by Lanae

Created on: September 21, 2009   Last Updated: September 22, 2009

MENTAL ILLNESS

Mental illness is a concept in psychiatry and other mental health professions referring to mental abnormality associated with distress and/or dysfunction. This can involve cognitive, emotional or behavioral impairments. This paper will attempt to further examine the topic of mental illness as well as explain some of the stigmas that have attached themselves to the issue, obvious through many forms of literature, art and media. Some mental illnesses that are most commonly experienced, recognized and revered with fear and inquisition include: Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar disorder, Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) / Dissociative Identity Disorder, Major Depression or Post Partum Depression and Alzheimer's or Dementia.

Mental illness is the single disability that is continuously equated with violence, distrust and often time's murder. According to the Better Health Channel, Research has shown that people receiving treatment for a mental illness are not mare violent or dangerous than the rest of the Population.

People with a mental illness are more likely to harm themselves or to be harmed than they are to hurt other people. (Mental Illness and Violence) This stigma that involves the assumption that the mentally ill will be more likely to inflict harm is particularly associated with the mental illness: schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is defined by the ICD-9-CM (diagnosis 295) as: A severe emotional disorder of psychotic depth characteristically marked by a retreat from reality with delusion formation, hallucinations, emotional disharmony and regressive behavior.

The Better Health Channel Points out that, A person with schizophrenia is approximately 2,000 times more likely to commit suicide than they are to harm someone else. (Mental illness and Violence)

Another disorder that is closely linked to schizophrenia and also equated with violent behavior is bi-polar disorder; this disorder is characterized by manic episodes altering in severity and was formally referred to as manic depression. Individuals with this order experience fluctuating states of depression and elation. Due to the extreme range of fluctuation in the manner of moods that each individual experiences, bi-polar disorder is often categorized into many different sub-groups. The extremity of these fluctuations is sometime managed with medication; however those with bi-polar disorder are understood to be at higher risk for suicide when in their depressive state.

Another disorder that is recognized

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