25% of americans mentally ill

Originally posted by Eyeofhorus
Percentages and data can be fabricated.

There is no such thing as "mental illness," it is not a illness, nor a condition, it is completely natural. The only thing that separates my brain from the brain of a "mentally ill" person, is that my thoghts are in a format that can be comprehended by most people who i communicate with.

You know those times when you are trying to explain something to a friend and you just cannot get them to "see it" or understand your idea? Now imagine if nobody was able to understand you. Every time you tried to communicate with them through what you saw as a logical pattern, they would look at you funny or walk away. This is how it is for a "mentally ill" person.

Thank you, Dr. Eyeofhorus, for your scientific and professional opinion.
Would you mind, terribly, backing up your assertions with scientific or clinical documentation? Failing that, I would have to assume that you are doing nothing but making rash generalizations based on your own biases and preconceptions.

It might be of interest to you to know that not all "mentally ill" people in this country or in the world are schitzophrenics or bi-polar. All mentally ill people do not go to "institutions" because they don't think the same way you do. I have to say, in all honesty, I am very happy I don't think the way you do; I guess taht makes me crazy, huh?

Please, do your research and know what you are talking about before you make blanket statements about a particular group of people. Thank you.

Also, the links that you provided do not give any clinical evidence to support their claim and the last one refers to diabetic ketosis which has nothing at all to do with mental illness.

Originally posted by lightseeker


Thank you, Dr. Eyeofhorus, for your scientific and professional opinion.
Would you mind, terribly, backing up your assertions with scientific or clinical documentation? Failing that, I would have to assume that you are doing nothing but making rash generalizations based on your own biases and preconceptions.



Please, do your research and know what you are talking about before you make blanket statements about a particular group of people. Thank you.

I never claimed to be a doctor, nor did I give that impression. So back up off of my case, dude.

I am making a crtique, of the doctor system. And the fact that modern medicine, connot understand the nature of these illnesses. Unfortunatley the only evidence that is poste is by doctors, and it is just documentation. Nothing more. I basically have no evidence for you. But you can keep going and getting your drugs from your doctor, so calm down....

It was just an opinion, I am not a doctor, I don't make "blanket" statemets, I used these two ilnesses as an example of how little modern medicine knows about treating and diagnosing mental ilness. It would be a waste of time to go through EVERY ilness.

Thanks for the sarcasm, it was wasted on me though.

[edit on 8-6-2005 by Eyeofhorus]

I just read that article that MOretti linked in his intro. remarks.
I see no political link other than his conclusion about Bush voters.
Methinks this is better suited to PTS Medical Issues.

That being said, Eyeofhorus,
I hope you are merely the messenger of half-truths. The Atkins diet does not remove all sugars from the diet. I am on a low-carb way of eating. At no time did I not eat some carbs. The Atkins diet does have a two-week induction that greatly reduces carbs from the diet, but that is only two weeks.
Beacause I find fault with one of your premises, I must wonder if the others are reliable.

Originally posted by Eyeofhorus
3.) The Atkins diet. People who chose to remove all sugars from thier diet are destined for bad things...Anytime there is a major change in the diet the body undergoes a "shock" and has to adjust. If sugars are removed, your moods, metabolism, and chemical balance will be affected. Removing sugars can create moodiness and grogginess, as well as very suggestable people.

patrifriedman.com...

"The body must also break down its own muscle tissue to provide the brain and red blood cells with glucose, a required nutrient," Cox says. "Muscle tissue holds water, and when lost, results in a significant amount of weight loss."

[edit on 8-6-2005 by DontTreadOnMe]

Here you go, atkins and mental health.

From: The Atkins Diet Can Cause Depression, by Mark Prigg, Daily Mail, reported in the UK Therapists Newsletter, March 5, 2004.

The Atkins diet is at the centre of fresh controversy after scientists said it could cause depression and mood swings. Medical experts have found that the diet blocks the brain's ability to produce chemicals that keep us happy.

from
www.counselingseattle.com...

(scroll down to second article.)

As far as drug induced schizophrenia, and other mental conditions:

from: www.ecstasy.org...

