I have studied mental illness and worked in the field. Yet when I compare so called "patients" to the general public, I often see little difference. In fact, it often seems that in the mainstream, those who are mentally ill are often the most successful and in charge of things. Of course this is not always true but often is. And another question is what is being mentally healthy? And do you know others that are mentally healthy? What is their life like?
2006-12-13 05:04:15 · 7 answers · asked by Greanwitch 3 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
la mas desea: Yes I agree there are measurable differences between someone with the mentall illnesses you describe and others who don't have them. I'm not saying there isn't. What I am saying is that seemingly undiagnosed mental illness is more the norm in our society than is a lack of mental illness. And that often the mentally ill are in charge of things. Perhaps that is why our society is so horrible and violent?
2006-12-13 05:27:28 · update #1
From the viewpoint of a Meditator (says Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD, a practicing Cognitive Behavioral Therapist in Mass), almost every society in the world has ADHD !! Because people can not go 2 minutes without interupting a chain of thoughts in their mind. As you think about something for a moment or two, you interupt your own thought processes, with other thoughts, especially with anxious thoughts !
He goes on to say that the answer to this problem is Mindfulness Meditation. It has been around, being practiced successfully for over 2,800 years!! Mindfulness Meditation has been proven by Hundreds of doctors in the U.S. to improve Cognitive Thinking, Memory, Concentration, to reduce stress and anxieties, worries, and depressions, and it produces sound thinking, as well as Patience. It is an excellent way in dealing with anger, hatred, unforgiveness, and ignorance(lack of correct understanding). This has already been proven.
CAT Scans have also proven an increase in brain size in the cognitive areas of the brain in those practicing Mindfulness Meditation for a few years. These facts can not be refuted.
2006-12-13 05:20:23 · answer #1 · answered by Thomas 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are very perceptive when you realized that the "mentally ill" and the general public are really no different. Mental illness is a social construct not a scientific fact and thus there is no real definition for what a mentally ill person is. People believe in mental illness because they don't want to have accept responsibility for there actions and the medical profession goes a long with it to to sell people drugs that make them billions. A report recently came out finding that children in the developed world suffer from "depression" far more than children in the developing world; when obviously the opposite would be true if depression were really an illness.
2006-12-13 05:15:11 · answer #2 · answered by Baron 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
hmm that's very interesting. As a mentally ill individual, I would say the only difference is normal people's level of resiliance. those who are not considered mentally ill, just know how to deal better. Fortunately this skill can be taught.
but are you sure there isn't something fundamentally different between a person who suffers from severe OCD and someone who doesnt? someone who is bipolar and someone who isn't?
2006-12-13 05:23:45 · answer #3 · answered by the Bruja is back 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i agree with u i think most of us can be diagnosed with a mental disability. i think i have a little paranoia and a mild form of ocd.
i used to work in a hospital for the criminally insane and u r right there was little difference in when comparing them to the general public. if it weren't for the uniforms i wouldn't of been able to tell the difference between the social workers, inmates/patients, and the correctional officers. lol.
i think i can define mentally healthy as someone with rational thinking.
2006-12-13 05:09:32 · answer #4 · answered by Miki 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've been saying that society is psychotic for years but no one is listening. (have you seen the statics on the number of psychotropic drugs prescribed lately?) And no I don't know any one who is mentally "healthy" whatever THAT means.(It appears to be some statistically normalized reaction/response to a base set of questions as far as I can tell.)
2006-12-13 05:12:25 · answer #5 · answered by Daniel H 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
1
2017-03-05 02:01:23 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not all but more than i used to suspect
2006-12-13 05:09:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