By reading 'Changing Minds: Our lives and mental illness' by Rosalind Ramsay, which was recommended to the public by the Royal Psychiatrist website, I have started to develop a better understanding of how it may be like to suffer from a psychiatric condition and the related stigmas which come alongside the diseases. I really empathise with those who suffer from these illnesses; it's not like having a broken leg, the plaster cast alerts and makes the public eye aware of their disability so people can offer them help (such as helping them use the staircase). You can't see depression or Alzheimer's or schizophrenia, that's the problem with illnesses affecting the mind. And if people are made aware of these 'invisible' illnesses, those suffering are often exposed to discrimination and prejudice, left feeling isolated from society. The term mental illness still makes people picture mental asylums and straitjackets, when in reality violent behaviour only relates to the minority of cases. Campaigns are being set up to try and end this terrible discrimination such as www.time-to-change.org.uk/ which tries to raise public awareness of mental health issues.
Interestingly enough, despite the huge stigmas, an article on the Student BMJ website this week expressed how Bi-polar disorder is becoming a 'desired diagnosis' with many patients self-diagnosing themselves. It is possible that due to an increased public awareness on the internet, TV and radio and celebrities such as Stephen Fry speaking about personal experiences, bi-polar is seen as more acceptable in society.
Bi-polar is a serious mental illness where the sufferer encounters extreme mood swings from hypomania to depression. It is important that the psychiatrist carries out the diagnosis as not all people suffering from mood swings are suffering from bi-polar. Dealing with those who 'want to be bi-polar' requires the psychiatrist to show some sensitivity when either confirming or excluding the patient's self-diagnosis.
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