Mental Illnesses

[GuestFellow]

Salaam,

Do mental illnesses actually exist? What causes people to have mental illnesses? What do all mental illnesses' have in common? Mental disorders like depression, post-natal depression and social anxiety, is it all psychological or is there an element of genetics involved or both?

Is the medical profession actually competent to deal with these disorders?

I hope did not offend anyone here. Just curious about the study of mental disorders all of a sudden lol.

[serena77]

umm for someone who has several mental illnesses.. documented fully by several different members of the medical profession... yes... they exist... ,they can be caused by genetic components or from situations that cause them to manifest. No ... not all doctors are as qualified to treat them as they should be.... however they are very real and cause many of us that suffer from them.... many issues in day to day life... some to the point of having to be hospitalized or put on disability.... others function better but still struggle often w/ the issues that they present.. I for one do work a full time job... however at times it causes its own set of stressors that can make the illness worse.. but i continue to work ...
oh... and the genetic factor ... doesn't take away from it being a psychological issue.
serena

[Karimah]

I believe mental illnesses are as real as any other illness like heart disease for example. There are physical signs (symptoms) of them in various parts of the brain.

[ILuvAllah]

I dont think they exist unless you are born with a dysfunctional brain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIydrSMyNq0

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[Dagless]

Salaam,

Do mental illnesses actually exist?

Yes, and it's a shame they are not as talked about as other illnesses so people have a better understanding of them (points at above post ^^).

What causes people to have mental illnesses? What do all mental illnesses' have in common? Mental disorders like depression, post-natal depression and social anxiety, is it all psychological or is there an element of genetics involved or both?

It's probably a combination of all the above, and a lot more (environment, life choices, etc.)

Is the medical profession actually competent to deal with these disorders?

That's like asking if the medical profession is competent to deal with cancer :p I suppose they do their best with the evidence they have, God willing.

[~Zaria~]

Assalamu-alaikum,

Mental disorders are a very real clinical entity - and can profoundly affect a persons life, if left unmanaged.

They can be primary psychiatric in origin, such as: Major Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Mood Disorder, Generalised Anxiety, etc.

What causes them?
--> there is still much that remains unknown in this field, but generally it is believed to stem from imbalances of different hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, etc.

There are many studies that also show a higher frequency of these conditions within families and in twin studies - i.e. indicating a possible genetic predisposition.

Other causes of mood disorders include other hormonal abnormalities - e.g. related to an over/ underactive thyroid gland, over/ under-production of steroids; and disturbances in certain electrolytes in acutely ill patients - e.g kidney/ liver failure, sepsis --> these result in acute confusional states (delirium) that is usually reversible on treatment of the underlying disorder.

And not forgetting - strokes/ brain tumours/ seizures as a cause for personality changes and mood disturbances.

As well as drugs and intoxicants.
And those affected by jinn (which is another discussion in itself).


Having said this, do realise that most cases of depression today are not necessarily due to a medical condition.

Very often, depression in our society results from losing hope and trust in Allahs plan for us.
We are displeased with the decisions of Allah (subhanawata ála) - and we become depressed.

If only we adopt tafweez (resigning oneself completely to the decisions of Allah) - than there is no need to feel depressed and hopeless.


I think the take home message of this is:

Dont ever judge the one who is experiencing a psychiatric illness.
It could be such that this condition is completely out of his/her control, and is a test from Allah (subhana wataála).

Make duaa that Allah protects us all from such afflictions, and if you happen to suffer from such: Seek help......and dont ever lose hope in His mercy and plan for your life.

Salaam

[Abz2000]

it's very often not mental illness at all but labelled as such simply due to the abnormality in behaviour,
secondly, they often use medication which does lasting damage to the brain like a sort of chemical lobotomy when all that is required is that they not purposefully enflame or prod a person,
every person in this world's situation is unique, and every experience is unique, there is no such thing as a one size fits all wonder pill or "pick one of 500 available".
a psychartrist can name a mental condition for almost any type of behaviour, be it a person who is suspicious of someone who's lied to them before "paranoia",
or someone who's reluctant to ride a motorbike due to his memories of having killed a child on it in the past.
or someone who feels guilty for having been sent to kill innocent people in an illegally occupied country.

sometimes it is like prodding a person until they are in pain and snapping back and then offering them painkillers.
the painkillers are not the solution but not harassing the person is.

