theaveragejoeSenior Contributor
Recent Advertisement on TV about 1 in 5
I often watch channell 96, or 9 flix, and lately there is a notice that comes up frequently about the 1 in 5 people having, as they defin it, Mental "Illness" and then they go on to say that they need money for research (people should buy a teeshirt) so that they can find a cure for things like Depression, Anxiety, schizophreni and bipolar disorder.
I find this very wrong on a number of levels. Mental Problems are very complicated and to say that all mental problems are an illness is wrong. Moreover to say that a cure may be found in the near future is to overlook a number of important things.
For example, think of a father that loses his son to a car accident. He becomes depressed. Is this an Illness? And is there a cure in terms of medication because this is what the advertisment was implying. No, it is not a proper illness and it cartainly cannot be fixed just with medication. PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) responds mostly to talk therapy.
Or think of this: A woman that is repetedly beaten by her partner. If she remains with that partner no amount of medication will cure her depression or anxiety or stress. She has to get away from that toxic situation and then she may need a therapist. Medication may help her in the short term but the solution, not cure, is to leave her partner and seek a psychologist or someone to talk things over.
I was really disappointed that they let such add go on for days and I did lodge a complaint with channell 9 because I thought they were providing misleading information by letting this air.
The WHO (World Health Organization) does not use the word "Illness" when speaking of mental problems.
Thank you for reading this
Every message like this from the community gives me a small glimmer of hope for the future.
Please continue to spread the word. Those of us who are typically percieved as being "broken brains" need all the understanding and assistance we can get.
