How can people with mental health problems explain to others that their illness is not a choice?

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sara f	i only speak to people that accept me for who i am - if you have to explain that it isn't your fault, why be their friend? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

?	Unfortunately, I don't think that other people really want to know that, they've already made their minds up and nothing told to them will convince them other wise. It's not the person with the mental health problem that is at fault. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Tash ♥RIP Deb♥	This is how I explain it. Generally it works, if not, that person is not worth wasting your time over. Diabetes is a disorder where the body fail to regulate and prduce an important chemical correctly, insulin. Insulin is required in very specific doseages, or the consequences can be dire (ie coma). No person has physical or mental control of their insulin levels. Medication is often required. Mental illnesses are very similar in many respects. The brain requires a range of various chemicals is precise doses in order to operate normally. If there is a chemical imbalance mood swings, paranoia, depression and delusions can occur. The suffer has NO CONTROL OVER THESE IMBALANCES OR THEIR EFFECT ON HI OR HER BRAIN. No medication is a perfect subtitute for these chemicals, so symptoms may persist even if the patient is medicated. I hope this helps. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

SH2007	Hi there, I think you have to choose who you decide to tell in most cases. People who have never experienced any mental difficulties can often be very negitively judgemental because they don't understand how you can't "wise up" and get out of the situation...so basically it's ignorance on their part. I think for people who are not well educated about mental illness to understand...they need to see your suffering up close and personal...and then see how you would never chose to be that way. Also if you're finding it hard to get people to understand it, its possibily a good idea to give them some leaflets or print out information on the illness and ask them to read it and tell them how so many others suffer. If you are dealing with professionals, they should already know and have been trained in mental illness, therefore they know it's not a choice. It's called "illness" for a reason. I think it's so hard for anyone with mental illnesses because there is no physcical evidence and sometimes we feel like we have to struggle so hard to get others belief, It's tough but I don't think unless someone has experienced it first hand, that they ever really know and so we just have to often accept that its merely ignorance on the behalf of others. I hope this helps answer your question. Best of luck x Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

bugs280	You can't. Some people are just to hard headed and closed minded. The ones that really irritate me are the ones I see in this section telling people with anxiety, depression and bi-polar disorders(like me) to pray and everything will be OK. They need to try and pray away a bout of severe diarrhea and see how well that works. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

eve	well mental illneses are like any other illneses and i don't think that anyone should expalin why does he have a flu,so i don't think that they have to explain any thing o anyone Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Mike	I don't think you can explain it because the person would not understand unless they had experienced the same mental illness themselves. Its a bit like a woman trying to explain to a man how painful childbirth is. The way I see it is that you do not choose to have a mental illness but you can choose what you do about the illness. For example you can choose to get help or not. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Boudica Warrior Queen	Hello Mermaid, If it is not necessary why would someone want to tell other people that they suffer with this problem. Unless it is necessary such as a job application etc, the only people who need to know are close friends and family members. Though people these days have a greater understanding of mental health issues there is still that stigma attached and many folk still do not appreciate the fact that 1 in 4 of the population will be effected by it sometime or anotherin their own life time. If someone feels the need to tell someone that they suffer with a mental health problem that person should always be assured that what is said is treated in the strictest confidence. A phychologist would tell you anyhow 'It's no ones damn buisness but your own'. If you want to talk further just email me okay. Bye! bye. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

ridder	Your brain is a physical part of your body just like every organ , something can go wrong with any part of you. In your case it is your mental health, something must be imbalanced or misfiring , I would end my conversations with " I pray you don't ever have to experience anything like what I have ,count your blessings." Good luck to you,I will say a prayer for you too. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

scarred_cutter	gee...i have a couple of mental problems (depression, suicidal and more...) and it's so hard trying to tell someone that it's not your choice!! go to www.thenarrowroad.com im Katey there and trust me you'll love it!! we're all like a family there and you're welcome to join!! and those people that think we're just sad and it's our choice to not be happy are stupid and have never been through anything like it before...they aren't worth wasting your breath on trying to explain... Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

mickeymouse_96	i have anxiety and the first thing i tell people is "do you honestly think if i had a choice i would like my life like this" that usually gets thru to them...But if someone is questioning you, dont bother with them...everyone has something that they cant help that is genetic/inherited...its like trying to explain why you have brown hair or why you have brown eyes...things just are the way they are and yes, there are things you can do to cure/aid your mental health, but still it is something that is hereditary and not turned on and off with a switch Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

gerrifriend	I think the real issue with this is the use of the term mental illness. First, it is often more of a condition than and illness which require managing, and second generally the actual cause is physiological it just that the symptoms manifest themselves in mental issues rather than physical ones. If a suffer understands that themselves then it makes it easier to explain to others. Unfortunately often suffers don't even appreciate that they have a problem at all which makes things even harder. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