[~Zaria~]

^ Aah aakhi, I wish it was as simple as that......:)


If you were from around my area, I would have invited you to spend a day at our public hospital's medical admission ward.

And see for yourself, psychotic and mood disorders (who are presenting for the first time, not on any treatment).

Its often a distressing sight.

But Alhamdulillah, by the qoedrat of Allah, and the knowledge that has been given to us about these conditions - many find relief, depending on the cause of the illness.

Its often amazing to see the man/ woman who came in screaming obscenities/ attacking people and having visual and auditory hallucinations........being able to walk away as calm, rational and pleasant individuals.
Alhamdulillah.

Salaam

[GodIsAll]

There are some good answers here.

Here's the difficulty in diagnosing many of these disorders:
1. There are no current tests that can analyse the proper amount of said biochemicals in the brain. (i.e. serotonin, epinephrine, dmt, etc.) Therefore, it is much more difficult to diagnose than, say, diabetes.
2. The imbalance of these chemicals manifest themselves differently in every human brain. Some people need more serotonin in certain cerebral areas than others, etc. In addition, the behavior of patients with chemical imbalances will display varying degrees of behavior and attitudes.
3. Instead of seeking treatment, many people will ignore the symptoms, often from embarrassment or the fear of being "labeled" in society.

[Ghazalah]

Instead of seeking treatment, many people will ignore the symptoms, often from embarrassment or the fear of being "labeled" in society.

Fear of stigma, and the DSM plays a massive role in that.

[GuestFellow]

Do anti-depressants actually help? I just see people get worse when they start this treatment.

Also, has technological advancements had any effect on people developing mental disorders?

[Ghazalah]

Do anti-depressants actually help? I just see people get worse when they start this treatment.

From the research I've done and the patients I have seen, it doesn't. But that's because they have either:

-Been diagnosed wrongly (again DSM) so they are receiving the wrong treatment.
-Not gaining other types of treatments like therapy, which works well with Mental Illnesses like ADHD and Bipolar.
-The patients themselves will think the the medication is the only cure and take the wrong amount of doses so it won't have the desired affect. A lot of deaths are caused this way.

[Dagless]

Do anti-depressants actually help? I just see people get worse when they start this treatment.

Yes, otherwise they wouldn't prescribe them as treatment :p I'm sure they don't suit all people but they also give some their lives back.

Also, has technological advancements had any effect on people developing mental disorders?

I don't know, but technological advancements have certainly helped more people identify them and learn more about them.

[GodIsAll]

Do anti-depressants actually help? I just see people get worse when they start this treatment.

Also, has technological advancements had any effect on people developing mental disorders?

Most treatment is a combination of pharmacology and counseling. Treatment, unfortunately, is hit and miss. There are many types of SSRI's on the market, along with others. All of these vary in their chemical makeup. Some medicines work for some, other prescription work for others.

Often, a physician will start with one medication to see how it affects the patient. As I stated, it is hit and miss. Often, it takes several trials until a medication is found that affects the patient effectively. When trying these medicines, there is even a possibility that the condition may worsen. Assistance from one's spouse and family is recommended to observe the patient.

One day, hopefully, there will be a test to determine exactly what a patient needs to avoid this haphazard procedure.

If the patient in question has a relative that has the same condition(s) and has responded to pharmacologal treatment, the patient often responds as well. Many studies suggest that conditions like depression, anxiety, OCD, ADD and others are genetically related.

