Are Half of All Americans Mentally Ill?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Are Half of All Americans Mentally Ill?

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:08:03 AM EDT

I'd say the quacks that dream this shit up are the ones needing help:

HH

Are Half of All Americans Mentally Ill?
Saturday, August 13, 2005

LOS ANGELES — A new study by Harvard University and the National Institute of Mental Health (search) claims that 46 percent of all Americans will, at some point in their lives, develop a mental disorder.

But this new statistic has experts arguing over exactly what constitutes a true mental illness.

According to experts, severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia, dementia and manic depression are relatively uncommon. But the updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (search), or DSM — the standard survey for mental illness — lists conditions like adjustment disorder, passive-aggressive disorder and female sexual arousal disorder as mental illness, reflecting what are claimed to be advances in the mental health profession.

Critics say that's crazy, and that it won't be long before all human quirks and flaws are classified as mental disorders.

"When you say we're going to provide mental health treatment to everyone, then the severely mentally ill usually get the lowest priority," said Dr. Richard Lamb (search), professor of Psychiatry at the University of Southern California.

Others say the DSM should be considered the mental health bible, because if it says that a person is mentally ill, then that person can get the treatment they need — and insurance companies will foot the bill.

"We would never suggest to somebody with one type of cancer that because their type of cancer is not necessarily as fatal as somebody else's that they should withhold treatment so someone else can get it," said Cynthia Focarelli of the National Mental Health Association (search).

The next edition of the DSM will not come out until 2010. The American Psychiatric Association (search) is considering making changes to refine the subclasses of various mental illnesses.

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:09:45 AM EDT

[#1]

I can believe it.

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:09:58 AM EDT

[#2]

By the voting count in recent elections, I'd say about half are.

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:11:18 AM EDT

[#3]

Critics say that's crazy, and that it won't be long before all human quirks and flaws are classified as mental disorders.

Looks that way from here, too.

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:15:58 AM EDT

[#4]

The statistics I've read say 1 in 4. Look at the three people nearest you. If they look/sound/act normal then it must be you.

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:23:52 AM EDT

[#5]

Harvard has a vested interest in declaring everyone else fucked up (so fucked up that they need someone from ha-vahd to straighten them out) same with NIMH, APA, Hillary Clinton and so on... (not so say that there aren't a lot of seriously screwed up people out there...)

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:23:59 AM EDT

[#6]

Well I don't know about the rest of you ladies and gentlmen but I'm definitely fucked up. I can't sing or hear the National Anthem without crying.

When I hear about terrorist killing civilians I get pissed off.

When I hear about insurgent killing our troops I get pissed off.

When I see the video of Eugene Armstrong or anyone else being beheaded by the Ropers I get really pissed off.

When I hear politicians comparing our troops to Nazi's I get pissed off.

When I hear liberals comparing GWB to Hitler or Stalin I get pissed off.

When I hear some hippy pinko fag say that taking guns away from law abiding citizens will make the USA a safer place, it pisses me off.

When I hear some journalist or other dumbass explain that while 9/11 was traggic we somehow deserved it, it pisses me off.

When I hear someone say that Americans have to much freedom, it pisses me off.

Is being pissed off a mental dissorder?

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:28:21 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Well I don't know about the rest of you ladies and gentlmen but I'm definitely fucked up. I can't sing or hear the National Anthem without crying.

When I hear about terrorist killing civilians I get pissed off.

When I hear about insurgent killing our troops I get pissed off.

When I see the video of Eugene Armstrong or anyone else being beheaded by the Ropers I get really pissed off.

When I hear politicians comparing our troops to Nazi's I get pissed off.

When I hear liberals comparing GWB to Hitler or Stalin I get pissed off.

When I hear some hippy pinko fag say that taking guns away from law abiding citizens will make the USA a safer place, it pisses me off.

When I hear some journalist or other dumbass explain that while 9/11 was traggic we somehow deserved it, it pisses me off.

When I hear someone say that Americans have to much freedom, it pisses me off.

Is being pissed off a mental dissorder?

Nope, you are completly normal by at arfcom standards.

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:33:39 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
By the voting count in recent elections, I'd say about half are.

Beat me to it.

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:38:11 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I can believe it.

...but that would mean that almost 1 out of 2 people we're surrounded by have some type of mental illness. I know the people I hang around, and while *some* have issues, I wouldn't classify them as mentally ill.

Maybe it's the DU'ers and those types that skew the numbers!

HH

Posted: 8/14/2005 6:42:42 AM EDT

[#10]

they're just trying to drum up some more business.

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:07:07 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Look at the three people nearest you. If they look/sound/act normal then it must be you.

Do my multiple personalities count?

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:11:52 AM EDT

[#12]

The first rule of being in the "mental disorder treatment business" is convincing people that they have mental disorders that you need to treat.

