Mental Illness & Atheism

[Colm-kun]

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

After reading the OP I knew the thread was going to be dominated by people going out of their way to show how accepting they are and just how understanding they are to people with every problem.

I don't get it. I really, really don't. People lie, people pretend to be depressed, people read about a new disease or disorder and then act it out just to get attention, or just to get away with s**t.

That there are people with problems doesn't matter at all, because there are so many who are faking it. But then let us look at the people who do have issues in one area or another. For many it seems to just be an excuse to be a d**k.

Someone goes around flinging sexist, homophobic and racist comments after people have repeatedly said "don't say any of that s**t around us" and people want to excuse it as autism? No, that is being a d**k. You may not understand why it is offensive, but people have repeatedly said it is and to continue to act that way is to consciously antagonise others.

With publicised depression I often encounter people who use it to be the center of attention--and don't lie, you do too. If you were depressed you sure as hell wouldn't be telling anyone about it because that would imply that you thought people actually care, that you matter, that you aren't completely worthless and deserve to be erased from existence. By telling people about it you betray that you aren't depressed and are only doing it for attention, and that you are a manipulative arsehole.

I agree with the bolded. Tourettes and Autism REALLY aren't hard to fake. Sorry to say but you can perfectly act it by WATCHING them. I know a few people who have TOLD ME they fake it just to be an a*****e. But even people who really DO HAVE IT have told me they slightly enjoy being able to insult others and get away with it.  

[alteregoivy]

Colm-kun

I agree with the bolded. Tourettes and Autism REALLY aren't hard to fake. Sorry to say but you can perfectly act it by WATCHING them. I know a few people who have TOLD ME they fake it just to be an a*****e. But even people who really DO HAVE IT have told me they slightly enjoy being able to insult others and get away with it.

But you have to make an exception to that statement for extreme cases. I mean extreme.

My little brother is severely autistic. He cannot speak. He cannot write. He is never really with you if you try to communicate with him; he's stuck inside his own head, at least that's all I can guess.

It was a horrendously heartbreaking panoply for my parents to watch; when my brother was below the age of 1(ish), he was learning to count, starting to learn his alphabet, a couple of words... And then, one day, he stopped learning. Worse, he started to forget what he had already learned; not only did he not learn any more letters (he got all the way up to V at one point), he eventually forgot them all and all words.

Can you fake that behavior that young and keep it up your whole life?

Bare in mind Autism is a spectrum disorder. Try not to make sweeping statements about something so diverse.  

[alteregoivy]

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

After reading the OP I knew the thread was going to be dominated by people going out of their way to show how accepting they are and just how understanding they are to people with every problem.

I don't get it. I really, really don't. People lie, people pretend to be depressed, people read about a new disease or disorder and then act it out just to get attention, or just to get away with s**t.

That there are people with problems doesn't matter at all, because there are so many who are faking it. But then let us look at the people who do have issues in one area or another. For many it seems to just be an excuse to be a d**k.

Someone goes around flinging sexist, homophobic and racist comments after people have repeatedly said "don't say any of that s**t around us" and people want to excuse it as autism? No, that is being a d**k. You may not understand why it is offensive, but people have repeatedly said it is and to continue to act that way is to consciously antagonise others.

With publicised depression I often encounter people who use it to be the center of attention--and don't lie, you do too. If you were depressed you sure as hell wouldn't be telling anyone about it because that would imply that you thought people actually care, that you matter, that you aren't completely worthless and deserve to be erased from existence. By telling people about it you betray that you aren't depressed and are only doing it for attention, and that you are a manipulative arsehole.

So just because some people are assholes, we should just let the actually afflicted commit suicide or be taken advantage of by people who actually realize they have trouble understanding what's going on around them?

Talking about depression is one of the first steps to healing! For exactly the reason you talked about! YES, it means that they think someone might give a damn. WHY is this a bad thing? Sure, some people take advantage of that. Does that mean why should deny everyone any kind of sympathy? Thanks for dragging us back to the Middle Ages, man.

As far as Tourettes and Autism go, again, just because some people take advantage of it, does that mean we should deny any kind of medical care or benefits to everyone? For some people with Autism, it's very similar to Downs Syndrome. Let's just put them out of the street and see what happens! They'll cure themselves when they realize they won't get help, right? Nevermind all the girls with Downs who have been raped because they had no idea what was going on and trusted what adults told them.

