Government Study Says 50% Will Be Mentally Ill at Some Point in Their Lives

[dilloduck]

How many of this 50% are truly mentally ill? Are the stats the same for all the decades from the 50's on?

I wonder what effect lack of parenting skills and a stable home life have on this study. Kids back then couldn't pull the kind of stunts they do today to get out of school. Then it translates into the same thing for work. "Cough, cough, I don't feel good..I can't go to work." "Oh, I feel blue...I better see the doctor."

If mom and dad told little Johnnie or Jamie to get their ass out of bed and go to school - they aren't sick - and little Johnnie or Jamie knew they couldn't pull that kind of BS with mom and dad so they didn't try - what would little Johnnie and Jamie be like today?

Lack of parenting skills has been PROVEN to cause mental illness

 

[GotZoom]

I will never be convinced that the number is 50%.

Well, let me rephrase that. I will never be convinced that the number of true, mental illness is 50%.

I saw a bumper sticker many years ago that said: Doctors cause cancer in laboratory rats.

This makes me think of that. Little Johnny acts up in 2nd grade - Oh...he must have ADD, let's prescribe this or that. Fast Forward 10 years - Johnny has had the stigma of ADD for the last 10 years and has been medicated for it for the last 10 years.

Gee....I wonder what would have happened if little Johnny's parents sat him down and said, "The next time you don't listen to your teacher and act up in class, you'll be __________ (some form of serious punishment)."

When I was growing up, you didn't talk back to adults. You did what they told you. You didn't smart off. If I did, I was spanked.

That was my parents cure to ADD.

Speaking of things I heard. A few years ago someone in New York City was pushing for funding a midnight baskeball league. Apparently there were so many kids running the streets of NYC late at night, the authorities felt that a basketball league would help keep them off the street and out of trouble.

This reporter said he had a better idea. When he was growing up, there was also something in place to keep the kids from running the streets at night and keeping them out of trouble.

It was called:

Parents.

 

[dilloduck]

I'm not arguing that. My guess is the 50% number is used to descibe the fact that many have 'significant depression' for an extended period of time-more than 3 weeks. That doesn not normally necessitate meds or visits to a psychiatrist, such as with the loss of a significant family member. While some will become 'chronically depressed' for most this is a situational depression, that needs to be experienced in order to 'cope'.

The 50% number is very clear and is NOT just referring to depression (only 1 of hundreds of forms mental illness can take). Interesting that you do not recognize situational depression as a mental illness. Sure it's a part of life but so is sickness yet we do everything we can to prevent death which is enevitable. Why do we "waste our time? To increase QUALITY of life. Should our minds be just left out of this equation?

 

[Annie]

The 50% number is very clear and is NOT just referring to depression (only 1 of hundreds of forms mental illness can take). Interesting that you do not recognize situational depression as a mental illness. Sure it's a part of life but so is sickness yet we do everything we can to prevent death which is enevitable. Why do we "waste our time? To increase QUALITY of life. Should our minds be just left out of this equation?

I was NOT saying situation depression cannot become more serious, I SAID that. For most people though, it's real and one has to work through it once the stressors have been removed. To medicate at this point would be masking the problems.

Your twisting what people are saying is similar to mrsx saying we are all too stupid to benefit from 'the words of wisdom.' I really doubt you want to go there.

 

[dilloduck]

I will never be convinced that the number is 50%.

Well, let me rephrase that. I will never be convinced that the number of true, mental illness is 50%.

I saw a bumper sticker many years ago that said: Doctors cause cancer in laboratory rats.

This makes me think of that. Little Johnny acts up in 2nd grade - Oh...he must have ADD, let's prescribe this or that. Fast Forward 10 years - Johnny has had the stigma of ADD for the last 10 years and has been medicated for it for the last 10 years.

Gee....I wonder what would have happened if little Johnny's parents sat him down and said, "The next time you don't listen to your teacher and act up in class, you'll be __________ (some form of serious punishment)."

When I was growing up, you didn't talk back to adults. You did what they told you. You didn't smart off. If I did, I was spanked.

That was my parents cure to ADD.

Speaking of things I heard. A few years ago someone in New York City was pushing for funding a midnight baskeball league. Apparently there were so many kids running the streets of NYC late at night, the authorities felt that a basketball league would help keep them off the street and out of trouble.

This reporter said he had a better idea. When he was growing up, there was also something in place to keep the kids from running the streets at night and keeping them out of trouble.

It was called:

Parents.

because you were possibly misdiagnosed or mistreated does NOT equate to mental illness in our society as a whole.

 

[onedomino]

Everyone on this planet is much more than remotely qualified to comment on whether half the people he has ever known have shown signs of suffering from significant menatal illness.

You just refuse to get it. The study refers to 50% at some point in their lives, not "have shown signs of suffering from significant mental illness."

 

[USViking]

If you question extreme anxiety or extended sadness as being a form of mental illness you are ignorant regarding mental illness. The subject of the thread is the a study that claims 50% of Americans suffer mental illness at some point in thier lives----what evidence can you show me to contradict that other than a laymans opinion based on no research?

