h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Many peole do not realise that mental illness is different to mental handicap in general terms. However severe and enduring mental illnesses, in particular clinical depression and schizophrenia are illnesses, and disaabilities, just as much as physical disabilities. The particular difficulty is that if they are being satisfactorily treated tey canno be seen. Mental illness is also a "shy" subject, and both patients and their carers are often not able or willing to talk about it. In my opinion it should not be swept under the carpet, especially since Care in the Community was started, and there is a great lack of provision for both patients and theirinformal/family carers. I would welcome discussion about this subject, as it may give relief to carers in particular to talk about their difficulties.

I'm sure there is a wide audience for this here, it's just a matter of finding it.
Conversations about these subjects can usually be found on entries about the subjects themselves. There's 'Treating Mental Illness' A1148203 or 'Mental Health' A646148. You can also try typing keywords into the search engine to find other similar topics.

If I can be of any help, just ask!
broe

The informal carers of those with mental illness fare far worse than the carers of those with physical illness. Mental illness cannot be seen when it is adequately treated. The social provision for such patients living in the commumnity is far from satisfactory. The joining up of services appears to be subject to"infighting" for who takes the lead. There are too few psychiatric beds (as quoted by the R.C.Psychiatrists) and those who succumb to the severe conditions of mental illness need the sheltered accommodation which was in the past provided by the psychiatric hospitals, which fell into disrepair and disrepute. Psychiatric illness is TIME orientated as opposed to TASK orientated, and satisfactory assessment cannot be made without discreet observation. The medications are now very much more satisfactory than in the past, but none-the-less patients are people and people are different, and all need individual assessment and treatment. One cannot liken it to a headache and give them an asprin. Many such patients do not have the insight to recognise their need for help, and it is shattering for their loved ones who care just as much about what is happenning to their relative, as they care if their relative needs a severe operation. The specialty has been far too long underfunded and understaffed, and this has in turn brought disillusion to many devoted staff who struggle to deal with very difficult ilnesses and conditions.