Why Do You Think Some People Feel That Mental Ilnesses And Disorders, Aren't "Real"?

Question

Considering the technology and advancements in research we have in this day and time, it never amazes me what the human mind and body is capable of. Just yesterday, I saw a story on Discovery Channel about a 7 year old boy in a rare scenario (forgot the exact name of the case), where he was pregnant with his own twin. It is a rare medical phenomenon, but it can, and did, happen. If a 7 year old can be pregnant with their own twin, then why is it so hard to believe that a person can suffer severe depression, or dissociate identity disorder...and have one or more identities separate from themselves, or any other disorder&illness? Is it because the excuse of mental illness has been taken advantage of, and used as an excuse for criminal activities or to explain away unacceptable behavior? What do you think?

Answer 1

Becaue they simply just don't understand it. People in general either fear or deny anything they can't comprehend. There are MANY proven medical conditions besides mental illnesses that get the same type reaction.

Answer 2

Mental illness is very, very real. And yes, I feel the justice system is the reason a lot of people do not take mental illness seriously, adding into the mix, others in the world who do use it as just an excuse....but sadly, it is very real.
And by the way, the seven year old was not "actually" pregnant with his own twin (not about to carry a twin to term or give birth)...however, I really see no coorelation between that phenomenom and mental illness.

Answer 3

Some people believe that these things aren't real because they have never had any experience with them. A person who has never suffered from an anxiety attack will never truly understand why it is so debilitating. It is also easier for them to think that people make things like that up than to think that they might possibly have something "wrong" with them in the future. I also think that part of this fear is due to the stigma that psychology and mental illness has had. Once people become less ignorant and leave their fears of mental illness behind, then the better off all people will be.

Answer 4

People want to have tangible proof something is the way it is. For example we can not see or hear the hallucinations some mentally ill people experience however it is a very real situation for that individual. No two people experience mental illness in the exact same way and no one who isn't mentally ill can begin to experience what the mentally ill do. People should realize that often mentally ill people are very very intelligent and interesting people!!!!!!

Answer 5

Ignorance and Fear.

Many people are taught as children that MH issues are a sign of lack of moral fiber, a weakness in character.

I think this hides a fear of something that is beyond their ability to understand.

I have listened to troops returning from battle. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a real concern. However their is a sub culture within the military that denies its existence and labels these patients slackers, cowards, etc.

The saddest example was one Sargent who was all for punishing these people, because he got through combat just fine. About three months later he was deep in counseling with all the classic symptoms.

Ignorance and Fear

Answer 6

These are the sick smug bastards who get off on going up to complete strangers who look unhappy and saying "Smile! It's can't be THAT bad!". Yes, the excuse of mental illness has been taken advantage off. But that does not mean that it doesn't exist just because not everyone suffers from some form of it. I agree with Ariel G re: opinionated judgmental jerkwads.

Answer 7

These are people who typically look down on those who are not as they are, i.e. "normal". You'll find that these people have either overcome what they perceive as an illness, when in fact it was just a temporary state they were in. These people also tend to be highly opinionated and judgemental, and so that they feel disorders aren't "real", is more a reflection of their personality than not.

Answer 8

I guess because it isn't concrete or tangible many people consider it "all in your head". It being unable to be quantified certainly has something to do with it.

I do believe ( I work in behavioral health) that some people do "choose" crazy as a means of escapism (whether that be escaping life or responsibility in general). But this is NOT the case in the majority of cases.

People who haven't experienced mental illness in any form (or vicariously through others) have no realistic image of what it entails. If something scares us, it is common for us to put our heads in the sand, you know.

Answer 9

what's usual anymore? we are imperfect people residing in a less than excellent international. psychological issues have been around for hundreds of years. stress and temper issues are taken care of lots distinctive at the instant. there is drugs besides as communicate therapy. For extreme melancholy which includes bipolar and schizophrenia - there are help communities and companies to help them to attempt to have a competent high quality of existence. some issues are drug brought about. many have a genetic predisposition. situations that want counseling only are the blues that bypass or bereavement. scientific melancholy is greater extreme and can be clinically determined by skill of a psychiatrist.

Answer 10

Because there is no good way to guage the degree of sickness. What is consider healthy and what is not varies from people to people, culture to culture.

Unless physical sickness and disorder, they can be visably distingish.

Mental illness is serious and real but there is no clear cut to say someone is ill or not. Also, everyone has some degree of weirdness inside of them. You can not judge it by comparing one to another.