[serena77]

anti depressants.. arent usually the most common type of medication ... especially w/ those of us w/ bipolar disorder... giving an anti depressant to some and actually most people w/ bipolar disorder will cause mania... this can be lessened in some w/ a really good mood stablizer ( a drug that works on both the depressive side and the manic side... ) .. but not always... also when a bipolar person who is in a depressive state goes to the doc... and gets an anti depressant... at times... they will turn manic.. and there is both happy mania and really angry/aggitated type of mania.. but if you have the happy mania.. you tend to stop talking to the doctor and often stop taking the meds... because.. a lot feel like... "hey i feel so great.. why should i continue w/ the meds... etc... ) this can cause horrible cycles... and trust me when i say... its not a lot of fun.
yes... this should be looked at the same as any chronic physical illness and its a horrible shame that that is usually not the case.
Serena

[CosmicPathos]

of course mental illnesses are real. We divide them into psychiatric and neurological etiologies.

For psychiatric illnesses, we cant really find any gross abnormalities in central nervous system. But they are due to neurotransmitter abnormalities, specially the monoamines such as norepi, serotonin, and dopa. Imbalances in these NT manifest as depression, for example. That is why ndris, ssris, mao-inhibitors, TCAs work, because they increase the concentration of these neurotransmitters in synapses.

Schizo, psychosis etc are all real mental illnesses and have different causes. Schzio itself is of many types, can be catatonic etc etc and accompanied by other various types of delusions and hallucinations.

As for neurological illnesses, they exist too. Alzheimer's, parkinson's, huntington's, etc, they are as real as it can get. They usually manifest as movement disorders (tremors, ballism, chorea etc etc), cognitive decline, behavior alterations, mood changes etc etc.

[Muhaba]

yes they exist. some have a biological cause (an illness) while others are more related to circumstances. if you want to learn more about mental illnesses, do a search or get a book.

[serena77]

Salaams
I just wanted to say thank you... some of you may not understand.. but i was pretty detailed on my own mental illnessessssssss. ... I experienced a lot growing up of people who said all sorts of things down to if you believed in god the right way you wouldn't be sick. ... keep in mind this was in the bible belt.... down south.. by a very religious baptist... the bad thing was....... she was my boss... the good thing was.. My HR dept. was stellar and on point when i went to talk to them.

Even today.. 14 years after i was first dxed.. my employers ... sadly.. know.. and no one mentioned it... but my short term disability.. doesn't include ANY type of mental illness.
I asked them... just as a general question why it didn't as it was in big bold letters that it didnt and i could ask w/o having to admit to my own health... and they said "because its too easy to fake" ... honestly I was outraged.

When i first started getting serious about reverting... I asked the islamic thought to mental illnesses and was told by several that it was important to do what i could to mitigate the problems, it was still recognized as a real issue and i wouldn't be ostrisized or anything and so i really appreciate this thread... even if i did probably get a little defensive when the thread first started.. it was out of fear more than anything and i'm really thankful to see the replies.

Jakazallah Khair
Serena

[UmmuShaheed]

Asalamu Alaikum
Mental illnesses do exist, but depending on the mental illness the cause differs.
Mostly the two main causes are biological predisposition,or the environmental causes.
This brother I know got shot so many times after being in a coma and the doctors almost giving up, he woke up. But not as the same man, he took some medication and after awhile he started acting up. The family took him to the hospital and he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Before the incident he was a normal guy, subhanallah allah is testing him, and lets pray that allah gives his family patience. Especially his mother.
Asalamu Alaikum

[Snowflake]

^Ameen

Too much unhappiness and grief in one's life can eventually lead to mental illness.. I just thank Allah, The Almighty for giving me understanding of Islam, or I am sure I would've flipped by now. Practicing really does help keep you protected. Al hamdulillah.

[Scimitar]

I've even spent some time in a clinic myself, on some heavy meds... back in the day... and these meds only make things worse.

Things only started to get better for me when I stopped the meds (quit cold turkey - not a good experience) and started to just face reality... to my surprise, reality turned out to be a friend of mine.

Practicing Islam has helped to bring contentment in my life, and served to bring a better me out to the world. And salah, well... when the Muezzin calls: "Hayya alal falaa, hayya alal falaa" "come to success, come to success" nuff said. You know it makes total, utter, sense.

Scimi