Tourettes is very misunderstood. People with this disorder don't just shout cuss words or whatever; they have physical tics, too. Imagine being in a job interview with your right eye constantly blinking, or some other uncontrollable muscle twitch. Do you think that person will get that job? Probably not. Should we deny them medication or psychiatric care or therapy just because some people might be faking it? No!  

[Le Pere Duchesne]

alteregoivy

Colm-kun

I agree with the bolded. Tourettes and Autism REALLY aren't hard to fake. Sorry to say but you can perfectly act it by WATCHING them. I know a few people who have TOLD ME they fake it just to be an a*****e. But even people who really DO HAVE IT have told me they slightly enjoy being able to insult others and get away with it.

But you have to make an exception to that statement for extreme cases. I mean extreme.

My little brother is severely autistic. He cannot speak. He cannot write. He is never really with you if you try to communicate with him; he's stuck inside his own head, at least that's all I can guess.

It was a horrendously heartbreaking panoply for my parents to watch; when my brother was below the age of 1(ish), he was learning to count, starting to learn his alphabet, a couple of words... And then, one day, he stopped learning. Worse, he started to forget what he had already learned; not only did he not learn any more letters (he got all the way up to V at one point), he eventually forgot them all and all words.

Can you fake that behavior that young and keep it up your whole life?

Bare in mind Autism is a spectrum disorder. Try not to make sweeping statements about something so diverse.

You must realise that there is a reason to fake. That reason--being able to do s**t and get away with it--does not make sense if you are going to imitate someone who can't do what you want to do in the first place.  

[Le Pere Duchesne]

alteregoivy

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

After reading the OP I knew the thread was going to be dominated by people going out of their way to show how accepting they are and just how understanding they are to people with every problem.

I don't get it. I really, really don't. People lie, people pretend to be depressed, people read about a new disease or disorder and then act it out just to get attention, or just to get away with s**t.

That there are people with problems doesn't matter at all, because there are so many who are faking it. But then let us look at the people who do have issues in one area or another. For many it seems to just be an excuse to be a d**k.

Someone goes around flinging sexist, homophobic and racist comments after people have repeatedly said "don't say any of that s**t around us" and people want to excuse it as autism? No, that is being a d**k. You may not understand why it is offensive, but people have repeatedly said it is and to continue to act that way is to consciously antagonise others.

With publicised depression I often encounter people who use it to be the center of attention--and don't lie, you do too. If you were depressed you sure as hell wouldn't be telling anyone about it because that would imply that you thought people actually care, that you matter, that you aren't completely worthless and deserve to be erased from existence. By telling people about it you betray that you aren't depressed and are only doing it for attention, and that you are a manipulative arsehole.

So just because some people are assholes, we should just let the actually afflicted commit suicide or be taken advantage of by people who actually realize they have trouble understanding what's going on around them?

Talking about depression is one of the first steps to healing! For exactly the reason you talked about! YES, it means that they think someone might give a damn. WHY is this a bad thing? Sure, some people take advantage of that. Does that mean why should deny everyone any kind of sympathy? Thanks for dragging us back to the Middle Ages, man.

As far as Tourettes and Autism go, again, just because some people take advantage of it, does that mean we should deny any kind of medical care or benefits to everyone? For some people with Autism, it's very similar to Downs Syndrome. Let's just put them out of the street and see what happens! They'll cure themselves when they realize they won't get help, right? Nevermind all the girls with Downs who have been raped because they had no idea what was going on and trusted what adults told them.

Tourettes is very misunderstood. People with this disorder don't just shout cuss words or whatever; they have physical tics, too. Imagine being in a job interview with your right eye constantly blinking, or some other uncontrollable muscle twitch. Do you think that person will get that job? Probably not. Should we deny them medication or psychiatric care or therapy just because some people might be faking it? No!

You will note that my post said nothing about treatment or medical care, and was instead commenting on how distasteful I find the orgy of 'acceptance' and 'understanding' pointed out in the first paragraph.

If people have issues they should recieve professional care, definitely. and the best way to sift the real ones from the fakers is to ignore how they act when they are not recieving that care. Are you really depressed? Why aren't you in therapy? Do you really have a form of Autism that allows you to manage in society? Then you know not to say stuff when people tell you to stop.  

