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There is no absolute difference between mental problems and other health problems. Either can lead to the other. For example, HIV/AIDS is a health problem that leads to mental dysfunction. Depression is a "mental" problem that can lead to alcoholism, malnutrition, or death through suicide; people with major depression are twice as likely to have diabetes, and over four times as likely to have heart attacks. Depressed women are four times as likely as non-depressed women to have breast cancer. Those are certainly "health" problems, and they are also additional reasons, if any are needed, to seek services for "psychological" problems. Many
homeless people
have health problems, when both homelessness and the health problem could have
been avoided if they had obtained help for the "mental" problems that kept them from
functioning well in their jobs and relationships. There is no separating
physical and mental problems; both are simply problems that people have. Just as with physical
problems, mental problems range widely in severity from mild dissatisfaction
with life up to a complete inability to function. In order for a person to be
diagnosed with a mental disorder, however, the problem must be severe and
troubling to the person or people around him or her.
Tell me about psychological treatments for mental
disorders. Last updated 12/19/03 |
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