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MENTAL ILLNESS: What is mental illness?
Mental illness is an illness that affects or is manifested in a person's
brain. It may impact on the way a person thinks, behaves, and interacts with
other people.
The term "mental illness" actually encompasses numerous psychiatric disorders,
and just like illnesses that affect other parts of the body, they can vary in
severity. Many people suffering from mental illness may not look as though they
are ill or that something is wrong, while others may appear to be confused,
agitated, or withdrawn.
It is a myth that mental illness is a weakness or defect in character and that
sufferers can get better simply by "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps."
Mental illnesses are real illnesses--as real as heart disease and cancer--and
they require and respond well to treatment.
The term "mental illness" is an unfortunate one because it implies a distinction
between "mental" disorders and "physical" disorders. Research shows that there
is much "physical" in "mental" disorders and vice-versa. For example, the brain
chemistry of a person with major depression is different from that of a
nondepressed person, and medication can be used (often in combination with
psychotherapy) to bring the brain chemistry back to normal. Similarly, a person
who is suffering from hardening of the arteries in the brain--which reduces the
flow of blood and thus oxygen in the brain--may experience such "mental"
symptoms as confusion and forgetfulness.
In the past 20 years especially, psychiatric research has made great strides in
the precise diagnosis and successful treatment of many mental illnesses. Where
once mentally ill people were warehoused in public institutions because they
were disruptive or feared to be harmful to themselves or others, today most
people who suffer from a mental illness--including those that can be extremely
debilitating, such as schizophrenia --can be treated effectively and lead full
lives.
Recognized mental illnesses are described and categorized in the book Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. This book is
compiled by the American Psychiatric Association and updated periodically. It
can be purchased through the American Psychiatric Association in Washington DC.
Some of the more commonly known psychiatric disorders are depression; manic
depression (also known as bipolar disorder); anxiety disorders, including
specific phobias (such as fear of heights), social phobia, panic disorder,
agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder;
schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, such as delusional disorder;
substance abuse and disorders related to substance abuse; delirium; dementia,
including Alzheimer's disease; eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia;
sleep disorders; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; learning disorders;
sexual disorders; dissociative disorders, such as multiple personality disorder;
and personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder and
antisocial personality disorder.
If you would like to receive additional literature about psychiatric illnesses,
you may call the Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians and order the following
pamphlets:
Mental Illnesses...An Overview
Depression
Manic-Depressive Disorder
Schizophrenia
Obsessive-compulsive Disorder
Panic Disorder
Phobias
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Mental Health of the Elderly
Substance Abuse
Teen Suicide
Childhood Disorders
Psychiatric Medications
Eating Disorders
Alzheimer's Disease
Coping with HIV and AIDS
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FEDERATION
OF TEXAS PSYCHIATRY