One out of three people – would you call that common or rare?
2009 May 30
A 72-year Harvard Medical School study on mental health found that “by age 50, almost a third of the men had at one time or another met [the researcher's] criteria for mental illness.”
Almost a third. That’s about one person in even the smallest family.
In a classroom of twenty, it’s about six students.
In an office workgroup of ten people, two or three will probably have experienced mental illness by the time they are 50 years old.
We need to re-examine our assumptions aobut mental health and stop treating mental illness like a bizarre aberration. It’s way, way, WAY more common than we’ve been led to believe.
Well my friend, its like this. Depending on where you are, which cultural group or religion, madness is very subjective.
Religious groups believe that atheists are mad. Atheists know that the religious are mad. Amongst artists, well all of us are mad.
Anyone who doesn’t share the same political views is mad. So what are we talking about here and who’s the madman making the judgements and by which measure?
If one in three is deeemed to be at least a little demented. Then how about those who live in countries where is education is sadly lacking? Are those people deemed to be, well, mentally lacking because they follow blindly antiquated rules?
In my book anyone who cannot choose for fear of being dammed ( and here we are talking about 80% of the Worlds population) are mad. Mad because they are brought up and indoctrinated not to have a valid opinion!
So tell me my friend who isn’t mad?
Just as an after thought; perhaps those of us who have reached dementia or depressive stages have suddenly become aware that all of our lives we have been led like sheep by sufferers of narcisscism, delusions of grandeur, meglomania and certainly paranoia.
Isn’t that a condition that would depress anyone? Especially with the sudden knowledge that you never really had an opinion?
…. and your vote? Who is sane or mad enough to answer honestly?
Depression is SO common. What I don’t understand is why it is still shameful. I mean, I don’t know about anyone else, but I still feel like it’s shameful and I know that stops many, many people from seeking help. Thanks for what you’re doing.
It’s not so much shamefull but un-necessary! Here in Sweden they spend so much time discussing it ( a good thing that one can talk about it) that its almost a cult!