It helps to fill up the weekly schedules that are required to make payments on the BMW and the house on the beach.

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:12:03 AM EDT

[#13]

except homosexuals - - that is normal

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:14:16 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
except homosexuals - - that is normal

yeah no kidding, heterosexuality is a disorder, it infects women with babies

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:18:30 AM EDT

[#15]

I worked retail for many years so IMHO I'd be inclined to say the number is well above half.

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:19:54 AM EDT

[#16]

It would be like the service advisor saying "no your vehicle doesn't need service, bring it back some other time". Not going to happen--its their livelyhood,to make business-not send it away.
If something going on in your head makes your life UNMANAGEABLE then you very likely have a disorder of some kind, to some degree. If its not unmanageable, have fun!

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:22:20 AM EDT

[#17]

"Critics say that's 'crazy'".........

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:22:54 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Well I don't know about the rest of you ladies and gentlmen but I'm definitely fucked up. I can't sing or hear the National Anthem without crying.

When I hear about terrorist killing civilians I get pissed off.

When I hear about insurgent killing our troops I get pissed off.

When I see the video of Eugene Armstrong or anyone else being beheaded by the Ropers I get really pissed off.

When I hear politicians comparing our troops to Nazi's I get pissed off.

When I hear liberals comparing GWB to Hitler or Stalin I get pissed off.

When I hear some hippy pinko fag say that taking guns away from law abiding citizens will make the USA a safer place, it pisses me off.

When I hear some journalist or other dumbass explain that while 9/11 was traggic we somehow deserved it, it pisses me off.

When I hear someone say that Americans have to much freedom, it pisses me off.

Is being pissed off a mental dissorder?

Each one of those you described is a mental disorder in itself. A negative response to mental illness is not a mental illness.

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:28:07 AM EDT

[#19]

It's so the pharaceutical industry can sell new drugs to people. Keeps shrinks in business. It also gives the govt more opportunities to deny people firearms/seize more, since anyone who has a "mental illness" shouldn't be allowed to own guns, etc.

EVERYONE has some sort of quirk, as long as they don't hurt/endanger someone else, and can function in society, I don't consider then "mentally ill". There's "abnormal" behavior, there's "strange" and then there's "crazy/dangerous". Abnormal and strange don't need meds, crazy/dangerous ones do.

Now if the subject is half of all Americans being dumbasses, I'd say it's more like 80%.

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:31:50 AM EDT

[#20]

<------- Napoleon here

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:38:16 AM EDT

[#21]

But this new statistic has experts arguing over exactly what constitutes a true mental illness.

And that really is the bottom line.

But I will tell you there is a lot more mental illness out there than most of you think. Guarantee it in fact.

Posted: 8/14/2005 7:46:23 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

<------- Napoleon here

piss on Napoleon, I'm SPARTACUS!

Posted: 8/14/2005 8:07:05 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Quoted:

<------- Napoleon here

piss on Napoleon, I'm SPARTACUS!

You like to dress up in gladiator outfits, huh?

ETA:I think they removed that chapter from the DSM IV

Posted: 8/14/2005 8:08:28 AM EDT

[#24]

Well, about half the population do not own guns, I'd say they were definately screwed up. Happy to report my family need no HAAAAvard shrinks.

Posted: 8/14/2005 8:09:04 AM EDT

[#25]

LOS ANGELES — A new study by Harvard University and the National Institute of Mental Health (search) claims that 46 percent of all Americans will, at some point in their lives, develop a mental disorder and vote Democrat.

Posted: 8/14/2005 8:20:38 AM EDT

[#26]

How long will it be before people wanting guns to protect themselves from the crazies are crazy?

Posted: 8/14/2005 8:27:33 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

But this new statistic has experts arguing over exactly what constitutes a true mental illness.

And that really is the bottom line.

But I will tell you there is a lot more mental illness out there than most of you think. Guarantee it in fact.

I have a tendancy to agree with you, but for most of those, no new classifications are needed to describe their disorder. They simply haven't ever received a label.

And it seems to me that a lot of mental illness is simply a problem with adjusting to a new situation or a new set of facts. Witness "Post Election Selection Trauma", in which the Democrats of the country suffered a simultaneous collective meltdown. Instead of showing everybody how to embrace change and searching for the good in a bad situation, they all lose it.

I've watched many people create their own suffering because they have a certain idea of how the world should work, and when it doesn't that way, they do not accept facts, but rather reject reality in favor of the illusion, because somehow, they've become convinced that's what they should do.

Adjustment disorder doesn't really seem to capture the entire situation, as it implies something on the level of grieving on how things were or could have been. What of the people who have embraced a level of idealism, see that idealism stomped in the guts multiple times, and still refuse to alter their ideas to fit reality? A perfect example of that, although a work of fiction, was the older woman in Billy Jack who got brutally raped, yet had no ability to understand that criminals work by force, and refused to change her mind. Confronted by the reality that shattered her physical safety and her philosophy, she retreated into her comforting illusion.

