Mental illness affects one in four people, that’s an estimated 57.7 million Americans. Psychiatry is the medical specialty that diagnoses and provides treatment for mental illness. Mental illnesses are medical conditions that change a way a person thinks, feels, there mood, ability to relate to others, and the way a person functions daily. Mental illnesses do not target any specific person by age, race, religion, or income. Most people diagnosed with a mental illness can be medical treated, and expect to live a normal lifestyle. By actively participating in a medical treatment plan, most people can experience relief from their symptoms. Other than medication therapy other treatments are behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups, a healthy diet, and proper exercise, sleep, and community services. Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual result in unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide, and wasted lives. A medical illness that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest is diagnosed as depression. Not only does depression have symptoms mentally but there are physical symptoms as well. Depression, also known as major depression, major depressive disorder, and clinical depression affects not only how you feel but it also affects how you think and behave. This mental illness can lead to many different emotional and physical problems. Getting your normal every day activities completed are harder, and may make you feel like life isn’t worth living. Depression isn’t a weakness and this condition is not something you can just snap out of. This is a chronic illness that requires long term intense medical treatment. Successful treatment to control the ups and downs of bi polar disorder requires the proper medication regimen, and psychological
References: 1. National alliance of mental illness http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=About_Mental_Illness 2. Mayoclinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/DS00175 3. Mental help.net http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=12999&cn=5 4. Mental illness and cognitive disorders Chapter 14