Discrimination against the Mentally ill is the worst kind.

[Cetacea]

They are not people. They are sub-human, and not "really there".
Psychos. Nuts. Loonies, Schizos... Convicted murderers get more respect than those diagnosed with a major mental illness, especially the various psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. We make assumptions whenever there is an incident, like the horrible tragedy at Va Tech, that the shooter was "deranged". Add that word to the list.

The truth is that most severely mentally people are no more violent than "normal" people, and I would argue that they are even less prone to violence
.
That being said, I do believe that many of the current contemporary anti-depressants can be dangerous and can induce violence, both against the self and others. They are prescribed much to freely across the spectrum, and the companies that make them are making billions of dollars, when there are older and cheaper antidepressants that are far more effective, such as MAIOs.

[ananda]

1. mental illness?

Is there really such a think as mental illness?
Labels are a big problem, along with the drugs
used to -treat- people labeled by the mental
health system.

This hurts everyone. It leads ultimately to a
very narrow definition of -normal- and a lot of
acting out against others through ridicule, name
calling, bullying, gossip, and social exclusion..
which of course then leads some people to
commit acts of unspeakable violence.

The man responsible for the VTech shootings
was so alienated and angry at the rich white
students that he just couldn't take it any more.

My problem with the affluent is how they seem
to just take it for granted that everyone thinks
that that is the ultimate goal of humanity.. to be
rich and upper class.

Give me a bfb!

[pnwmom]

5. Yes, there is such a thing as mental illness.

And the treatment of it should be covered just the same as any other illness.

Andrea Yates, for example, had had a psychotic break before she killed her 5 children. If she had been receiving proper treatment, this might not have happened.

[Sapere aude]

2. "I do believe that many of the current contemporary anti-depressants can be dangerous"

Why do you believe that? If it were true than you are saying the medical field of mental health and the pharmaceutical companies are frauds.

I am not attacking you or your beliefs but I hear that a lot yet I have yet to see anything that I would accept as evidence of it. I am a mental health patient and I take meds so it is important to me that we don't let false evidence take over. It really disturbs me that I did not seek help for years because I listened to people who would agree with you. Even when I was in a safe house and help was offered to me at no cost I swore I would never take those drugs. Now I see how much time I wasted suffering when I didn't have to and how many people I hurt when I shouldn't have. It is so easy to go along with the herd and agree that these drugs do more harm than good and are prescribed by docs who aren't ethical. That is what you are really saying.

[MADem]

3. Ah, but you open up a big can of worms there. If you don't "discriminate" then you don't

"discriminate." You don't make allowances for people doing dare I say, crazy things and using their condition as an excuse when it's time to dole out justice. Out goes "Not guilty by reason of insanity" as a plea.

There are some who say that plea should go away entirely. Others favor a "Guilty AND Insane" option, that enables the person to claim their crime and get help for their condition.

Now I realize your use of the word "discrimination" is more about insults and meanness than the real meaning of the word, which has to do with dealing with people differently (and not necessarily meanly) because of who or what they are. But eventually, when you pull the string, the debate moves on to discussions of "equality," because one discussion point will inevitably lead to others.

It's a slippery slope when you ask for equal treatment, is all I'm saying.

That said, we hear enough about some of these medications to wonder about their efficacy. I think the problem is that people are individuals, and these drugs tend to try to be "One size is supposed to fit all."

[DCKit]

4. For a minute there I thought you were going to tell us to stop making fun of Dumbya... yikes. n/t