Information on Mental Illness for Writers

Mental illnesses

· include a variety of relatively severe mental disorders.

· are not the same as mental retardation, which involves deficits in learning ability and intellectual process.

· are not the result of weak character or bad parenting.

· serious mental illnesses are the result of changes and alterations in the functioning of the brain, which is just an organ in the body, and like other organs can have diseases.

· interfere significantly with people’s abilities to live and work.

· More hospital beds are occupied by people with serious mental illnesses than by any other illness.

· Many mental illnesses are genetically-based.

· Mental illnesses are COMMON. The U.S. Surgeon General’s report released in Dec. ‘99 says that 20% of Americans experience mental illness in any given year.

· More than 50% of the persons currently suffering from a mental illness are not getting treatment.

· Mental illnesses are no one’s “fault.”

Treatment for mental illnesses

· includes: medication, counseling and therapy, and rehabilitation programs in hospitals or in the community.

· With good treatment, people with mental illness can -- and do -- function in everyday society, hold responsible jobs, have families, go to school, have hobbies and enjoy life.

· Today in the treatment of mental illness, many exciting research advances are being made, such as the development of sophisticated scanning devices to take detailed measures of brain functioning and genetic mapping to determine the genetic causes.

· Newer generations of medications being developed by the pharmaceutical companies are safer and more effective than older medications...and enable persons with serious mental illnesses to “RECOVER” and resume productive lives.

Schizophrenia

· is a brain disease that most often strikes young people between the ages of 16 to 25.

· Schizophrenia is not multiple or “split” personality.

· interferes with thought processes, focusing of attention and grasp of reality.

· Some people with schizophrenia experience hallucinations, seeing or hearing things that aren’t really there, and cannot distinguish what is real and what is not.

· The exact causes are not yet known, but are believed to be biological, sometimes involving genetic factors.

· Over 2 million Americans over 18 will have schizophrenia during their adult lifetime.

Depressive Illness

· is not just a “case of the blues,” but a severe and persistent biological disease.

· 65% of persons suffering from major depression who seek treatment will recover.

Mania or Bipolar Illness

· is characterized by excessive behaviors, such as spending, talking, moving or sexual activities. inappropriate elation or irritability, and decreased need for sleep.

· 80% of persons suffering from bipolar illness who seek treatment will recover.

Families of mentally ill persons

· face many stresses - financial burdens, emotional upheaval, and practical problems of living with someone who is seriously ill.

· Nearly 40 percent of persons with schizophrenia live with their families.

· Families are not the cause of serious mental illness.

· Most families can benefit from the support of other family members through self-help groups such as those provided through NAMI of Greater Chicago.

Violence

· among mentally ill people is not common.

· they are more frequently the victims of crimes than its perpetrators.

· Horror movies featuring stereotypical “psychotic killers” are not a realistic depiction of persons suffering from mental illness.

· When a mentally ill person becomes violent, it is usually because he is not receiving treatment.

Stigma

· negative attitudes, stereotypes and misunderstandings about mental illness - create tremendous barriers for people with mental illness and their families.

· causes many people to deny their mental illness and avoid getting treatment.

· hampers funding for mental illness treatment and research.

· leads people to protest having mentally ill persons in jobs or housing near them.

· is based on ignorance of the facts.

For more information about Mental Illnesses -

Contact: The Alliance for the Mentally Ill

NAMI of Greater Chicago

1536 West Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Phone: 312-563-0445