Are people really naturally mentally ill, or is it a vanity illness created by boredom?

Question

I tend to find that every once in a while, I display attitudes people might diagnose as mental illness, such as mood swings, delusions of grandeur, depression, among other things. Why is it though that so many people today find mental illness a trendy thing to have? I wonder if some of the people I talk to that claim to suffer from or display mental problems overtly would only seek to maintain some sort of goals, discipline or responsibility for their actions so as to recognize what is important. I tend to find most people that suffer from mental illness really have a self-centered attitude that forms the core of their perceived problems.

In plain words, is mental illness really an adult version of a child acting like a spoiled brat?

I realize sometimes I may feel sad, moody or weird, but in the end, other people are counting on me and that's what really matters. Maybe in well-off countries, the mind plays tricks because we have life easier than others?

Answer 1

There are people who have real mental problems but those who like to think they have make a mockery of everyone else. There are loads of emo kids these days who suffer from depression and cutting themselves but I'm sure that a very small percentage actually have a real problem. It is cool to be weird these days and everyone wants to be the mad person in their group. It is more about attention seeking than real mental turmoil for the most part. Also the doctors seem quick to categorise people rather than looking to see if there is a real problem now.

Answer 2

Or, try this on... a lot of mentally-ill people don't think they're mentally ill and feel they have control over it. So, maybe you are mentally ill but would like to believe that you don't have it because you have control and maybe you're just spoiled, and maybe mental illness doesn't exist anyway. Because it would be easier to say that mental illness doesn't exist than it would be to think that maybe you have an actual illness and you really can't control it and it's going to get worse.

I met a woman who had paranoid schizophrenia. She knows that the correct answer is that her brain has gone haywire and that's why she thinks that aliens are controlling her, but in reality, she KNOWS that the aliens really are controlling her. Anyway, yes, mental illness is real. It's a disease, sometimes genetic, where there is a chemical imbalance in the brain. If it was any other organ, we'd just treat it, but because it's the brain, we make it seem like it's another issue, like lack of self-discipline.

Maybe you need to talk to a doctor and get some help or insight into your problems. The delusions of grandeur and depression are especially troubling and can be treated with medication and talk therapy. At the least, you need a professional evaluation.

Answer 3

Mental illness is very real. I have spent years working with people who have it. They tend to be self centered but thats part of illness. The suffering is real delusions paranoia its hardly a way to get out of doing things even the best facilities are awful places to live in. "Sane" adults who act like brats are just that.

The only time I have heard of faking mental illness is at criminal trials and that does not reflect the reality of the suffering of those people who are really sick. I am glad u asked the question and hope you were enlightened by reply good nite

Answer 4

The 'symptoms' you're talking about could just be having a bad day.

I had REAL mental illness... I was talking to myself, smelling awful smells that weren't there, having strange sensations of being electrocuted, thinking any and everything was a 'sign' to complete whatever destiny I thought I had (delusions of reference) and extreme paranoia of everyone around me.

And your opinion that mental illness is a child acting like a spoiled brat I find offensive. You obviously have no understanding of what real mental illness is. A person throwing a mad fit could be just that... them being mad. If they're doing that while talking to themselves, though, they could have mental illness.

Nobody wakes up one day and says "I want to be mentally ill." Many mentally ill people don't even know they're ill until they get well again and see that their behavior was messed up... at least this was the case with me. And if someone thinks being mentally ill is trendy, they need to grow up because it isn't. It's an awful condition that not only makes you feel emotionally and even physically weird but hampers everyone's opinion of you.

Answer 5

I think that it would be pretty hard to pretend you had paranoid schizophrenia complete with auditory hallucinations, etc. As far as problems like borderline personality disorders and such, there are probably people who do have a bonafide problem but within the guidelines you could also place people who are just plain obnoxious and need a good kicking rather than a bottle of pills and a shoulder to cry on!

Answer 6

Both situations are true...

It depends on the situation.

I have known too many people who have committed suicide over their mental problems to deny the existance of them.

But there is also, like you say, an element of vanity to it all...

Also, I think that the underlying problem for a lot of folks is that they just want an excuse... to not be as pretty, to not be as smart, to not be as athletic or educated...

Society expects SO MUCH from us and we all feel like we are falling behind and so we come up with "handicap" excuses for our failures.

Answer 7

....Good lord. Some people are mentally ill because they have a defect contracted before their birth. Like, downsyndrom. AUTISM though thats a cool thing to have....Anyway, some people grow into trauma illnesses but if they arent that way from birth and nothing tramatic happened, they are CHILDREN LIKE FIBBERS!
-Ryko

Answer 8

It's cool to be on lots of meds.