Yes.. but Alzheimer's is a mental illness all the same.. no treatment..no substantial tests..yet people don't deny its existence.. I still think the blogger failed to bring up one very valid point.. the media.. they make us all sound like loose canons and until there is empathy..understanding will be elusive.

Another thing I find interesting.. anti social personality disorder is a mental illness.. more of a brain deformity what science is figuring out.. but no one mentions this.. all mental illness is just that. Like heart disease.. it exists... in many forms.. the unfortunate part is the lack of proper diagnosis.. so all of the brain disorders including personality disorders (which is still a brain disorder) get lumped together.. I am upset with the state of medical expertise or lack of in the area of psychiatry.. its sad.

I think the article was interesting, although it sounds more like it was listing excuses why mentally ill patients should accept the people that look down upon us most. Am I supposed to tell people that tell me "it's all in my head" that "tsk, tsk, you poor uneducated and fearful soul"? Am I supposed to feel pity for these people who refuse to even accept the science backing us?

I agree that the media definitely has created the stigma. When all that the media writes about is negative publicity, that's all people will think of us. Of course, the media is at least saying that it's a mental illness and not just "in our heads".

Lmao Hanna.. very true.. hadn't put that together about the media..

And yeah..I get the feeling from the article we should pity the poor souls who don't recognize mental disorders.. my ex stepmother popped into my head when reading it.. she's at the top of her game in a medical job and thinks BP is BS.. I should take pity on her ignorance.. or fear its going to taint her bloodline.. um.. no thanks.

Many people continue to believe that Alzheimer's is a mental disorder...it is not.

It is a physical, brain deteriorating disease that destroys brain neurotransmitters and shrinks the actual brain tissue.

I think the reason people refuse to believe in mental illnesses is

plan old fashion stubbornness. They'd rather cling to out dated teachings than admit science might be more reliable method of explaining things.

I can think of some one who thinks they know more about medicine than doctors. Not just on mental illness he's even trying to tell his cancer ridden girlfriend how the cancer needs to be treated. Even though this same person has never studied medicine a day in his life and knows nothing about it.

And this person is not alone I have a whole family that thinks like this. Talk about dysfunctional.

Like ZN said people believe in alzheimers but they don't believe in certain mental illness that are unpopular to believe in, such as bi polar. Why, because it's easy to see the symptoms of alzheimers but not bi polar. Our symptoms can be chalked up to personality flaws.

Many mental illness and behavioral disorders have structural abnormalities in the brain. They are identifiable differences in MRI and PET scans in areas such as the pre-frontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus in someone with BPD, PTSD, depression, bipolar.

The changes are not as widespread as those with severe Alzhiemers.

Where is the dividing line when is comes to brain conditions?

I also think that empathy will always be elusive.

Overall, it is a good editorial style read. All opinion with a side of rhetoric, though. You could pick apart sections too though.

Zenith--I think the only true empathy comes from certain family and rare caregivers and friends. I don't see it being society wide, without being condescending.