[imderanged]

I am currently a Social Sciences major at College, and when I transfer to another College I will be studying Social work. I want to get a Master's in Clinical Social Work so that I can do mental heath counciling. My family has a LONG history of mental illness. My mother has serious issues. I have been diagnosed as having OCD, and my husband was diagnosed as having Schizo-affective disorder. He was hospitalized for it last year.

Personally, I think there is more acceptance for things like depression and anxiety disorders, but for illnesses with psychotic symptoms like my husband had, there is still a lot of bias.  

[brainnsoup]

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

alteregoivy

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

After reading the OP I knew the thread was going to be dominated by people going out of their way to show how accepting they are and just how understanding they are to people with every problem.

I don't get it. I really, really don't. People lie, people pretend to be depressed, people read about a new disease or disorder and then act it out just to get attention, or just to get away with s**t.

That there are people with problems doesn't matter at all, because there are so many who are faking it. But then let us look at the people who do have issues in one area or another. For many it seems to just be an excuse to be a d**k.

Someone goes around flinging sexist, homophobic and racist comments after people have repeatedly said "don't say any of that s**t around us" and people want to excuse it as autism? No, that is being a d**k. You may not understand why it is offensive, but people have repeatedly said it is and to continue to act that way is to consciously antagonise others.

With publicised depression I often encounter people who use it to be the center of attention--and don't lie, you do too. If you were depressed you sure as hell wouldn't be telling anyone about it because that would imply that you thought people actually care, that you matter, that you aren't completely worthless and deserve to be erased from existence. By telling people about it you betray that you aren't depressed and are only doing it for attention, and that you are a manipulative arsehole.

So just because some people are assholes, we should just let the actually afflicted commit suicide or be taken advantage of by people who actually realize they have trouble understanding what's going on around them?

Talking about depression is one of the first steps to healing! For exactly the reason you talked about! YES, it means that they think someone might give a damn. WHY is this a bad thing? Sure, some people take advantage of that. Does that mean why should deny everyone any kind of sympathy? Thanks for dragging us back to the Middle Ages, man.

As far as Tourettes and Autism go, again, just because some people take advantage of it, does that mean we should deny any kind of medical care or benefits to everyone? For some people with Autism, it's very similar to Downs Syndrome. Let's just put them out of the street and see what happens! They'll cure themselves when they realize they won't get help, right? Nevermind all the girls with Downs who have been raped because they had no idea what was going on and trusted what adults told them.

Tourettes is very misunderstood. People with this disorder don't just shout cuss words or whatever; they have physical tics, too. Imagine being in a job interview with your right eye constantly blinking, or some other uncontrollable muscle twitch. Do you think that person will get that job? Probably not. Should we deny them medication or psychiatric care or therapy just because some people might be faking it? No!

You will note that my post said nothing about treatment or medical care, and was instead commenting on how distasteful I find the orgy of 'acceptance' and 'understanding' pointed out in the first paragraph.

If people have issues they should recieve professional care, definitely. and the best way to sift the real ones from the fakers is to ignore how they act when they are not recieving that care. Are you really depressed? Why aren't you in therapy? Do you really have a form of Autism that allows you to manage in society? Then you know not to say stuff when people tell you to stop.

o.o There's no reason to bully anyone.
Those are very personal questions.
It seems to me like you have some stuff to talk out with a specific person who gets attention because of their illness, yeah?
Just a hunch.  

[Le Pere Duchesne]

cellophane tape

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

alteregoivy

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

After reading the OP I knew the thread was going to be dominated by people going out of their way to show how accepting they are and just how understanding they are to people with every problem.

I don't get it. I really, really don't. People lie, people pretend to be depressed, people read about a new disease or disorder and then act it out just to get attention, or just to get away with s**t.

That there are people with problems doesn't matter at all, because there are so many who are faking it. But then let us look at the people who do have issues in one area or another. For many it seems to just be an excuse to be a d**k.

Someone goes around flinging sexist, homophobic and racist comments after people have repeatedly said "don't say any of that s**t around us" and people want to excuse it as autism? No, that is being a d**k. You may not understand why it is offensive, but people have repeatedly said it is and to continue to act that way is to consciously antagonise others.