R S	Dont think you can. I have depression, but even I can laugh sometimes. And when I do at least 1 person takes it as a sign I'm faking and doing it cos I can. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

bluesoul_3	not all people same. so some people are very open mind and accept you and you can trust them and they are rare for each person. some people are open mind but you cant give them your secret, so you shouldn't and they understand then they wont ask you about your problems. and some people they want to know when the eggs had hatched and who hatched it. and they are judgy people, dont give them a sh*t. dont care for people if you dont trust them. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Cherry_Blossom	I suffer from depression and have for years and it is hereditary and skipped my mother. She is probably the hardest person to have understand. It is hard because you look like everyone else. I have tried the it is like cancer you do not ask for it and you will always have to watch for it your whole life, even if you think you are in "remission". She is getting better because I will often feel well and then stop my meds (big no no) and go downhill very fast. She is now usually the first person to notice. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

mal'ary'ush	Unless you're suffering from it, it's hard for other people to understand things like depression, manic depression, OCD, etc. I would suggest telling someone who's a non-believer to read up on the latest books detailing mental illness. If you see a psychiatrist or therapist/psychologist, take that person with you if you can. A doctor can explain it more thoroughly. For some people, if they can't see it (i.e. an x-ray, blood test, etc.), then they don't believe it. People think b/c it's in your head you should be able to control it or wish it away. It doesn't work that way. There are people who don't understand simply b/c they're ignorant on the subject, & there are those who don't want to understand it. You can't help the latter. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Princess	I think part of the problem is the fact that things like depression, OCD etc are so often falsely self-diagnosed. There is a huge difference between actual depression, which is a physical disorder with brain chemistry, and being upset about your life. And the line gets blurred because doctors are so keen to prescribe drugs to anyone who cries a lot- whether it be because they have an actual chemical imbalance or because something has happened that makes them sad- which isn't mental illness at all, but the treatment is exactly the same so sometimes people don't understand that nothing has to happen to make you upset. And often, spoiled, self-absorbed types feign depression just to get attention and that's incredibly annoying, which is why some people just have no patience for the "depressed without quantifiable reason" category. Also things like OCD are trivialised by people who are a bit neurotic, or obsessively clean and claim to have OCD. OCD is defined by completely irrational compulsions to deal with obsessive fears- not the fears themselves. People don't tend to realise that and as such, they don't understand the disease and think it's just about being uptight and needing to chill out. It's not just these either- people are always going on about how they have "multiple personality syndrome" (um, no you don't) or they're feeling "bipolar" (probably just mood swings). We are also too quick to say someone has an eating disorder, I am sure plenty size 0 models who eat very little aren't actually terrified of food to the point they'd let themselves die, but we call them anorexic anyway (I'm not saying they don't have a problem, but they're just being stupid or overly ambitious- real anorexia is about more than obsessively wanting to be thin and we are trivialising it by giving the title to anyone who looks the part) So bear this in mind when dealing with people who don't appear to understand, use lots of scientific terms (ie, if you suffer depression, explain that your brain's seratonin wires malfunction etc) so they get a better appreciation of the fact that it is an actual medical issue. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

justme	talk to people you trust about it and the ones who are close to you or maybe have the same mental health issues. it usually helps most when you talk to someone who can relate and is going through a similar thing. obviously its not a choice and those who want to think that lack common sense. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Andrew T	Its very difficult. For those who have not experienced Mental health problems they can say the silliest things like "Pull yourself together", or "you just need a good kick up the ****". I'm afraid there is no convincing these people and although you would not want to wish harm on anybody these people would have to experience the problems themselves before they change their attitude. Thankfully there are a large number of people who understand the problems and can be caring and sympathetic. We should thank God for these people. Thirdly there are a large number of people who have experienced problems themselves or have experience because a loved one went through difficulties and are therefore sympathetic.. Mental health problems are becoming more widely recognised and understood. A majority of people will experience some problems at some time in their life. So, sorry for going on. What ever your problem is, I wish you luck with it. Difficult it might be to understand at the time sometimes problems are a blessing in disguise. You will find that we all have our cross to bear, you are not alone. Also remember that nothing is forever. Things change in time. Good Luck. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

