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and between
15-20
percent of the world
population?
What Is Mental Illness?
Mental illness may briefly be defined
as impairment of the proper functioning
of a person's mind and emotions.
Such a person in sorne way does not
function
normal/y
in society. His illness
causes him to behave somewhat oddly
and erratically.
It
may cause him to
have physical symptoms of sorne organic
disease.
It
may cause him to become
erratic in judgment - unable to prop–
erly handle problems, meet crises, make
decisions. It results in lack of con–
fidence, security, faith and ability to
make a decision and stick with it. It
may lead to a Jife of crime, drug addic–
tion - or even to suicide!
What are the signs of emotional
or mental stress? One is the inability to
function at one's job. Another is a
marked personality change, brooding,
irritability, unreasonable outbursts, or
bizarre behavior or hallucinations. Also,
if a person has headaches, insomnia,
pains when there is nothing physically
wrong, then the trouble may well be
psychosomatic.
But what are the
causes
of mental ill–
ness
?
There are many suspected causes,
among them the frustrating tensions of
modern life, poor interpersonal rela–
tions, improper or lack of discipline,
lack of positive instruction and training
in childhood. Even nutritional factors
may be responsible for contributing to
mental iUness. Sorne psychologists claim
that mental illness results when sorne
basic human need is not fulfilled.
Read what one basic psychiatric text
has to say: "Perhaps there is no phase
of psychiatry which has given rise to so
much discussion and dispute as has the
one concerning the
causes
and even the
nature of mental disorders ..." (Noyes
and Kolb,
Modern Clinical Psychiatry,
1963,
p.
93).
The authors then list
sorne of the muJtivarious causes of
mental illness: heredity, metabolic
abnormalities, cerebral diseases, hor–
monal imbalances, injuries, alcoholism,
lack of the basic bodily needs ( oxygen,
nutrition, fluids, vitamins, sleep), social
and cultural factors, anxiety-inducing
situations on the job, interpersonal pres–
sures within the family group, and so on.
The
PLAIN TRUTH
Other Causes
Experiments with rats and studies of
wildlife populations suggest that much
neurosis can also be caused by over–
crowding. Few will quarrel with the
idea that overcrowding has profound
effects on hun1an behavior. But studies
of rats have shown that they, too, are
profoundly affected - sorne become
"dropouts," sorne become violent "crim–
inals," homosexual, bisexual, and
frequently cannibalistic. One such study
was conducted by Dr. John Calhoun in
1958
at Washington's National Insti–
tute of Mental Health.
Another suspected agent contributing
to the increase in mental illness is our
chemical environment. Dr. George S.
Freuenberger, a pediatrician noted for
research into mental retardation, points
out that food impurities may lead to
mental haodicaps. He mentioned certain
foods, food additives, insecticides or
fertilizers used on growing crops.
Obviously, there is no
single
cause of
mental illness. Most of the identified
causes, however, have to do with our
MODERN WAY OF UFE!
All are depen–
dent on the
individual
reactions of
people toward their environment -
healthy or unhealthy. But what is the
solution to this tragic health problem?
lf
you have troubles with your emo–
tions - fear, phobias, anxieties, neur–
oses, depression, lack of confidence,
hostility, anger - what can
yo11
do
about it?
Experts have sought the answers to
these problems throughout man's his–
tory. But they have been
tmable
to solve
and eradicate people's mental problems.
The reason is clear. Too often experts
have sought the answers in the wrong
places.
Consiúer one "grasping-for-straws"
attempt - the use of drugs.
Are Drugs the Answer?
Many people, young and old, today
believe that drugs may provide the
answer to emotional stress or mental
illness. But consider these facts from an
expert: "New drugs, alas, often turn
out to be less valuable than early
assessments promised. Pharmacological
history teaches us how often a particular
drug is thought of as a magical panacea.
May 1971
Then with experience of its practica!
use, the 'great' drug becomes 'a great
drug
buf,
later still, it is thought of as
a 'useful' drug, and finally, as its
miracle effects occur with diminishing
frequency and the catalog of alarming
side effects is compiled, its true value is
recognized and the revolution, once
heralded with such optimism, becomes
aborted" (Abse,
Medicine on Tria/,
1969,
pp.
88, 90) .
One widely heralded drug for the
mentally ill was the tranquilizer mepro–
bamate. Later scientists found that it
caused frequent allergic reactions, sorne
people became addicted to it, and at any
rate the drug was finally discovered to
be no more effective than a placebo!
But if drugs are not the answer, what
about psychotherapy?
Is Psychotherapy the Solution?
Before concluding that the solution
must be found here, consider the state
of modero psychiatry. Says Dr. Abse,
a Dutch authority: "Psychiatrists are
DIVIDED AMONG THEMSELVES
about the
problem of how to treat the psy–
chologically ill. On one extreme wing,
there are those who resort to physical
methods; on the other, there are those
who believe in psychoanalysis or its
derivative methods and delve into the
mind in order to cure the mind. The
latter often provoke much hostility"
(ibid.,
p.
91).
The field of psychiatry, today, is a
confused, disordered free-for-al! - an
arena filled with conflicting ideas, meth–
ods, theories. Many psychiatrists today
attack Freud's theories a.od construct
their own pet postulates. Says Abse:
"They cry 'balderdash' and then present
their own half-baked postulates ..."
(ibid.
).
Consider the results of one tool of
modern psychotherapy, called "insight
therapy." Admits psychologist Perry
London of the University of Southem
California, this form of therapy "tends
either to radically alter people's Iife
styles or to leave them unaffected. A
person is much more likely to change
his career as a result of insight therapy
than to lose a nervous tic, more likely to
move away from home, shift his politi–
cal position, or alter his religious con-