With publicised depression I often encounter people who use it to be the center of attention--and don't lie, you do too. If you were depressed you sure as hell wouldn't be telling anyone about it because that would imply that you thought people actually care, that you matter, that you aren't completely worthless and deserve to be erased from existence. By telling people about it you betray that you aren't depressed and are only doing it for attention, and that you are a manipulative arsehole.

So just because some people are assholes, we should just let the actually afflicted commit suicide or be taken advantage of by people who actually realize they have trouble understanding what's going on around them?

Talking about depression is one of the first steps to healing! For exactly the reason you talked about! YES, it means that they think someone might give a damn. WHY is this a bad thing? Sure, some people take advantage of that. Does that mean why should deny everyone any kind of sympathy? Thanks for dragging us back to the Middle Ages, man.

As far as Tourettes and Autism go, again, just because some people take advantage of it, does that mean we should deny any kind of medical care or benefits to everyone? For some people with Autism, it's very similar to Downs Syndrome. Let's just put them out of the street and see what happens! They'll cure themselves when they realize they won't get help, right? Nevermind all the girls with Downs who have been raped because they had no idea what was going on and trusted what adults told them.

Tourettes is very misunderstood. People with this disorder don't just shout cuss words or whatever; they have physical tics, too. Imagine being in a job interview with your right eye constantly blinking, or some other uncontrollable muscle twitch. Do you think that person will get that job? Probably not. Should we deny them medication or psychiatric care or therapy just because some people might be faking it? No!

You will note that my post said nothing about treatment or medical care, and was instead commenting on how distasteful I find the orgy of 'acceptance' and 'understanding' pointed out in the first paragraph.

If people have issues they should recieve professional care, definitely. and the best way to sift the real ones from the fakers is to ignore how they act when they are not recieving that care. Are you really depressed? Why aren't you in therapy? Do you really have a form of Autism that allows you to manage in society? Then you know not to say stuff when people tell you to stop.

o.o There's no reason to bully anyone.
Those are very personal questions.
It seems to me like you have some stuff to talk out with a specific person who gets attention because of their illness, yeah?
Just a hunch.

How was any of that bullying? Or is it that since I disagree that everyone should be forced to pretend that manipulative ******** are nice people because they say they have a disorder of some kind or they exagerate it I am now bullying?

Those questions in the last paragraph were to a hypothetical person claiming those illnesses, however they do stand. I don't require an answer, but they do stand as valid demands: If someone claims a disorder of some kind they should get help for it, not demand that I or anyone else have to be nice to them while they--possibly purposefully--disrupt my life and act like dicks.

And to brush all of this away with 'ah, well obviously you are just jealous of the attention they get' is disgusting as it is minimising the issue. It isn't someone but most of the people I meet. Most people I have met have claimed some sort of mental illness and use it as an excuse to be a pricks and get away with s**t. It isn't an issue with attention, warranted or not, but the manipulation behind getting the attention.

Hell, maybe ADD should be retitled 'Attention Demanding Disorder'. Maybe then the real issue can be tackled.  

[Herobane]

tearingXheavenXdown

I'm not sure what you mean by "can't be helped." There are medications for a lot of the mental diseases you listed... excepting, of course, cancer and mental retardation, as well as autism, to my knowledge.
There's a difference between major depressive disorder and the lesser forms. Most people with depression do not reside in the psych ward. Most, like myself, have found a way to fit into society like the rest of the population. But there are people medications can't help. Supposedly if one has suicidality, antidepressants can increase the risk... and they aren't approved for under-20's. So I sort of see your point.
I think eventually there will be an effective cure for those, it will take time though, and lots of it.

There aren't medications for autism. I take medications to help me concentrate, but it has no real effect on my autism.  

[Herobane]

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

cellophane tape

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

alteregoivy

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

After reading the OP I knew the thread was going to be dominated by people going out of their way to show how accepting they are and just how understanding they are to people with every problem.

I don't get it. I really, really don't. People lie, people pretend to be depressed, people read about a new disease or disorder and then act it out just to get attention, or just to get away with s**t.

That there are people with problems doesn't matter at all, because there are so many who are faking it. But then let us look at the people who do have issues in one area or another. For many it seems to just be an excuse to be a d**k.

