Mental Illness--Debunking the myths/sharing some insight..

Where's the bowing smilie when you need it........THANK YOU for this excellent essay!! As a nurse, I appreciate your understanding of the science behind brain disorders; as a patient, I appreciate your understanding, period.

Thank you for including point #4. It's the one that irks me the most. I can't count how many times I've heard, "just think happy thoughts" BS, like it's supposed to make everything magically better.

AWESOME ARTICLE! I am #6... with the trait of #5. I did well with my trait, having up to 3 jobs at one time...when #6 entered my life, it certainly changed. #6 for me, is a separation from the world... life is truly different, a spectator amongst the living...like being encased in a time-warped bubble that feels as though there is no chance of popping.Everyone has some form of a trait, and mental illness is not relegated to psych wards, and won't "go away" and can be "ignored" while we are supposed to treat our patients. I find myself more in tuned where someone is coping from, and have led to a transformational shift of how readily a person will take a medication, help with discharge planning, etc. In the midst of my own health, I realized how it made me a better nurse.If more nurses were inclined to be holistic as we are supposed to be, we can truly empower mental illness, even if it means looking at ourselves in the mirror.

Don't agree with #2 at all but everything else was nice.

Oh trust me #2 is very true. Maybe not with the mood disorders, but certainly with the psychotic disorders. If only I had a dollar for every time a delusional pt tells me, "No, don't you see, the police CAME into my house and left those three beans in my colander to harrass me, you must be Tue crazy one if you don't believe me". #1 is so true. If I had a psychotic disorder, I would rather have hallucinations than delusions. Hallucinations are far easier to treat with meds than delusions. Once we get into delusions, you're dealing with a person's core beliefs and damn if that isn't hard. Thank you for this. It's helpful to know people out there understand that the mentally ill don't leave their somatic issues at the door. In fact many of them get substandard somatic care because , "its all in their head". As a nurse and a person with Bipolar type 2, I thank you.

As a number 6 I can tell you sometimes you don't even know what the horror was but it attacks every part of your life. Relentlessly. Well written.

Quote from dirtyhippiegirlDon't agree with #2 at all but everything else was nice.

I would like to add to number 4 - "What could you possibly have to be depressed about?" Depression is about how you see yourself, your perspective. And no, making decent money at a job doesn't mean you "don't have anything to be depressed about."

Since most mental illnesses are considered chemical imbalances, more research needs to be done on the major supplier of chemicals to the body, ie food.

Quote from DizzyLizzyNurseI would like to add to number 4 - "What could you possibly have to be depressed about?" Depression is about how you see yourself, your perspective. And no, making decent money at a job doesn't mean you "don't have anything to be depressed about."

Quote from TerpGal02Oh trust me #2 is very true. Maybe not with the mood disorders, but certainly with the psychotic disorders. If only I had a dollar for every time a delusional pt tells me, "No, don't you see, the police CAME into my house and left those three beans in my colander to harrass me, you must be Tue crazy one if you don't believe me". #1 is so true. If I had a psychotic disorder, I would rather have hallucinations than delusions. Hallucinations are far easier to treat with meds than delusions. Once we get into delusions, you're dealing with a person's core beliefs and damn if that isn't hard. Thank you for this. It's helpful to know people out there understand that the mentally ill don't leave their somatic issues at the door. In fact many of them get substandard somatic care because , "its all in their head". As a nurse and a person with Bipolar type 2, I thank you.

Unmedicated psychotics as a general rule do believe their psychosis to be true. Medications do act as a buffer for most to clear the mind enough to distinguish. And we shall agree to disagree, as part of the diagnosis of those who are anorexics do believe themselves to be obese.NAMI | Anorexia NervosaPsychotic Depression: Losing Touch With Reality - Depression Center - EverydayHealth.com