How accepting are you, in general, of human beings (young and old} from all walks of life who suffer from this disorder?

honestly it depends on the type of mental illness

I accept all people, I just use judgment(their behavior and tendencies) to determine whether to be too 'close' to them.

I used to work with the mentally ill and developmentally disabled; they're people just like anyone else. I don't want to date anyone with those problems, but I definitely have compassion and recognition of their feelings. I remember this stupid broad, at an outing with my clients, was talking to her friend and said, "they should just kill people like that at birth" like it would've made the world a better place and taken away some kind of anguish this "screwed up" being might have.

It depends on the particular illness, the severity, and how willing the person is to take responsibility for how they deal with it.

I can not comprehend how so much predjudice exists when so many people deal with one form of what is considered a mental illness.

It sadden's me how it seems permissable to make it the one ok illness to be a bigot about.

Since mental illness knows no age, sex, race, faith, or economic station boundries I am surprised people are not wanting to study it and research real things to help.

Having worked in the field, what might you know about misdiagnosis, as far as schizophrenia verses to OCD?

What my observations of mental illnees is once a lable gets stuck on someone, right or wrong, it is fairly impossible to shake.

Many mental health diagnosises are made by minimal, sometimes as little, as 30 minutes interaction, often by underqualified, incompetent, overworked "professionals". They have no accountability and are often highly influenced by others who are not necessarily and advocate for the patient.

What further complicates diagnosis' is many are made when the patient is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, sleep deprived, poorly nurished, sometimes suffering from parasites, or in diabetic distress, STD's, or to avoid jail or seek shelter to name a few problems.

You have asked about two difficult but widley different forms of Mental illness. Both are highly treatable and many people who have them function well in society with a combination of medication, treatment, and other positive health practices. It is not unusual for people to have what is called dual diagnosis and have both but one does not necessarily cause the other even though both do have a heridity factor. While the National Alliance will send you free excellent information both conditions have National and state organizations that can help with information, medical referrals for high quality care, and peer support.

If you meet someone who tells you they have a mental health diagnosis, and appears to handles it like like a responsible adult then the odds are good you have someone who is worth giving some time to prove themselves.

The reality is mentle health issues get a lot of miss information and subject patients and their families to a lot of discrimination and expenses. It is a relationship that won't abide sissies or fair weather committments.

What About Bob?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsUaQUW-Az0&feature=PlayList&p=5455CA655D892146&index=26

A close friend of ten yrs claimed to have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and lived on a disability check from the VA. He was a friend of mine from the recovery community. At one point he was in a Voc-Rehab program to become qualified to be a Novell system administrator, he was no dummy. I disregarded his 'diagnosis' as he seemed about as normal as anyone else I knew.

Then he started to unravel. Too much gambling, stealing his parents Oxycontin, (just a few now and then) Self diagnosis of bizarre physical diseases, an occasional drink, a little weed. It was heartbreaking to watch him disintegrate. He has to be close to 60 yrs old by now.

Mental illness used to scare the heck outta me!!

Until one of my girls were diagnosed with Bi-polar

I learned from her

patience

kindness

understanding!!

Now I'm not scared at all!!

(thank you B!)

Awesome awesome awesome movie!!

the sad part of most mental illness is when people can't get their meds... because of the cost or lack of insurance.

One of the biggest problems I've encountered so far is that when people, who are on medication, start to feel 'normal' they oft decide that the medication is not needed. This can happen time and time again, thats the heart breaker of it. I take a rx for depression, and had that had that also happen to me. Is it the medication? Now I know no matter how good I am feeling these days, I MUST continue to take my meds.

i wish it was a lot simpler.

I grew up around all kinds of mental illnesses from depression to addiction, schizophrenia, etc. I wouldn't turn my back on someone. I would try to help if I could, but it can be very difficult. I wouldn't get into a relationship with them unless they were stable and taking care of themselves properly.

All humans are mentally ill....quite mad actually..

some just have a label attached to theirs.


Knowing that we are all quite mad, it is a no brainer that I am tolerant of it.

I was eight years old when I went to see my older sister next door,who was seing her best friend,,they were watching her 14 year old brother who had some mental problems..
I walked in the house and heard this banging noise, constant,,,steady repetitions,,,as I listened and walked to where it was coming from.
I walk in a bedroom where they all were at,the boy was on a bed, with sheets holding each arm down, as he was in a set-up position with the headboard being at his back.
He was BANGING his head, back and forth, HARD,,,VERY HARD...
and the look in his eyes was dazed, distant, NOT HERE..
With each BANG, he TRIED TO SWING HARDER BACK...LOOKING ANGERED.
I was scared and freaked and ran back home.
THAT was my FIRST view of someone with a mental issue.
THAT let me grow,,TRYING to figure out all the why's to this problem and to TRY and fully get into many of their minds as I have spent time with
Cerebral palsy victims, down syndromes, compulsive disorders, and my daughter also suffers being bi-polar...After years of counseling for depression.

People who suffer ANY disorders,,not just mental issues,,NEED UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT,,before thinking THEM being different.
I am not in the field of great knowledge of these problems.
I merely have tried to be on their inside, LOOKING OUT.
No-ONE, is the SAME,,,maybe same conditions, or issues,,but STILL.
THEY ALL HAVE PERSONALITIES ALL THEIR OWN..Just like US!
Nobody can collectively write a manual that covers HOW,WHY,WHEN,WHERE??
For us to use to help them be better, and US to KNOW-THEM.
THAT takes a personal, hands-on approach, that has to be opened and non-judge-mental, with MUCH Patience..

For adults living with mental dis-orders, their meds, food, sleep, ALL
play a perfect order and roll for them to follow and stay on.
IF they sway away from ONE of these on any given day, THAT CAN make them different<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<SOME,,,,,,really different!
I was involved with a woman who suffered Chronic Depression for our six years together,,THINKING,,I could make her be BETTER...
NO,,,,,,,,,,,,YOU CAN'T..
Better for them to not have THAT all the time,,yet THAT DISORDER IS THERE
It took me THAT LONG to realize that I was no superman to mental suffering, only a constant friend who had to TRY and I have learned more now, yet still feel many DOCTOR'S and MANY meds, have WRONG OUT-COMES
to many people's sufferings and their diagnosis..

GETTING A GRIP ON THEIR PROBLEMS through meds and Doc's sometimes NEVER
REALLY FINDING THEIR TRUE FIX,,just their BEST for THEM to be..

ANY dis-orders of mind or body that someone has..
TO BE WITH THEM, will be an ON-GOING LIVING DAY-TO-DAY CHALLENGE for
ANYONE to try and do.
And many Mother's and dad's LIVE THIS LIFE DAILY to be their BEST for their loved ones who suffer these.

It's been my experience that even if somebody says they understand or that they're cool with it they will always store that knowledge in their mental Rolodex only to use it against you if they get angry. Happens to me all the time. Like, "Yr opinion doesn't count cuz' yr crazy..." or something of that nature. I've suffered major depression and OCD all my life...and evil people in the past have always used this knowledge against me.

I try to be accepting as I can. I see a lot of it at work.

I have friends and family that deal with mental illness.

As long as they take the medication they are able to function with minimal problems.

Now if they decide they don't need the meds any longer, they have all kinds of problems and tend to become violent and can hurt themselves or others. If that's the case, I stay away from them for my own safety.