Why do people who are completely clueless feel they have the knowledge to give advice on such a matter?

Question

I have read through questions on the mental health section and i am apalled. Do you people who suggest that ppl with mental health issues 'should just get over it' or are 'attention seeking' are being in someway intelligent. People with mental health problems are vunerable and this kind of response to somebody who has an illness is irresponsible.If these people are so desperate they have no one to talk to that they feel the need to discuss it with complete strangers over the net (unfortunately an ever increasing thing, but a blessing as long as the right sort of ppl are online!) is it too much to ask that we try and either offer them sympathetic advice or if we dont know enough about a subject - leave them alone!Depression is an illness like any other, an imbalancement of the chemicals in the brain, you need help, support and medication to irradicate the problem. It is unfortunate in this day and age that we are still so uneducated and naive about something so common.

I hope none those that have offered careless, heartless advice ever suffer with such a frightening uncontrollable desease. It is not some thing you can just snap out of - the body is a complex thing and we may not always understand how it works, but just cause we cant see an inffliction doesnt mean its not there or we can just turn it off.

Some people have commented that this site is an inappropriate place to discuss such problems and that those suffering should seek professional advice (which is true) but what if you are looking for reassurance from other sufferers and are so desperate for guidance you will seek help and support anywhere you can get it. I find it worrying that people dont have compassion in there hearts for ppl who have a genuine illness. Ok it doesnt make sense that someone would discuss something so important and frightening on a web site, but what makes sense about mental illness? Come on guys - Have a heart or leave them alone - who knows what damage you are doing with such careless mean comments!

Answer 1

Some people have no tolerance for people with 'mental health' issues. There are many forms of mental health problems out there and although you can categorize in a lot of cases, some cases are unique. A lot of 'sane' people have no idea so simply have the attitude that being told to 'sort themselves out' will have the desired effect.
Personally I blame 'care in the community' where most of the mental institutions were closed down and the patients simply 'released into the community'. They were prescribed drugs to control their illness but how can a mental patient with issues be trusted to take their own medication? The lack of follow up support is also an issue which only seems to be addressed when something has gone seriously wrong and it seems the signs were so blatant how could those who keep an eye on the 'mentally ill' possibly miss it.
Mental health should be a much bigger issue in this country and instead of worrying about mental patients 'human rights' maybe they should actually help them.
Those 'normal people' that scoff and laugh are beneath contempt and i hope they never suffer mental health issues or are adversely affected by a mental patient who has lost it... their tone would soon change..
Unfortunately the world is full of people with little care for others.

Mega

Answer 2

Sweetness,
the reason that you get the responses in this place that you do is because this place is like --- the evening news meets the simpsons --- it runs the gambit in this place--- you have actual mental cases answering questions here AND you have some people that ARE so knowledgable on certain things that they almost need an interpreter to explain what they've said after they've entered it in post !!
Another point that can be made in defense of some people who are trying to help but don't know how--- is that they are trying (that isn't meant to be any kind of a "walk" for the actual ignorant, unfeeling morons that are here doing anything and everything they can just to "stir the stew")
People who are actually clinically depressed though---are going to be brought down by damn near everything they run into anyway-- be it in this place or out on the street--- and the best advice anyone can truly ever give them in here is the same that you WOULD face to face--- Go get professional help !! And, in most cases -- it's not like they haven't heard that a dozen times or more already !!

Answer 3

1. It think some don't have a clue as to what mental illness is and how they treat people on here is probably the same way they would treat friends, acquaintances, workmates, or family members who were mentally ill.

2. Some posters can't grasp the fact that people on here sometimes just want a sense of direction (in realtime) where they can go for professional help.

3. On the other hand, some aspects of mental illness can be alleviated by the mentally ill themselves. Not every symptom can be done away with with talking therapy or drugs. When posters reply, "Get over it" what they really might be saying is "move on with life" or "note positive things in your life" or "exercise more" or "DO things with friends more" and not just rely on caregivers or drugs for symptom relief. They are just using the wrong words by saying, "Get over it." Or they may think that is what they would say to themselves if they were in that predicament, but what works for them will not necessarily work for others.

Answer 4

What you say is right only you must remember there are those who are not genuine with a question as I have read some and it certainly isn't true cause it is so far fetched, there are then those who answer and they haven't got a clue what they are on about. As far as myself I always read the question twice and some are a wind up if I think it is true and I can answer then I will only I do know not to say pull yourself together or get over it. I try to give an opinion without being hurtful or unsympathetic. I read more questions in mental health than I answer.