Someone goes around flinging sexist, homophobic and racist comments after people have repeatedly said "don't say any of that s**t around us" and people want to excuse it as autism? No, that is being a d**k. You may not understand why it is offensive, but people have repeatedly said it is and to continue to act that way is to consciously antagonise others.

With publicised depression I often encounter people who use it to be the center of attention--and don't lie, you do too. If you were depressed you sure as hell wouldn't be telling anyone about it because that would imply that you thought people actually care, that you matter, that you aren't completely worthless and deserve to be erased from existence. By telling people about it you betray that you aren't depressed and are only doing it for attention, and that you are a manipulative arsehole.

So just because some people are assholes, we should just let the actually afflicted commit suicide or be taken advantage of by people who actually realize they have trouble understanding what's going on around them?

Talking about depression is one of the first steps to healing! For exactly the reason you talked about! YES, it means that they think someone might give a damn. WHY is this a bad thing? Sure, some people take advantage of that. Does that mean why should deny everyone any kind of sympathy? Thanks for dragging us back to the Middle Ages, man.

As far as Tourettes and Autism go, again, just because some people take advantage of it, does that mean we should deny any kind of medical care or benefits to everyone? For some people with Autism, it's very similar to Downs Syndrome. Let's just put them out of the street and see what happens! They'll cure themselves when they realize they won't get help, right? Nevermind all the girls with Downs who have been raped because they had no idea what was going on and trusted what adults told them.

Tourettes is very misunderstood. People with this disorder don't just shout cuss words or whatever; they have physical tics, too. Imagine being in a job interview with your right eye constantly blinking, or some other uncontrollable muscle twitch. Do you think that person will get that job? Probably not. Should we deny them medication or psychiatric care or therapy just because some people might be faking it? No!

You will note that my post said nothing about treatment or medical care, and was instead commenting on how distasteful I find the orgy of 'acceptance' and 'understanding' pointed out in the first paragraph.

If people have issues they should recieve professional care, definitely. and the best way to sift the real ones from the fakers is to ignore how they act when they are not recieving that care. Are you really depressed? Why aren't you in therapy? Do you really have a form of Autism that allows you to manage in society? Then you know not to say stuff when people tell you to stop.

o.o There's no reason to bully anyone.
Those are very personal questions.
It seems to me like you have some stuff to talk out with a specific person who gets attention because of their illness, yeah?
Just a hunch.

How was any of that bullying? Or is it that since I disagree that everyone should be forced to pretend that manipulative ******** are nice people because they say they have a disorder of some kind or they exagerate it I am now bullying?

Those questions in the last paragraph were to a hypothetical person claiming those illnesses, however they do stand. I don't require an answer, but they do stand as valid demands: If someone claims a disorder of some kind they should get help for it, not demand that I or anyone else have to be nice to them while they--possibly purposefully--disrupt my life and act like dicks.

And to brush all of this away with 'ah, well obviously you are just jealous of the attention they get' is disgusting as it is minimising the issue. It isn't someone but most of the people I meet. Most people I have met have claimed some sort of mental illness and use it as an excuse to be a pricks and get away with s**t. It isn't an issue with attention, warranted or not, but the manipulation behind getting the attention.

Hell, maybe ADD should be retitled 'Attention Demanding Disorder'. Maybe then the real issue can be tackled.

I agree with you. As an autistic (Aspberger's syndrome), I find it highly offensive when someone gives those of us who try to function normally a bad name.  

[xJujuKittyx]

Okay. I'm going to try my hardest not to sound like some sort of moron (as I normally do when posting such)...

However, couldn't "religion"--That is, excusing nihilists and atheists-- Be considered an effect of a mental disorder? Having experienced psychosis on several degrees, some that developed simply from a grand state of depression, I know that I've formed religious beliefs and even a small cult, due to my experiences with what I've perceived (but never existed).. And that led me to the belief that reality is defined simply by what we perceive.. Either way, through psychosis, anyone could benefit to a religious belief.. And who knows? Christianity (not that it's the only religion on which this focuses) could simply be a case of desperation and mass hysteria.  

[brainnsoup]

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

cellophane tape

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

alteregoivy

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

After reading the OP I knew the thread was going to be dominated by people going out of their way to show how accepting they are and just how understanding they are to people with every problem.

