1.1 Introduction

Understanding what good mental health looks like is the first step to understanding mental illness.

Someone in good mental health can regulate their emotions to react in a proportionate way to life’s ups and downs, form relationships with others and handle both minor and major changes. This does not mean that a mentally healthy person must always be happy and completely independent – they can and should be able to express a broad range of emotions.

When someone is suffering from a mental illness, their behaviour and thought processes change and they become less able to function in multiple areas of their life. For example, someone who is depressed may have trouble concentrating at work or school, and their performance could suffer as a result. In some cases, mental illness may cause an individual to see the world in a very different way. For instance, someone who is experiencing strong false beliefs – commonly called delusions – might believe that their family wish them harm. This kind of thinking can place a person’s relationships under strain, as can strange behaviours.

1.2 Who can be affected by mental illness?

Mental health issues can happen to anyone, regardless of their circumstances, age, occupation, race or gender.

The mental health charity Mind believes that 25% of adults experience a mental health problem each year. Unfortunately, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around two-thirds never seek help. This is for a range of reasons, including stigma around mental health issues.

 

1.3 Ranges of severity and causes Mental illness can range from relatively mild to very severe.

Someone with a mild mental health condition may experience a slight decline in functioning but still be able to keep up the appearance of coping with the demands of life. At the other end of the spectrum, someone with severe mental illness may be incapable of caring for themselves and might require hospitalisation.

The mainstream Western view of mental illnesses is that they are caused by a mixture of neurological imbalances, life events and genetics. We will draw mainly on this perspective throughout the course. However, it is useful to note that some researchers and mental health professionals prefer to think of the signs and symptoms as unpleasant yet normal aspects of being human and that it is inappropriate to pathologize them. Some people diagnosed with mental illnesses share this view and are reluctant to wear conventional psychiatric labels.