It seems to be that almost every day now we have someone writing about their experiences of mental health but with a bit of a conspiracy twist. I am talking about statements like “I was abducted by Aliens and that is why i am mentally ill” or “I might be mentally ill but that is because of a glitch in the matrix”, and “I am not mentally ill rather I am being visited by God”.

All of the above statements are what any health professional would expect to hear form a person who is living with schizophrenia. Some can be very dark statements, like the man who once told me that he could only see death and how he perceived every waking moment as if it were hell. Another thought that the TV was trying to seal her thoughts and another man once told me that everybody else was mad because they all thought he was Jesus.

When people who are living with a significant mental health diagnosis on ATS they are confronted with two things that could be dangerous in their fragile state of mind. The first is an entire forum detected on the most part to expose medication as being unnecessary and even dangerous, it talks about how it can make us ill and even control us. The second danger comes from the people on ATS who fuel their psychotic delusions and build further mistrust in the health services. Sometimes people on ATS try to convince people who talk about a mental illness that they are not mentally ill rather they have some type of special incite or are being subjected to some form of mind control.

These claims to not benefit that person in anyway regardless if they are going through a psychotic period or not, they cast doubt over their very diagnosis and can encourage them to stop taking their medication. Its highly unethical and I suspect the only reason some ATS members like to give alternative explanations about what mental illness is, is because they are ignorant. I bet none of you would tell any relatives you may have who are living with a mentally illness that they are not mentally ill but just hearing the voice of God.

My own views are very much fitting with the status quo I believe what the medical community says about mental illness to be true. I also think that it would be advisable for any thread about mental health on ATS to be subject to the increased monitoring like the 9/11 forum. I would go as far to say any member who confesses to having experiences of a mental illness should be banned. I know that’s harsh but I really do think it’s for the best.

I once tried to argue about this on a thread about someone talking about their experiences of mental health and it’s fair to say I was flamed. It was also difficult for everyone because we all had to be sensitive to the OP. So for this reason I am starting this as a tread to discuss everyone’s views on mental illness so any views you have on any aspect of mental illness feel free to contribute.

EDIT: I should be more specific with the idea of banning people. I am only talking about people who have confessed to a diagnosis that causes delusions. But would support strong moderation of all threads about mental illness (including this one)

[edit on 20-7-2010 by kevinunknown]

One in four people will suffer from some form of mental illness in their lifetime.
Should we therefore bar a quarter of people on ATS from posting?

Mental illness takes many different forms. Not everybody with a mental illness suffers from paranoia, delusions of grandeur or psychopathic tendencies. They also don't all hear voices, believe in aliens or ghosts etc.

Some of the greatest minds in history have suffered from some form of mental illness. Haven't got the details with me right now, but if you want I can post the names and the details.

People with mental illnesses have a lot more to contribute to society than so called 'normal' people.

Originally posted by kevinunknown
It seems to be that almost every day now we have someone writing about their experiences of mental health but with a bit of a conspiracy twist. I am talking about statements like “I was abducted by Aliens and that is why i am mentally ill” or “I might be mentally ill but that is because of a glitch in the matrix”, and “I am not mentally ill rather I am being visited by God”.

All of the above statements are what any health professional would expect to hear form a person who is living with schizophrenia. Some can be very dark statements, like the man who once told me that he could only see death and how he perceived every waking moment as if it were hell. Another thought that the TV was trying to seal her thoughts and another man once told me that everybody else was mad because they all thought he was Jesus.

1% of the population is considered schizophrenic, and you don't think this site would attract more than the norm? I learned to filter through a lot of the nonsense long ago. If you don't think there are wicked cool opinions and pearls of truth here, why do you bother?

When people who are living with a significant mental health diagnosis on ATS they are confronted with two things that could be dangerous in their fragile state of mind. The first is an entire forum detected on the most part to expose medication as being unnecessary and even dangerous, it talks about how it can make us ill and even control us. The second danger comes from the people on ATS who fuel their psychotic delusions and build further mistrust in the health services. Sometimes people on ATS try to convince people who talk about a mental illness that they are not mentally ill rather they have some type of special incite or are being subjected to some form of mind control.

Now this is where I disagree. Why are you using the schizophrenics on ATS to push your agenda that health care professionals are ethical and should be trusted? People who expose the crooked organizations are not necessarily being paranoid, imo. If you look through the history of the medical profession, psychiatry, and mental health treatment, you may see that it always looks barbaric from our perspective. I don't think this has changed. It seems to me someone from a future generation would look back and notice all the errors and think of our treatment as inhumane. Maybe some people already see this.

These claims to not benefit that person in anyway regardless if they are going through a psychotic period or not, they cast doubt over their very diagnosis and can encourage them to stop taking their medication. Its highly unethical and I suspect the only reason some ATS members like to give alternative explanations about what mental illness is, is because they are ignorant. I bet none of you would tell any relatives you may have who are living with a mentally illness that they are not mentally ill but just hearing the voice of God.

Yeah well my understanding that allopathic medicine had nothing to offer my situation, and wouldn't go after the root cause to cure me, caused me to seek out an alternative treatment that not only treated me well, but slowly reversed my diseased state. How many of those synthetic chemicals can go about curing your chronic stress and aid in healing emotional/social issues?

Considering the fact that you can walk into any doctor office, tell them some sob stories and walk out with a handful of psychotropic samples for self-medication leaves me less than surprised that his occurs.

There are quite a few toxins being given to people that may address the symptom but never tackle the root cause or issue. I for one think it is inappropriate for anyone to be issued lithium prior to 90 days of observation. In a 7 day week, an individual can swing their moods to both extremes. In a 28 day cycle you would learn more. 90 days may not even be enough. Lithium is a heavy metal and the brain cannot prevent a heavy metal from passing through the membrane that keeps blood out. Heavy metals literally retard brain functions.

The average westerner is raised by the television, dvd player and gaming console and their only adult interaction is 45-60 minutes per day and outside of the school system with one adult supervisor. Most kids are lucky to have one parent in the house these days. Many kids are being raised by their grand-parent or relative, many are products of divorce and most of them have no creative outlet for the emotion that is caused by a broken home.

I am not genius and I have my own set of problems but as an active observer on this rock and having gone around the sun quite a few times, I realize that anti-social is the norm and unfortunately is prolific in most households. This world can be cold and when you are forced to walk through it alone you are going to come up with some self-induced realities to serve as defense mechanisms or coping/survival skills.

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I'd like to read some of these threads mentioned in the OP
perhaps you could post some links.

[edit on 20-7-2010 by Danbones]

Here's an interesting thought for you...I have openly stated that I hear voices 24/7 somewhere in the thread that is first linked in my signature...in fact, I think I have been targeted for over a decade now.

Should I be banned?

Honest question...

Online interaction is better than none, especially for those with minor mental conditions and illnesses.

Television does more to feed fantasies, delusions and paranoia then what happens here.

In fact ATS can be therapeutic, in that many times common sense analysis of the more extreme topics here can inject some sanity into otherwise insane minds.

That said, anyone experiencing delusions, extreme paranoia etc. should be advised to seek professional help outside of ATS, in the kindest and most compassionate ways.

Banishment for insanity itself if implemented fairly across the entire staff and membership of ATS would likely only leave a handful of boring scholarly individuals endlessly chatting with each other whilst heavily stroking each others egos.