So how do YOU define "mental illness" and...

How do you see yourself fitting into your definition?
How do I define mental illness? I would say that one is mentally ill when he/she cannot think logically, rationally, and clearly. I believe that one who is mentally ill cannot function normally ie, showering, carrying on with daily tasks and routines, and communicating with others in a normal range. I believe that someone suffering from a mental illness has a very low tolerance for stress of all sorts.

I am SOMETIMES mentally ill. Less frequently when I take my medications on a routine basis. Most of the time I am well. Goes with the post here about remission. I believe I am really mentally well for most of my existence but have suffered at times from a mental illness. It comes and goes.

In defining any illness the World Health Organisation classification can be used.
Illnesses can be defined by
the level of impairment i.e. a broken bone,
the level of disability/activity impairment i.e. can't walk,
and the level of handicap/participation i.e. can't get to work.

So for mental illness, the impairment may be
a chemical imbalance
enlarged amygdala
etc.
The disability may be in thinking clearly, sequencing a task, interacting appropriately, regulating emotions etc.
The participation may be ability to participate in work, as a parent,etc.

The severity of the illness may differ across these categories, for instance two people with the same diagnosis may function very differently due to personal factors such as IQ, or environmental factors such as level of support.
Medication targets the impairment level only, but improvement will subsequently be noted in disability.

I have a mental disorder or disability. Its not a illness, im not sick. My mind just doesn't make me ill.
And im high functioning, i work , i know how to handle responsibilites, etc. I just dont.
interact with normals good or myself at times.
Were i live its called a hidden disability.

thebetterhalf wrote:I have a mental disorder or disability. Its not a illness, im not sick. My mind just doesn't make me ill.

Why do you say you're not ill? I'm asking because I'd like to know your reasoning, I'm not trying to antagonize you or anything like that! I really am interested, because for me it's always been pretty straightforward that I have an illness. I hope I haven't offended you!

I believe that I am ill, but sometimes my illness is "active" and sometimes it's in remission. I usually compare it with what my mum has - MS. Sometimes she's fine, but sometimes it flares up. Just like mine. Sometimes I'm doing well, sometimes not so much. But even when I'm ok, I still view myself as having an illness.

I sincerely detest the term mental illness, it is a loaded term that implies the traits are all dysfunctional and must be eliminated to fit into society. As a person is expected to get rid of the cold before going back to work.

I prefer the term mental condition. Because "condition" expresses that things are different for the individual , as there would be specific cognitive differences in perception of reality or functioning . There are many aspects to bi polar that can benefit someone's life if dealt with mindfully.

This is a joke. Don't take me seriously.

I am not mentally ill. I was abducted by aliens and taken to their space craft where they used me to impregnate female aliens. The offspring infiltrate the governments of the world in order to control us. The men in black (MIB) will be after me now because I have told you their secret. But I have a secret defense shield that I wear while sleeping. It is made of tin-foil and held on my head with rubber bands. I don't wear the defense shield during the day because the MIB will be able to recognize me. I must be wary of electro magnetic beams (EMB) because that is how the aliens control my activities. When they beam me, I feel compelled to ...
I feel the EMB now. They are coming to get me. I must escape

I think that mental state of an individual isn't a 0-1 thing. It's not that "I always do X so I am healthy, but he always does Y so he is ill". It's more that "in X situation socially acceptable range of responses is from -20 to +30, but mine is from -80 to +10, so I am mentally ill BUT with medication, diet, etc. I manage to keep my response rate from -30 to +50 which is much more acceptable".

I have hallucinations. This sounds scary. But most of them involve a fly sitting on the wall, I look, there's no fly. It doesn't harm my functioning. It doesn't harm anyone around me. Therefore I don't really worry about it. I hear voices. But my voices tell me I'm a good person that needs to care for myself, and keep me from harming myself. Therefore my psychiatrist sees no reason to get rid of those voices by medicating them out. Etc.

I define it as an illness. That's all, really. I don't define it as a disorder, or a condition. Some illnesses you never cure from, because there really isn't a cure. Diabetes, STD's, Aids, and in some cases, Cancer. They're all labeled as illnesses, because the body is sick. I'm not a neurologist or anything, but I'm pretty sure that with my illness, it's a chemical imbalance on the brain. That's an illness, the body is sick.

I don't know, maybe I'm not thinking outside the box.

When I was a little kid, I actually believed I was a God from a distant Galaxy that was banished here for thousands of years, and I was awaiting the return of my believers. Sometimes I still think it will happen. It gets better, there was an entire pantheon of gods "every star created a god and then every galaxy created a super god" and I was a super god. I was at war with another supergod, my planet was invaded, and I destroyed all of his people, so I was banished to Earth, by the council of gods. I was convinced as soon as they showed up, my powers would return and I could leave earth. It hasn't happenned.

I had it all worked out, they could not travel through space and time like I could, they were bound by the laws of physics, and as crazy as it sounds, I thought eventually they would come for me. Maybe it was an escape mechanism I created, hoping there was some way out of this? The more I look back, the more I see, I wanted to be like Mr Spock, show no emotions at all. (that backfired)

Anyway, I think, if you think like that, it is a sign of a mental illness.

Sev Ral wrote:Anyway, I think, if you think like that, it is a sign of a mental illness.

Only if you tell people about it directly. If you fictionalize it, then it's a sign that you're a creative genius.

Some people will pay good money for that kind of thing, because the most original sci-fi movie they've seen in the last five years was Prometheus.