sarah c	I don't think its possible because it involves changing the way they think and feel about a number of different things, and a quick sound bite can't do that. People think that way for different reasons as well, so until you know the underlying reason, you can't hit on the right approach. It can be caused by a lack of empathy, by ignorance, or by a need to self protect by believing myths! Its like the rape myth. If you don't go out late at night to bars wearing revealing clothing, or take lifts from strangers, it may make you feel safer. But it may also cause you to judge other people. Instead of judging the attacker, you can end up judging the victim! Theres an unfortunate tendancy for people to think that 'it works both ways'. For example, if smoking causes lung cancer, or if eating healthily improves your life expectancy, it doesn't work the other way. Not smoking doesn't prevent lung cancer. Healthy eating can't guarantee you'll live longer. But people seem to believe it gives some kind of immunity. Some people like to imagine that if something bad happens to you, you must have done something to bring it on yourself. If you blame the victim it makes you feel safer, rather than living with the truth - we can all get ill, at some point we will all die, bad things happen to good people. And another point to remember is that people feel more comfortable with people whos opinions and behaviour is the same, its familiar. Anything different gets picked on; colour, race, culture. Habituation - getting used to whats different - changes peoples attitudes. They become more comfortable. I say just be yourself, get on with it and don't worry what others think. Thats the best thing you can do, be your own advocate. And don't worry about changing people whos opinion isn't worth your time and trouble, you have enough on your plate if your ill without spending energy on people who don't get it. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

den invent	tthey are not mad because they have a mental illness sometimes it can be quite mild and they can explain how they feel. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

maggieharing	You mean explaining to people that their actions or behavior is not a choice? It's really difficult. Unless being "understood" by another is crucial to the relationship (family, friends, employer), why bother? But even in that circle, some aspects will undoubtedly be accepted, but never understood. My son has OCD that was often of a destructive nature. I mean tics are one thing, but this was more complicated, made no sense and resulted in, among other things, his financial ruin. He is extremely bright, and so naturally (groan), I figured if I just explained sufficiently why it was irrational, he could not help but "get it". This went on for years until a pill freed him. Needless to say, I had put both of us through the wringer unnecessarily and with good intentions. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

papamoto22	first, if you are talking about yourself which i imagine you are, you shouldnt be concerned about what others who cannot empathize think but if you want to explain it to them, just ask them why a person would willfully choose to have the problem that they are having? if they dont understand that they obviously feel threatened by it or do not care good luck Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

clairejgray1	I wish my severe depression was a choice. It just happenes feom a series of life events, which get too much to cope with. People who think it is a choice lack understanding, or may be ill themselves and find it hard to admit. It depends on the mental illness a well as they can be inherited. There is strong evidence that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are passed through generations. The only way is to send them on courses for mental illnesses, that is what I am doing with my staff I manage so that they can have more insight. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

chnuna	ask them the following: do you think i enjoy waking up everymorning without motivation or will to wake up? do you think i enjoy looking in the mirror and feeling self hatred?? Do you think I do this for fun?? I want a normal life, this isnt normal. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

C	They shouldn't have to explain themselves, if other people are iggnorant of their condition then that is their problem. Any one with half a brain knows that anyone who is misfortunate enough to have a mental illness did not encourage it by choice. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Jack	I think that the average person knows that a mental health problem does not come on by choice. They are less likely to understand it and the lack of knowledge might be intimidating to them. For example, if you have a broken arm or pneumonia...the average person can relate but tell them you have Asperger's or bi-polar disorder and nothing familiar comes to mind. They feel alienated but think that asking questions is prying so they remain silent and as a result, ignorant about the problem. It's a normal human response and it's probably better if you break the ice by giving them a brief background on it.....if you think it will do any good. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

poli_b2001	Unfortunalty peoples opinions are hard to change, and its due to lack of education and information that this is the case. My dad has been recently sectioned for 28 days for trying to take his life after splitting from my Mum, im trying to be as supportive as possible but i feel my Mum thinks he is acting up just to get people on side so its hard to stay neutral because i dont want either of my parents thinking im not supporting them through this Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Tan D	No point wasting your time to explain to these people whose are biased against people with mental health problem. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Whatever.	Oh, I wish I knew. People that say things like "what have you got to be depressed about?" Aaarggghhhh!!!!! Oh know, I wake up every day an make a conscious choice to feel like this. People that have never suffered will never understand to what extent it debilitates and restricts. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

FarOut	Poeple who are mental need not explain themselves to anyone. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No