| Mental illness is any disease or
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| | jobs or schools and substance abuse --
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| condition affecting the brain that
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| | can trigger a disorder in a person who
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| influence the way a person thinks, feels,
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| | may be at risk for developing a mental
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| behaves and/or relates to others and to
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| | illness.
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| his or her surroundings. Although the
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| | Can Mental Illness Be Prevented?
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| symptoms of mental illness can vary from
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| | Unfortunately, most mental illnesses are
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| mild to severe and are different
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| | caused by a combination of factors and
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| depending on the type of mental illness,
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| | cannot be prevented.
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| a person with an untreated mental illness
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| | How Common Is Mental Illness?
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| often is unable to cope with life's daily
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| | Mental illnesses are very common. In
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| routines and demands.
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| | fact, they are more common than cancer,
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| What Causes Mental Illness?
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| | diabetes or heart disease. According to
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| Although the exact cause of most mental
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| | the U.S. Surgeon General, an estimated
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| illnesses is not known, it is becoming
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| | 23% of American adults (those ages 18 and
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| clear through research that many of these
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| | older) -- about 44 million people -- and
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| conditions are caused by a combination of
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| | about 20% of American children suffer
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| genetic, biological, psychological and
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| | from a mental disorder during a given
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| environmental factors. One thing is for
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| | year. Further, about 5 million Americans
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| sure -- mental illness is not the result
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| | adults, and more than 5 million children
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| of personal weakness, a character defect
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| | and adolescents suffer from a serious
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| or poor upbringing, and recovery from a
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| | mental condition (one that significantly
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| mental illness is not simply a matter of
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| | interferes with functioning).
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| will and self-discipline.
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| | Major depression, bipolar disorder and
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| • Heredity (genetics): Many mental
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| | schizophrenia are among the U.S.'s top 10
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| illnesses run in families, suggesting
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| | leading causes of disability.
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| that the illnesses may be passed on from
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| | Mental illness does not discriminate. It
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| parents to children through genes. Genes
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| | can affect people of any age, income or
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| contain instructions for the function of
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| | education level, or cultural background.
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| each cell in the body and are responsible
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| | Although mental illness affects both
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| for how we look, act, think, etc. But,
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| | males and females, certain conditions --
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| just because your mother or father may
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| | such as eating disorders -- tend to occur
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| have a mental illness doesn't mean you
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| | more often in females, and other
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| will have one. Hereditary just means that
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| | disorders -- such as attention-deficit
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| you are more likely to get the condition
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| | hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) -- more
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| than if you didn't have an affected
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| | commonly occur in children.
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| family member. Experts believe that many
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| | How Is Mental Illness Treated?
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| mental conditions are linked to problems
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| | A mental illness, like many chronic
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| in multiple genes -- not just one, as
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| | illnesses, requires ongoing treatment.
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| with many diseases -- which is why a
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| | Fortunately, much progress has been made
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| person inherits a susceptibility to a
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| | in the last two decades in treating
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| mental disorder, but doesn't always
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| | mental illnesses. As a result, many
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| develop the condition. The disorder
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| | mental conditions can be effectively
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| itself occurs from the interaction of
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| | treated with one or a combination of the
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| these genes and other factors -- such as
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| | following therapies:
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| psychological trauma and environmental
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| | • Medication
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| stressors -- which can influence, or
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| | • Psychotherapy
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| trigger, the illness in a person who has
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| | • Group therapy
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| inherited a susceptibility to it.
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| | • Specific therapies, such as
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| • Biology: Some mental illnesses have
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| | cognitive-behavior therapy and behavior
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| been linked to an abnormal balance of
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| | modification.
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| special chemicals in the brain called
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| | Other treatments available include:
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| neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters help
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| | • Alternative therapies, such as water
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| nerve cells in the brain communicate with
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| | therapy, massage and biofeedback.
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| each other. If these chemicals are out of
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| | • Creative therapies, such as art
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| balance or are not working properly,
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| | therapy, music therapy or play therapy
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| messages may not make it through the
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| | • Hypnotherapy
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| brain correctly, leading to symptoms of
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| | • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
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| mental illness. In addition, defects in
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| | What Is the Outlook for People With
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| or injury to certain areas of the brain
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| | Mental Illness?
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| also have been linked to some mental
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| | When diagnosed early and treated
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| conditions.
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| | properly, many people fully recover from
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| • Psychological trauma: Some mental
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| | their mental disorder or are able to
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| illnesses may be triggered by
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| | successfully control their symptoms.
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| psychological trauma suffered as a child,
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| | Although some people become disabled
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| such as severe emotional, physical or
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| | because of a chronic or severe mental
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| sexual abuse; a significant early loss,
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| | illness, many others are able to live
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| such as the loss of a parent; and
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| | full and productive lives. In fact, as
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| neglect.
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| | many as 8 in 10 people suffering from a
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| • Environmental stressors: Certain
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| | mental illness can effectively return to
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| stressors -- such as a death or divorce,
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| | their normal activities if they receive
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| a dysfunctional family life, changing
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| | appropriate treatment.
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