I don't get it. I really, really don't. People lie, people pretend to be depressed, people read about a new disease or disorder and then act it out just to get attention, or just to get away with s**t.

That there are people with problems doesn't matter at all, because there are so many who are faking it. But then let us look at the people who do have issues in one area or another. For many it seems to just be an excuse to be a d**k.

Someone goes around flinging sexist, homophobic and racist comments after people have repeatedly said "don't say any of that s**t around us" and people want to excuse it as autism? No, that is being a d**k. You may not understand why it is offensive, but people have repeatedly said it is and to continue to act that way is to consciously antagonise others.

With publicised depression I often encounter people who use it to be the center of attention--and don't lie, you do too. If you were depressed you sure as hell wouldn't be telling anyone about it because that would imply that you thought people actually care, that you matter, that you aren't completely worthless and deserve to be erased from existence. By telling people about it you betray that you aren't depressed and are only doing it for attention, and that you are a manipulative arsehole.

So just because some people are assholes, we should just let the actually afflicted commit suicide or be taken advantage of by people who actually realize they have trouble understanding what's going on around them?

Talking about depression is one of the first steps to healing! For exactly the reason you talked about! YES, it means that they think someone might give a damn. WHY is this a bad thing? Sure, some people take advantage of that. Does that mean why should deny everyone any kind of sympathy? Thanks for dragging us back to the Middle Ages, man.

As far as Tourettes and Autism go, again, just because some people take advantage of it, does that mean we should deny any kind of medical care or benefits to everyone? For some people with Autism, it's very similar to Downs Syndrome. Let's just put them out of the street and see what happens! They'll cure themselves when they realize they won't get help, right? Nevermind all the girls with Downs who have been raped because they had no idea what was going on and trusted what adults told them.

Tourettes is very misunderstood. People with this disorder don't just shout cuss words or whatever; they have physical tics, too. Imagine being in a job interview with your right eye constantly blinking, or some other uncontrollable muscle twitch. Do you think that person will get that job? Probably not. Should we deny them medication or psychiatric care or therapy just because some people might be faking it? No!

You will note that my post said nothing about treatment or medical care, and was instead commenting on how distasteful I find the orgy of 'acceptance' and 'understanding' pointed out in the first paragraph.

If people have issues they should recieve professional care, definitely. and the best way to sift the real ones from the fakers is to ignore how they act when they are not recieving that care. Are you really depressed? Why aren't you in therapy? Do you really have a form of Autism that allows you to manage in society? Then you know not to say stuff when people tell you to stop.

o.o There's no reason to bully anyone.
Those are very personal questions.
It seems to me like you have some stuff to talk out with a specific person who gets attention because of their illness, yeah?
Just a hunch.

How was any of that bullying? Or is it that since I disagree that everyone should be forced to pretend that manipulative ******** are nice people because they say they have a disorder of some kind or they exagerate it I am now bullying?

Those questions in the last paragraph were to a hypothetical person claiming those illnesses, however they do stand. I don't require an answer, but they do stand as valid demands: If someone claims a disorder of some kind they should get help for it, not demand that I or anyone else have to be nice to them while they--possibly purposefully--disrupt my life and act like dicks.

And to brush all of this away with 'ah, well obviously you are just jealous of the attention they get' is disgusting as it is minimising the issue. It isn't someone but most of the people I meet. Most people I have met have claimed some sort of mental illness and use it as an excuse to be a pricks and get away with s**t. It isn't an issue with attention, warranted or not, but the manipulation behind getting the attention.

Hell, maybe ADD should be retitled 'Attention Demanding Disorder'. Maybe then the real issue can be tackled.

Well whether you meant it or not, a lot of your questions seemed accusatory of people on this thread talking about their depression or autism.
And I don't know much about autism, but you clearly don't understand depression. At all.
There's still a real stigma surrounding therapy and even people who need help are really reluctant to go.
And depression does make you feel worthless and alone.
So it is a really big step to talk to someone.
And not that people don't milk it for attention or even completely pretend to have a problem so people will feel sorry for them.
But it's completely unfair to assume that if someone says they are depressed that they are automatically an attention whore just because you knew a girl who was.
Yeah... That's really messed up.

Not just depression.
To assume that anyone struggling with some kind of disorder is just in it for the attention is pretty sick.

