[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I agree with you, there's always going to be a percentage of people looking for an excuse to get a free ride, I don't know what can actually be done about it though without making the genuine people suffer?

That's the bit that's the killer for me tbh. There are people who do genuine suffer and in no small amounts either: but there are so many people (and I have the misfortune to know some of them) who completely and utter play up - mental illnesses took so long to be taken seriously and to be addressed - but thanks to those who are happy to jump on the bandwagon, they bring the whole subject matter into question.....and very very unfairly on those who suffer terribly, and I mean real suffering.

Originally Posted by joeysteele

The problem with mental illness is that unlike other serious illnesses and disabilities it is not alwyas eveiden from just looking at or even talking to the eprson with the mental illness.
It is very easy to generalise and of course there will be some people who jump on the bandwagon for a time but mental illness whether iits a mild cognitive condition or something even more serious needs to be diagnosed by a Doctor and/or Psychiatrist, who will have the person undergo many tests and visits to them to find out the problem.

I am just grateful that I don't appear to have any mental illness and also I would show kindness and support to those who do.
Often because of peoples generalisations and suspicions, many people with mental illness feel they will be and often do get segregated from society.

No one knows the trauma they go through with this illness. I had a friend who smiled every time he saw you, joked and seemed fine, once alone he cried all the time and was massively depressed feeling full of hopelessness.
That was worry as to his academic future that caused the depression and he near had a massive breakdown.
Mental illness in the main cannot be seen just by looking at someone, that does not mean it is not there and they are suffering massively with it and yes, it would stop people functioning effectively,even to the point of being unable to work most of the time they have it.

Personally, I have had close family members in the past who suffered (both quietly and unbeknown as well as very obviously suffering) so I'm very much aware of how debilitating and devasting various types of some MI can be.

It's the fact that so many purport to suffer when it suits them: but still manage to function perfectly well when it comes to other aspects (socialising, vacations, meeting all sorts of appiontments and timetables when it suits).