Answer 5

It's alright to be 'young and having fun' but this guy only said it to get in your pants! He sounds like a complete tool, he's no player, just a scumbag who got lucky with two sisters and you let it happen. You are right to feel the way you do, it's a terrible thing to betray your own family, especially for something so trivial as a drunken fling. My advice to you is not to tell your sister because she is going to be p*ssed on a huge scale, understandably enough. You did an awful thing to her and the guilt is the price you're going to have to pay, there's no point in hurting your sister now. I would however tell the guy to keep away from your sister now because if she finds out about that then she's really going to be in pieces. My other advice to you is to think a bit more about your actions in the future, you say "I did say to him that i can't" but you still had sex with him. Try a bit harder in the future and have a bit more respect for yourself and don't be used by a*shole guys like this who just want to get laid and have no attachment or responsibility.

Answer 6

I agree with your statement. It is a shame that some people a so cold hearted that they want to respond in the most negative way possible. Depression is an ever growing condition within our society, but I believe that most people's perception of somebody stating that they are depressed is just an excuse for that person to feel sorry for themselves. Some people out there may not understand the severity of depression if left alone. As I stated i do agree with what your saying, but don't forget that the majority of the people on here are from what I can see, school/college kids who haven't got a clue what depression really is.

Answer 7

I have a mental illness which has left me debilitaed over the years, I am now in recovery and work as a Peer Support Worker and Consumer Advocate. I would always suggest professioal help if I thought it appropriate I have studied mental health at college and will begin University next year to study Human Services specialising in Disability. I think empathetic more than sympathetic , and I would never advise for people to "get over it" as this is stigma and creates isolation. I think your question is great thank you for bringing it to my attention and it is sad that we as a community are so uneduacated and biased towards the mentally ill. If I had cancer people would be more compassionate.

Answer 8

Because if people don't have a mental illness than they don't understand. And some people are just plain ignorant. As far as why people come on here instead of a specialist, people come on here for advice because they are too embarrassed to ask face to face. It's easier to ask a complete stranger over the net than to face the reality that they might need help. They want to be told that it's normal or a confirmation to get help not "Get over it". I completely agree, people are just still so uneducated on mental disorders. Who can blame them though, people don't understand what they don't know. It's the uneducated we should feel sorry for as opposed to the mental ill. Hahaha

Answer 9

I COMPLETELY agree with you 100000 % !

People REALLY do not understand the seriousness of Depression ...i have it ...but i'm mature enough and handled it all the right away then to let the people on here give me advice!
There are some great and qualified people on yahoo answers .....there should be a special section for those type of questions and answers !! Or none at all ! Hang in there sweety ...not everyone has common sense like you and me ; )

Answer 10

You are 100% right. I have seen the same thing and it angers me too. But I think that everyone understands that this board is not the best place to get major life advice, esp. on issues of mental health. There are an unfortunate number of people out there who still stigmatize mental problems and think that a person with depression, for instance, is just seeking attention of that the depression is in his/her head (I hear that from my own parents even, and they ARE educated!! So what can you expect from strangers on this forum. You never know who's answering a question. It could be some bored 10 year old who doesn't even know what depression is. I mean, have you seen how some people write on these boards? Do they even have a sixth-grade education?!! But with that said, I've also come across some real good advice. There are actual doctors and nurses who sometimes contribute, as well as people who relate to the sujbect and can give good advice, or at least share their own stories and make the asker feel that they're not alone. I agree with you that it's a shame more people aren't educated and informed about mental health issues, especially considering how rampant they are. But with all that said, you just have to take those rude, uninformed, etc., advices with a grain of salt. I'm sure the person posting questions about depression can tell who the real "experts" are and who the "trolls" are. Again, I completely agree with your stance and I have been appalled many times at some of the answers I've read, but when you really think about it, it's actually quite wonderful that there at least as many, if not more, good, supportive answers as bad ones. So if only one good answer helps a person with depression or other mental disorder find hope, then it nullifies all the bad advice the others try to dish out to amuse themselves. I just hope the vulnerable people who post do indeed sift through the "crap" and find some help and hope in the good answers. This forum is kind of like a mini-world. There's stupid people, smart people, compassionate people, rude people, prejudice people, non-judgmental people, etc. We should all look at this forum as we would treat talking to a bunch of people at a party. We don't know them all....we talk to them, we ask them questions, they answer us...and at the end of the night, we take the good and leave the rest behind. I say forget those who just want to stir trouble or get a kick out of their own pseudo-witty answers, and rather give kudos to all those who DO give really good/sound advice. Look some more through the mental health archives...you'll find that there are plenty of those supportive, caring answers out there too. Some people even tell the poster to email them to chat, etc. Again, I agree with you and it's unfortunate that immature/uneducated people feel the need to post in a subject they know nothing about just to get points, amuse themselves or whatnot...it's disgraceful. But let's at least be glad for those of us who do take these forums seriously and try to help others as best as we can.