This refers to a direct pharmacological effect. There is no doubt that this occurs both with stimulants (Connell, 1958; Bell, 1965; Satel et al, 1991) and cannabis (Mathers & Ghodse, 1992). It probably also occurs with solvents, ecstasy and Iysergic acid diethylamide ('___'). Such states may persist for several days; it is not commonly appreciated that some of these substances have extremely long half lives. For example, amphetamine may persist in measurable quantities in the urine for up to 48 hours after a single small dose, and cannabinoids, even excluding active metabolites, persist in measurable quantities for up to 6 weeks.

Drugs double chances of mental illness (BBC)

from newswww.bbc.net.uk...

Smoking cannabis virtually doubles the risk of developing mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, researchers say.
The New Zealand scientists said their study suggested this was probably due to chemical changes in the brain which resulted from smoking the drug.

overdiagnosis of ADHD

from:www.heall.com...
US Federal laws designed to identify and treat learning disabled children are serving as a powerful incentive for public schools to over-diagnose and medicate children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a panel has told an education subcommittee of Congress.

More about ADHD

www.srmhp.org...

one final thought

from: www.pendulum.org...

Yet when it comes to mental illness, society has not caught up to science.
"The world's history has been one of fear and misunderstanding and superstition around mental illnesses," said Michael Faenza, president of the National Mental Health Association. "There's still a lot of misunderstanding. About half the folks out there think that mental illnesses are problems that have to do withcharacter and self-discipline.

All of you were so quick to dispel my theory, but many people agree that modern medicine knows very little about mental disorders. I’m done discussing this with all of you, take this information and use it to formulate YOUR OWN opinion, don’t just tke my word for it.

Since after all I’m just a “messenger of half-truths,”

Don’t tread on ME!


[edit on 8-6-2005 by Eyeofhorus]

[edit on 8-6-2005 by Eyeofhorus]

@ Eyeof horus
I read your seattle counseling article.
I how many, many women who are on a low-carb life-style and show no signs of mental illness. Or crankiness. There lives are much more on an even keel. Their blood work is improved, they don't suffer carb cravings. Women who no longer worry about developing diabetes and are talking fewer and fewer medications. I could go on.
They eat lots of fruits and veggies, meats, whole grains, but VERY little highly processed foods.

The article itself seems to be skewed against low-carbing, as are many who don't really know what eating low-carb is.
High carbohydrate diets can lead to wild insulin level swings wich can lead to sleepiness, irritability, bloat, indigestion, diabetes. Just depends on which scientist you wanna talk to, I guess. *shrugs*

Perhaps I spoke a little so harshly. If so, I am sorry.
You must understand, however, that there is a lot of disinformation out there about low-carb living. And a lot of just don't understand what low-carb eating really means.

[edit on 9-6-2005 by DontTreadOnMe]

Bush comment is cute but doubt it can be proven. Mental illness is a serious and growing problem in not just the USA. The internet alone comprises an incrediable number of mental health/depression/suicide etc type sites and the member base is large.

It would seem depression ranks top which is not surprising considering the state of the world. Sometimes people have to just step away from news and such and find things in life they enjoy, no matter how simple. Worrying about everything in the world does not always do good for the human mind.

This thread even when it started with a good issue and ended with a funny comment, is still a good one.

Talking about mentally ill in American I will have to agree with those that posted that is true, yes mentally illness is becoming a problem in our nation.

When people think about mentally ill they tend to picture somebody beyond reason.

That is not so, mentally ill could be anybody under certain stress related illnesses, emotional problems and just no be able to go day by day in what most of us consider a "normal way"

Most people depend on stimulants and "happy pills" to get over their problems and we don't call them crazy because of that.

Most of the my co-workers "Teachers" are on some kind of pills, like paxil or prozac, and I don't call them crazy.

Even my neighbor is on Prozac and she is a very successful women.

Depressive disorders encompass major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is included because people with this illness have depressive episodes as well as manic episodes.

This link is old but still mental problems has been a growing issue in our nation.

Approximately 18.8 million American adults,5 or about 9.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year,1 have a depressive disorder.
Nearly twice as many women (12.0 percent) as men (6.6 percent) are affected by a depressive disorder each year. These figures translate to 12.4 million women and 6.4 million men in the U.S.5
Depressive disorders may be appearing earlier in life in people born in recent decades compared to the past.6
Depressive disorders often co-occur with anxiety disorders and substance abuse.7

www.nimh.nih.gov...

I may not blame it all on Mr. Bush but the last 4 years including 9/11 and the war in Iraq has prompted more people to be affected with some degrees of stress.