Is a refusal to face facts an adjustment disorder?

Posted: 8/14/2005 8:28:48 AM EDT

[#28]

abnormal psychology is defnined as when normal "human quirks and flaws" become overwhelming and impair everyday functioning

its when people let their issues get in the way of living their life, they become "mentally ill," by this defnintion

Posted: 8/14/2005 8:50:14 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
I can believe it.

Actually, they're not crazy.......

........they just think at a 4th grade level, CONSTANTLY!

Posted: 8/14/2005 8:52:51 AM EDT

[#30]

Well women are around 51% of the population.

And they are all crazy.

Posted: 8/14/2005 8:55:08 AM EDT

[#31]

Based on what I've seen here, yes.

I do know for a fact that nearly half of Americans have below average intellegence.

Posted: 8/14/2005 9:00:15 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Quoted:

But this new statistic has experts arguing over exactly what constitutes a true mental illness.

And that really is the bottom line.

But I will tell you there is a lot more mental illness out there than most of you think. Guarantee it in fact.
I have a tendancy to agree with you, but for most of those, no new classifications are needed to describe their disorder. They simply haven't ever received a label.

You'd be surprised how many people out there are presenting a fair facade but in reality are just barely holding it all together. And plenty are on meds which makes them more difficult to recognize. Take those away and they would literally fall apart.

And it seems to me that a lot of mental illness is simply a problem with adjusting to a new situation or a new set of facts. Witness "Post Election Selection Trauma", in which the Democrats of the country suffered a simultaneous collective meltdown. Instead of showing everybody how to embrace change and searching for the good in a bad situation, they all lose it

I've watched many people create their own suffering because they have a certain idea of how the world should work, and when it doesn't that way, they do not accept facts, but rather reject reality in favor of the illusion, because somehow, they've become convinced that's what they should do.

Some people get a kind of rush from their negative emotions. Overtime though this is clearly counterproductive, almost like a coke or meth addict. It is a matter of selective neural pathway excitation and reinforcement.

Adjustment disorder doesn't really seem to capture the entire situation, as it implies something on the level of grieving on how things were or could have been. What of the people who have embraced a level of idealism, see that idealism stomped in the guts multiple times, and still refuse to alter their ideas to fit reality? A perfect example of that, although a work of fiction, was the older woman in Billy Jack who got brutally raped, yet had no ability to understand that criminals work by force, and refused to change her mind. Confronted by the reality that shattered her physical safety and her philosophy, she retreated into her comforting illusion.

It makes a big difference when those around you are acting the same way, further reinforcing this behavior.
Let's also remember that the hero of the movie you note above doesn't just lie back and take it. Those who do are all realistically portrayed as sniveling pussies. The fact that there are plenty who act in similar fashion doesn't legitimize it, just means there are plenty of losers.

Is a refusal to face facts an adjustment disorder?

No, more like denial which can become pathologic as well if it gets to the point an individual has delusional beliefs.

Posted: 8/14/2005 9:00:16 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
Based on what I've seen here, yes.

I do know for a fact that nearly half of Americans have below average intellegence.

And half of the people in this country make up 50% of the population.

Posted: 8/14/2005 9:06:06 AM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
Well women are around 51% of the population.

And they are all crazy.

There are a lot of emotionally disturbed women out there. More than half of them.
Part of the problem IMO is that people are no longer raised by their parents to be strong and self reliant. If they have some sort of difficulty coping they need a pill. Oprah told them so and she's always right

Their fluctuating hormones do seem to wreak havoc on some of them but for many of them I get the impression that there was never an expectation that they deal with it in a productive manner. Rather, aberrant behavior was tolerated with the excuse, they've got their period, they're premenstrual, postmenstrual. Maybe they're just plain fucked up and everyone should tell them so.

The loss of fathers from homes has been a disaster for our kids and now the results are several generations of spiraling dysfunction. We are so fucked as a nation and payback time seems to be here.

Posted: 8/14/2005 9:17:12 AM EDT

[#35]

You guys do know that homosexuality was taken out of the DSM years ago all in the name of political correctness?

Posted: 8/14/2005 9:21:58 AM EDT

[#36]

The people who make lots of money studying and treating "mental disorders" are simply trying to increase their clientele base.

Just like the public school counselors who diagnose every other kid in school as having a "learning disorder" which automatically increases state funding to that school and ensures higher pay and better job security for those "specialists" who are hired to work with those kids.

Posted: 8/14/2005 10:27:43 AM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Based on what I've seen here, yes.

I do know for a fact that nearly half of Americans have below average intellegence.

And half of the people in this country make up 50% of the population.

And... 80% of statistics are just made up on the spot.