I stand by the questions I posed, and I will go further by suggesting that the entire field of psychology so utterly lacks the precision and rigor found in true hard sciences such as physics, chemisrty, and biology, that it is free game even to laymen.

 

[Said1]

Lack of parenting skills has been PROVEN to cause mental illness

Of course it does. Parents not protecting their children, or abusing them will certainly not add to their well being or mental health as adults. On the other hand, what you do when experiencing symptoms of depression is a totally different story IMHO, as are treatments.

 

[dilloduck]

I was NOT saying situation depression cannot become more serious, I SAID that. For most people though, it's real and one has to work through it once the stressors have been removed. To medicate at this point would be masking the problems.

Your twisting what people are saying is similar to mrsx saying we are all too stupid to benefit from 'the words of wisdom.' I really doubt you want to go there.

Medication is NOT the only treatment for mental illness. Other forms of therapy does not change the fact that it is still mental illness.
Twisting what people say??---maybe just trying to get some clarification--I'll go anywhere you want.

 

[GotZoom]

because you were possibly misdiagnosed or mistreated does NOT equate to mental illness in our society as a whole.

But did little Johnny's misdiagnosis create his mental illness?

 

[USViking]

Wrong again--this study will disappear in a week--you seeing a bunch of news reporting on this study?? People are afraid of mental illness and deny it's prevalence---until it hits them or someone they love. Sure everyone can fling out an opinion on this study--issue is--Who are you going to believe--Obviously not someone who has no experiance with it.

God I hope the fool thing disappears in a week.

 

[dilloduck]

I stand by the questions I posed, and I will go further by suggesting that the entire field of psychology so utterly lacks the precision and rigor found in true hard sciences such as physics, chemisrty, and biology, that it is free game even to laymen.

Glad your staying out of it then---mentally ill people stand a better chance--oh btw-----chemisty and biology play a HUGE role in the study of mental illness--add geneteics to that too. Are you saying that's all bunk too?

 

[dilloduck]

But did little Johnny's misdiagnosis create his mental illness?

It certainly could have caused depression and anxiety that could be alleviated with help (not necessarily medication)

 

[USViking]

You just refuse to get it. The study refers to 50% at some point in their lives, not "have shown signs of suffering from significant mental illness."

I have been aware of this qualification since I read thread #1, and nothing I have posted indicated otherwise.

 

[dilloduck]

God I hope the fool thing disappears in a week.

I'm sure all the people who are suffering from it and thier families appreciate your great compassion.

 

[USViking]

Glad your staying out of it then---mentally ill people stand a better chance--oh btw-----chemisty and biology play a HUGE role in the study of mental illness--add geneteics to that too. Are you saying that's all bunk too?

I said I "stand by", not that I am "stating out".

And I would certainly place value in a study which made use of the true hard sciences of chemistry and biology. Is anyone saying the study under discussion has done so?

 

[dilloduck]

I said I "stand by", not that I am "stating out".

And I would certainly place value in a study which made use of the true hard sciences of chemistry and biology. Is anyone saying the study under discussion has done so?

Has anyone said they aren't----you obviously have no idea what modern science has done in respect to the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. Educate yourself instead of contributing to the stigma which prevents millions of people from being happy.

 

[GotZoom]

It certainly could have caused depression and anxiety that could be alleviated with help (not necessarily medication)

So by the same argument, if Johnny's parents would have kept him away from the drugs and just disciplined him - Johnny wouldn't have the depression and anxiety that came from the "misdiagnosis."

Doctors cause cancer in laboratory rats.

How much of this 50% are people who didn't really need the treatment?

It was just easier (for them and/or the parents) and profitable (for the doctors) to diagnose them and give them a pill.

 

[onedomino]

Everyone on this planet is much more than remotely qualified to comment on whether half the people he has ever known have shown signs of suffering from significant menatal illness.

You just refuse to get it. The study refers to 50% at some point in their lives, not "have shown signs of suffering from significant mental illness."

I have been aware of this qualification since I read thread #1, and nothing I have posted indicated otherwise.

You are good at denying facts. Explain how your statement referring to the research as pertaining to individuals who "have shown signs of suffering from significant mental illness" is in anyway comparable to understanding that the study pertains to individuals who have a mental illness "at some point in their lives."

 

[Said1]

So by the same argument, if Johnny's parents would have kept him away from the drugs and just disciplined him - Johnny wouldn't have the depression and anxiety that came from the "misdiagnosis."

Doctors cause cancer in laboratory rats.

How much of this 50% are people who didn't really need the treatment?

It was just easier (for them and/or the parents) and profitable (for the doctors) to diagnose them and give them a pill.

Probably, although, like I said earlier, there are also those who suffer periods of depression and anxiety caused by other events in their lives. Again, I'm not saying medicate the problem, I'm saying depression and anxiety can be triggered by other things in your life, which should be worked out.