Mental Illness
We geddit: It's the tramp muttering into his beard at the tube station. It's the scary guy who likes to bark at girls as they go by. They're mental. Nothing to understand. We just cross the road, right?
Well, no actually. Mental illness affects all of us. It's in every family. Every school. It's the girl who sits up crying every night but she doesn't know why. It's the boy who cuts his arms cos it's the only time he forgets his parents' fights. It's the teacher who drinks too much. It's the babysitter with her fingers down her throat in the bathroom.
Mental illness describes a million different ways that we stop thinking straight. For long enough and badly enough that we can't function in our day-to-day lives. And it affects one in ten teenagers.
Most mental illness is caused by a combination of two things: Biology and circumstances. We are born with a susceptibility to mental illness. That's the biology. And then life treats us badly: Bad stuff happens, often when we're young.
How (and how badly) we get affected is different for everyone. We may get depressed, even suicidal. Or feel anxious and frightened all the time. We may take drugs or take risks with out health. Anything is possible. We just can't hold it together like we used to.
So what's schizophrenia?
This is a severe mental illness. We stop seeing things as they really are. We may hear things that other people can't. Or believe things that are bizarre and untrue. This may make us behave strangely. And about one in a hundred of us will be diagnosed with this illness at some point.
Aren't schizophrenics dangerous?
The overwhelming majority are not. We are as likely to be killed by a stranger with schizophrenia as we are to be killed by lightning: One in ten million.
How can I stop myself getting mentally ill?
The best we can do is to look after ourselves. Eat well, exercise, relax and enjoy life. What is good for our body is good for our mind. And if we think we're starting to wobble, we should get help. All mental illness can improve with treatment. Speak to your GP, in confidence. Don't suffer in silence.
Further help and advice
http://www.mind.org.uk
http://www.rethink.org/
More help from the NHS
Written by Dr Melissa Sayer
Last updated 17th June 2007
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, 21
a friend of mine has schizophrenia, he can be fine one minute and then all of a sudden blank out and cant remember what he has done. it is caused by emotional stress... the slightest bit of stress can set it off. luckily now he is able to control it to an extent and is a lot better from the help he recieved by his doctor
Zoe, 16
I've suffered from depression for about a year and a half now. At one point it got so bad that i had to be admitted to hospotal because i was a danger to myself and others. I was so messed up that I couldnt think straight and i couldn't see the point of living. Thankfully i got better (with the help of some great mates) and i have been able to get back to a "normal" life. I still have bad days but I get through them. Anyone can get over it. With a little help from your friends and a little belief in yourself nothing can beat you.
onelife
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