MENTAL ILLNESS DOES NOT MEAN CRAZY
'Mental' means of the mind. 'Health' means healthy
and free from disease.
When people have good mental health, they feel
happy and confident. People can relax and enjoy other people's company, and
general life activities.
Mental health means - NO PROBLEMS OF THE MIND
Mental Health Problems:
About 1 person out of every 5 people in Australia
does not
have good mental health at some time in their life.
• When someone has a mental health problem, it does not mean
that the problem will last for his or her whole life.
• Many people suffer from mental health problems - sometimes
this is called 'mental illness'.
People may feel:
- Embarrassed
- Shame, or
- Frightened to talk about how they feel.
Sometimes people in the community do not understand or accept mental illness.
Sometimes when people have a mental illness, they
behave in a different way.
Sometimes people sign 'crazy' when they are talking
about mental health problems, but a mental illness does not mean you are crazy.
Some answers to your questions...
Are mental illnesses a type of brain damage?
- No. Mental illness is a type of illness just like asthma or diabetes. Mental
illnesses may need medication to help the person manage the symptoms.
Can mental illness be cured? Will a person have it forever? - Many
people who have a mental illness can recover fully. Therapy, support and sometimes,
medication help many people
control the illness.
Are people born with mental illness? - Some mental illnesses, such
as schizophrenia, can happen in families. If a parent or grand-parent has
the illness, the children may have a higher chance of having it also. When
people experience stress, child abuse, unemployment
and loneliness, they may have more chance of developing a mental illness.
Who gets mental illness? - Mental illness is very common in Australia.
About 1 out of every 5 people develop a mental illness at some stage in their
life.
Do people with a mental illness need to be isolated from the community?
- No. Most people with a mental illness do not need to go to hospital. Only
a small number of people need hospital care when they are mentally unwell.
