QED.

Answer 10

People always fear what they don't know or understand. The reason why mental patients suffer from being shunned by people is because people lack the knowledge on the subject. Attached to this lacking of knowledge are the fictitious things we heard from "they say.." They say that mental people are violent. They say mental people might kill. They say that menal people are contagious. They say that mental people are possessed, among other things.

I think people should re-educate themselves about the subject. Mental patients are not scary or whatever belief they have, they are misunderstood.