I don't understand people who don't believe in mental illness; can someone explain?

Question

I don't want to disrespect anyone's beliefs, but I have been treated for depression and anxiety for years and I definitely feel better with medication than I did without it. I have also worked in the mental heatlh field for 20 years--and I've seen a lot of people with who have hallucinations and delusions about being God or seeing Elvis and all kinds of weird stuff. How do you explain that?

Thanks everyone. I think most peole who don't believe in mental illness do so because they have never seen or experienced it, or because they are in denial of their own problems. Sorry to hear about the pastor who said "Christians shouldn't be here"--he was kind enough to visit and then he said something ignorant like that, it's better if he didn't show up at all. It sounds like you haven't lost your faith in spite of it, and that can't hurt. The story about the guy with schizophrenia and the doctor who said "there no such thing" where did he get his degree, from a cereal box? My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, I think it was just a racket to sell Aricept; but she definitely had dementia of some kind--I just think it was vascular dementia instead of Alzheimer's, but I guess it doesn't matter, she is dead now, and nobody could really help her anyway.

Answer 1

At least the majority of people who don't believe in mental illness are small. I guess some are in denial about a friend or them selves (The many schizophrenics that don't believe anything is wrong with them) sometimes it is a hard thing to accept, it took me years to accept I was ill and sometimes I still don't believe it, but that is often different to the people who completely rule out mental illness as real. People who make judgments so easily of things have often not had first hand research in it, so they're really not someone you should concern your self overs opinion.

Now say the person had worked as a mental health worker or such for years and claimed mental health wasn't real, that would take some explaining.
I guess it comes back to the fact we all have our own beliefs, some people pick some pretty out there beliefs we all pick our own religion for our own reasons and rule out others from our choices.
It comes down the the individual really, I recall in the 80's a lady trying to get her schizophrenic son hospitalized, she rang the hospital they said ring crisis care they said they would not make a house call and to ring the police, she rang the police they said ring crisis care she explained she had and they said that they could do nothing as the son would probably act ok when they got there and couldn't take him to hospital while he was able to muster the strength to act sane and to try crisis care again.

She convinced the police to come even though it took them hours
they rang the hospital for her and got a hold of the head doctor and told him what was going on and do you know what the doctor said? "there is no such thing as schizophrenia" well this really made her snap so she spoke to this doctor over the phone and he agreed to let her bring her son into hospital (it seems out of fear of the mother more than the son) she convinced the doctor to hold him to evaluate him and after it all this doctor was now convinced schizophrenia was very real. HA, the ignorance of humans.

Answer 2

You seem to assume that "religion" must refer to the Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, not all faiths subscribe to those scriptures, or even to any. As a Pagan I believe that the Gods created the Universe and the Natural Laws by which it runs, those laws include chance and luck. Mental illnesses, like any other kind, or, for that matter natural disasters, occurs through chance not design and dealing with them is a part of the human condition. The Gods also gave us free will, so we are accountable for voluntary actions based on what we know or believe, that means that mental illness is a factor in the consequences of those actions. Science is a tool for understanding how the universe works, spirituality is a means of exploring your relationship with the Gods, the two cannot in any way conflict since they address two separate issues.

Answer 3

I am Bipolar II - I hallucinate - without my medicine I see angels, demons, people that are not there, .......
My Sunday school teacher (and associate pastor) visited me in a mental hospital and said a christian should never have to be here (I was too depressed to say oh you never catch a cold?)
People do not acknowledge mental illness because it cannot be seen, if you really break your arm and it bends in the wrong place there is no way they can say you are not sick because it is visible. Remember for Millenia Epilepsy was "demonic possession" (still is in some places). We just need to be tolerant worship God our way (I have my Bible, but I do not go to church - been burned too many times) and pray for them even though they do not tolerate us.
Not much comfort is it, but pray, and know you are not alone.

Answer 4

People who don't believe in mental illness are either ignorant or have never experienced mental illness either first hand or within their family and friend circle.
There are many, many ignorant, selfish, rude people in the world, who think they know everything. The sooner we all deal with that, the better.
Education is also practically non-existent. I'm just glad people don't always look at you in horror if you casually note that you're seeing a therapist. EVERYONE should see a therapist. This world would be a more understanding and happy place.

Answer 5

Kind of funny you said you "see a lot of people with who have hallucinations...." no offense.....

Yes i can explain. It is called they haven't experienced it themself so they do not belive it. Some people must have to actually go through an experience in order to actually believe it hon.

Then there are those who are simply ignorant or are in denial. I know many who are mentally ill and they are in denial about it. And then there are those who refuse to study about this because they simply don't care probably because it isn't affecting their immediate lives.

Answer 6

The people who believe any kind of emotional illness is not real or not a real disorder, have their own issues to deal with. Millions of people go undiagnosed or untreated for emotional issues every year and it is a shame because help is out there. In the form of counseling, therapy and medications. It can make all the difference in the quality of someones life.

Answer 7

any part of the body can be diseased...and sometimes one needs medication to help...(sometimes)..

almost everyone i know is on some sort of anti anxiety anti depressant...- I understand this...for a short period of time...if someone you were close to dies, or tradegy,,,something that helps you cope until you learn to live...and accept...otherwise your not living in reality.

as far as people have delusions...thats mental illness. or withdrawal from drugs or alcohol...or brain injury.

Answer 8

Those who don't believe are nuts.