I don't know who you hang out with or what they do...
But it's never fair to assume that somebody who says they have a mood disorder, learning disorder, etc. is just "being a d**k". -.-  

[=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=]

I don't think anxiety is really a mental illness.
I'd say it's more of a mood or feeling for a period of time
than an actual extended mental illness.
However, I have several divided opinions about depression.
I have several friends who are "clinically depressed", or so
they say. But despite whether or not they can control it,
I think it's a very selfish disorder, if I have to say.
It doesn't matter whether or not they can control how they
feel (my friends have gotten pissed at me for telling them to
be happy), they are still making the people around them
feel like s**t. I often feel helpless around my depressed friends.
And if I were to be depressed, I wouldn't do that.
There have been times when I have been sad or depressed,
but I never told my friends that (for example, I didn't tell
any of my close friends that my Grandpa died last year)
because I didn't want them to worry about me. It's just
a little selfish to be like, "I'm depressed and I may kill myself
so you better be nice to me!" (not that they actually say that, but
it feels almost like they are). I have to agree with Robespierre,
if you were actually depressed and you loved the people
around you, you wouldn't do anything to make them worry,
like breaking down or attempting to kill yourself.

I know I might sound selfish, harsh and demanding,
that "oh those people with depression are already going
through such a hard time so why are you making it harder
for them?" But DUDE, you think I WANT to feel this way
about my own friends? No! It's the way they've almost been
rubbing their depression into everyone's face that gets on
my nerves and make me feel this way. I don't think my
friends use depression to get attention, but I don't like how
they are yelling it out to everyone as if declaring themselves
endangered species or something.

For schizophrenics and psychotics, I think these people just
simply need help. I don't think they're that bad as long
as they don't do things to harm themselves or other people.
They just need someone to slowly bring them back to reality.
Some people may use these mental illnesses to accomplish
things for personal benefits, but I think it'll be pretty easy
to tell if that happens. I mean, they can pretend for a while,
but sooner or later they'll be found out because they can't
stay playing insane forever (otherwise they'll turn insane
themselves).

I have a mildly retarded uncle, and from him I kind of came up
with the conclusion that mentally retarded people don't usually
harm the others or be hostile to them. Unless they were brought
up by some maniac killer, they generally don't have the capacity
to think of or do evil things. They can't really bring themselves
to it. If anything, it may actually be harder for them. So if someone
"mentally retarded" insults you or something, it's either they've
been brought up to believe that their insults are justified, or they
are just simply faking retardation.

As for autism, I've seen several special ed kids in school who are
allowed to cut in front of the lunch line simply because they are
autistic. And one of the kids were especially bad. He was just a
simple a*****e. When he found out the school stopped selling
soda because of the whole promoting health thing, he was kicking
the gates to the cafeteria and screaming and yelling and cursing.
Honestly, I don't think someone who can't behave themselves
deserve a special privilege. How would giving in to their demands
and letting them do or say what they want help them fit into
society better? They'll only get used to having privileges and blow
up on other people later when they get to the point in life where
people won't be nice or lenient on them anymore. I think kids like
this actually need extra harshness and strictness to govern them,
since they can't govern themselves. Society in itself is a system of
restrictions and limits and if they can't meet that, they can't survive
in this world.

(lol we Chinese people have a saying that "Lenient mothers make
many losers; strict fathers produce excellent children." (don't mind
the mother/father seemingly-sexist bit, that's not the point of
the saying)).

 

[alteregoivy]

=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=

I don't think anxiety is really a mental illness.
I'd say it's more of a mood or feeling for a period of time
than an actual extended mental illness.

Have you ever had stage fright, or felt very nervous about something coming up? No imagine that you can't turn that feeling off. For hours at a time, no reason at all, your heart is racing, palms sweating, breathing heavy, can't sit still... With panic attacks, you honestly think you are having a heart attack and may die. Some people call an ambulance because they think they are having a heart attack! But it turns out to be anxiety, and that's where it becomes an illness. When your brain is screaming at you all the time, "DON'T DO THAT! DANGER! STOP! NO RUN! I DON'T KNOW BUT DO SOMETHING! AHHHHHHH!!!!" all day every day, it's kind of hard to perform normal activities.