I would agree that stress is high and rising. Mentally ill pretty much describes probably about everyone these days. Whether you need a prescription to relax or a beer every night or street drugs, people are turning to something to deal with life. The body can only take so much worry before it starts to give, whether that be physcially or mentally, it will take its toll.

I do think that the US and most the world do not put much resources into health care in general much less mental health care thus many problems go untreated. Medicine of the mind and body is expensive but sooner or later we are going to have to find a way to address the issues before the next person cracks and takes a gun into a high school or a bomb into a building or takes their childrens' lifes along with theirs.

Dear all,

It is my experience that those who do not use some sort of stimulant on a regular basis are seen as having a problem.

I do not smoke, do drugs, drink alcohol, indulge in X-sports or engage in extra-marital affairs.

I am the only person I know who can say that.

Am I happy? Yes.

Am I happy all the time? No but that is what life is about.

Cheers

BHR

Originally posted by BillHicksRules
It is my experience that those who do not use some sort of stimulant on a regular basis are seen as having a problem.

That's a really good point. Also we must recognize how the drug companies and medical-industrial complex (only slightly less dangerous than the military-industrial) would love for 25% or more of our population to think they have some problem that can only be treated be medication. There is little difference between the homeboy selling crack on the street corner and your local pharmacy, except that your pharmacy is sanctioned by our own government.

The government doesn't keep illegal drugs illegal because they are concerned about you. They keep them illegal because they haven't figured out a way to control the quality or make a profit from their use.

Ambient,

I have to disagree with the last statement.

The reasons why certain drugs are illegal is historical and successive governments have painted the current ones into a corner.

No politician can countenance legalising something as mild as cannabis without ending their political career. This is why we cannot get an adult discussion on the merits and pitfalls of one drug versus another in terms of legalisation.

Cheers

BHR

Bill, the original reasons that Cannabis was prohibited in the first place were financial (ie: DuPont, Hurst Publishing Empire) and racial (demonize the mexican immigrant).

I still must argue that the reason it is illegal today (disproportionatly so compared to much more harmful substances including legal ones) is financial. The pharmcuitacal companies, the alchohol industries, the law enforcement/prison industries, and the psychiatric industry spend millions each year on lobbying efforts in Washington. I'm sure they would get pretty PO'ed if they didn't continue to get the influence or the customers they have paid for.

It is in the best interest of all these various profit centers to keep Americans thinking they are ill. If no physical ailment is available, they have no problem inventing mental ones.

25% of American's mentally ill? They would love for you to believe that. Need a pill?

Ambient,

I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this matter.

Cheers

BHR

Hey, Don't blame all of us nuts. I am Bipolar and I can carry a conversation and everthing...WOW. Oh, and mental illness is also genetic.

And yes I do take meds. If I don't you wouldn't want to know me.
And NO I did not vote for BUSH. I wouldn't vote for him if I was off medication

Maybe the lifestyle

Mentally illness usually becaue most amercains best friend is the media and are anit-social

Originally posted by eazy_mas
Maybe the lifestyle

Mentally illness usually becaue most amercains best friend is the media and are anit-social

The topic was 25% not most Americans. And if everyone that watched TV had a mental illness it would be more like 98.9% of Americans.

What do you mean by lifestyle? Did you mean being a recluse and watching TV? My life doesn't revolve around the media and I go out and everything. The only way people know that I am bipolar is if I tell them. Also I am very social. I love to sit and chat with my friends. Say hello to neighbors and post here.

I'd be willing to bet a week's paycheck that 25% of Americans are off their nut completely, meaning, you in your right mind, could not bear to live with those people.

Mental illness is a big word and I suspect that the figures may be higher is you add general emotional disorders etc. I have always wondered though if people are just being labeled more today then they used to be. I think of things like ADD where many years ago there was no label and kids were just considered a little hyper. Now we seem to label everyone and then find a pill to fit into that label. I also think that a lot of mental illness is depression or depression related items that simply cause people to lose hope and sometimes lose reality. We live in increasingly scary times with many that tell us there is no future to look forward to. Sooner or later with all the bad vibes people begin to be affected.

With this report, and these statistics in place, President Bush would be encouraged by the legislators to declare martial law if there were another major terrorist attack on the U.S. This is why the report was done, IMO. We're all crazy, so they'll have to restrain us or we could hurt ourselves.........mission accomplished...takeover imminent. I wanna move...but where?