=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=

However, I have several divided opinions about depression.
I have several friends who are "clinically depressed", or so
they say. But despite whether or not they can control it,
I think it's a very selfish disorder, if I have to say.
It doesn't matter whether or not they can control how they
feel (my friends have gotten pissed at me for telling them to
be happy), they are still making the people around them
feel like s**t. I often feel helpless around my depressed friends.
And if I were to be depressed, I wouldn't do that.
There have been times when I have been sad or depressed,
but I never told my friends that (for example, I didn't tell
any of my close friends that my Grandpa died last year)
because I didn't want them to worry about me. It's just
a little selfish to be like, "I'm depressed and I may kill myself
so you better be nice to me!" (not that they actually say that, but
it feels almost like they are). I have to agree with Robespierre,
if you were actually depressed and you loved the people
around you, you wouldn't do anything to make them worry,
like breaking down or attempting to kill yourself.

I know I might sound selfish, harsh and demanding,
that "oh those people with depression are already going
through such a hard time so why are you making it harder
for them?" But DUDE, you think I WANT to feel this way
about my own friends? No! It's the way they've almost been
rubbing their depression into everyone's face that gets on
my nerves and make me feel this way. I don't think my
friends use depression to get attention, but I don't like how
they are yelling it out to everyone as if declaring themselves
endangered species or something.

That's just it. No matter how hard I tried to hide it, everyone could tell I was sad all the time. I tried to function, I really did. But then I lost friends because I was a downer, and I started to be unable to continue my school work, and I thought... You know, if I weren't here, people who knew me would be sad for a while, but then they'd get over it and move on and be much happier without me in the end.

However, parents will not ever get over the loss of a child like that. I realized that my parents would forever blame themselves, wondering what they did wrong, what they could have done to make it better. I didn't realize that, though, until I saw how absolutely terrified they were by what I had almost done. I really believed that I was doing everyone a favor by killing myself because I couldn't fix myself no matter how hard I tried.

Imagine you never want to laugh or smile. It's like a weight and pain in your chest that just won't go away, and you're fighting back tears nearly all the time. Can you keep smiling through that all day every day and pretend that nothing's wrong? When life seems like an endless succession of days with no happiness and no hope of ever finding any....

I know you would say "Just snap out of it!" or think that you could deal with it... But it's been proven that there's a chemical imbalance in the brain that's responsible in some cases, and so it's just not that simple. There's treatment, but it's a hard, long process. Sure, there are people who just use it as an excuse, but... For some of us, it's very real, and we really do our best to get by.

=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=

As for autism, I've seen several special ed kids in school who are
allowed to cut in front of the lunch line simply because they are
autistic. And one of the kids were especially bad. He was just a
simple a*****e. When he found out the school stopped selling
soda because of the whole promoting health thing, he was kicking
the gates to the cafeteria and screaming and yelling and cursing.
Honestly, I don't think someone who can't behave themselves
deserve a special privilege. How would giving in to their demands
and letting them do or say what they want help them fit into
society better? They'll only get used to having privileges and blow
up on other people later when they get to the point in life where
people won't be nice or lenient on them anymore. I think kids like
this actually need extra harshness and strictness to govern them,
since they can't govern themselves. Society in itself is a system of
restrictions and limits and if they can't meet that, they can't survive
in this world.

Agreed. However, it's easy to say that when you're not dealing with them all day every day. It's hard when every tiny deviation from a set schedule sets off a first-class temper tantrum. I'm not excusing it, I'm just trying to explain why a lot of adults eventually seem to just give up and give in.  

[alteregoivy]

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

You will note that my post said nothing about treatment or medical care, and was instead commenting on how distasteful I find the orgy of 'acceptance' and 'understanding' pointed out in the first paragraph.

If people have issues they should recieve professional care, definitely. and the best way to sift the real ones from the fakers is to ignore how they act when they are not recieving that care. Are you really depressed? Why aren't you in therapy? Do you really have a form of Autism that allows you to manage in society? Then you know not to say stuff when people tell you to stop.

I guess I kind of went off on you there... sorry about that. This was the part that kind of had me up in arms, though:

Louis-Auguste Robespierre

That there are people with problems doesn't matter at all, because there are so many who are faking it.

It seemed to me you were negating the need to offer help or understanding, either one, with that statement.