(Reuters) - Europeans are plagued by mental and neurological illnesses, with

almost 165 million people or 38 percent of the population suffering each year

from a brain disorder such as depression, anxiety, insomnia or dementia,

according to a large new study.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/04/us-europe-mental-illness-idUSTRE7832JJ20110904

Personally, I think it's higher. I've noticed of all the people I know, the ones I really don't like are the most disturbed.

Gee! What a surprise.

Could probably extend these conclusions beyond the European borders and include most of the Western industrialised civilisations.

Will it now become hip in Europe to go their psychiatrist every week, like in New York (according to some movies)?

If insomnia is a mental illness, I'll have to change my vote.

It's not that mental illness is growing in size, it's that more people are reading reports from newspapers, magazines and web-sites that describe some 'celebrity' (definition - no education, no job, but a desperate wish to be photographed) as having this, that or the other mental problem that requires frequent visits to a psychitrist as ordered by the courts - because they had been caught shoplifting, driving under the influence, assaulting a waiter, swearing at someone who bought the last jar of Marmite, or similar stupid behaviour.

When I was working in the UK (late sixties / early seventies) one of my duties was to manage the construction of ward units in hospitals of the London Regional Hospital Boards. A lot of these hospitals, especially in Essex, were mental hospitals. (Thurrock and Greys spring to mind). These were enormous establishments and housed all degrees of patients, from ones who appeared normal to ones you'd cross the street to avoid. (Not criminally insane - although I also built units in Broadmoor, Ashworth and Rampton).

The mental disease most popular these days is thinking that you have a mental disease - it puts you in a high-profile section of the community.

Over One Third Of Europeans Mentally Ill

the percentage would be much higher and the illnesses more severe had the Europeans not sent since centuries their really ill to far away places, e.g. what is called now the Yewnighted States™.

In all, wouldn't this examination be rather moot?

Who defines what mental illness might be? Variants.....??

What might pass as "normalcy" and attached characters, might appear as madness for some.

It's all psycho-babbling, is it not?

Most northern Europeans have a poor work/life balance so it doesn't surprise me at all. I bet the numbers are much higher in cities than rural areas as well.

Or suburbia....that really is my idea of hell....

So, do Euro-Western civilisations have a higher pertenencia of supposed madness than those of the real world?

Must be in the water...??

So, do Euro-Western civilisations have a higher pertenencia of supposed madness than those of the real world?

Must be in the water...??

Certainly a higher percentage of diagnosed madness.....maybe there's money to be made out of it....

So, do Euro-Western civilisations have a higher pertenencia of supposed madness than those of the real world?

Must be in the water...??

I think no institute cares enough to inquire about the status of asian's mental health. I expect they would rank as high ot higher.

So, do Euro-Western civilisations have a higher pertenencia of supposed madness than those of the real world?

Must be in the water...??

I think no institute cares enough to inquire about the status of asian's mental health. I expect they would rank as high ot higher.

I dont know....I think it may be opposite & that hardly any Asian would inquire even of themselves if they have problems.

Seems more like Humphrey Bear said in his post.

I tend to think Euro's & Americans have more problems because they can afford to.

Others in the world are to busy working to live to ask themselves if they are *happy*

I would guess that the incidence of mental illness would be about the same.

Many people suffer from mild mental problems, neurosis, rather than severe problems such as psychosis. Asia isn't an area where much attention is paid to mental health, at least not yet.

I haven't observed insomnia being a problem that affects many people in Thailand.

So, do Euro-Western civilisations have a higher pertenencia of supposed madness than those of the real world?

The Euro-Western civilizations ARE the real world.

Looks like only one person answeredf truthfully...."I don't know".

It has been said that the insane think of themselves as sane....so unless you have been diagnosed and told that you are ill, and believe it, surely the most reasonable answer would be uncertainty?

Who is mad? Me or thee? It depends on the point of view.

Many people who are mentally ill know that they are ill. They don't always accept it and they may go to great extents to hide it, but they do know. That's not all people, by the way.

Diagnostically, mental illness has a great deal to do with statistics. How far from 'normal' you are depends on how many people experience the same symptoms.

Stress is a big factor in precipitating a mental breakdown. Industrialized societies are quite complex and people are subject to a high degree of uncertainty, unpredictability and changes in our daily structured routine. These can cause stress and this can precipitate a breakdown.

In many parts of Asia, especially rural Asia, life is reasonably predictable and routines are unchanging. Without a precipitating incident many people may be able to manage a reasonable life without noticeable symptoms.

As someone once said 'Prayer is when you talk to God. Insanity is when he talks back to you.'

Many people who are mentally ill know that they are ill. They don't always accept it and they may go to great extents to hide it, but they do know. That's not all people, by the way.

It's been more than 20 years ago, but this man (who I was very close with, and still am) said to me: "I need help. Please take me to a psychiatric ward and make sure I'm checked in properly".

He staid there for a few years, was then released under supervision. He is still under supervision, meaning that he has a professional assigned to him when he has questions, but he is not in therapy any more. I visited him recently, he is happy that he asked me for help at the time and that I complied.

He lives in Europe, so I don't see him often. But we are in touch by email and sometimes phone.

Just to confirm your point: He knew he was ill. I'm glad he considered me a person he could trust.

I don't know what the proportion of mentally sick people is in Thailand; I've only seen the tip of the iceberg, those who are downright 100% mad.

One boy I was asked to give a scholarship to (in a town near Bangkok) was living with an uncle like that. The uncle collected rags on the street and stored them in his house; he would let nobody take these rags away, and they had reached head height, with just a narrow passage you could walk along. The vermin were swarming, and the smell....! The boy's school and the local authorities had tried to get something done, but couldn't.

I could give other cases. Thailand is simply not geared to deal with cases like this. I suspect that in the villages there is less mental illness, and what there is can be dealt with kindly by the locals. In fact, in the villages I have seen very little evidence of mental illness, not even the village idiot type, though some neighbours say they have such in their villages.

So, do Euro-Western civilisations have a higher pertenencia of supposed madness than those of the real world?

Must be in the water...??

I think no institute cares enough to inquire about the status of asian's mental health. I expect they would rank as high ot higher.

Perhaps in your [and your kin's] fantasies.

We surely wouldn't want to find ourselves inferior, would we?

How are they defining mentally Ill though?

I was once diagnosed with depression. I was depressed at the time, but it was really just a case of going through a bit of a rough patch. It happens, hardly something that makes one mentally ill.

That is what is sometimes referred to as situational depression. If it effects your ability to function, then it may be a mental illness, although probably not severe.

If the depression last a long time, then it becomes chronic depression and is generally considered to be a mental illness.

One of the key factors is how you ended up being diagnosed. Did you seek help or did someone refer you because it seemed that something was wrong?

That is what is sometimes referred to as situational depression. If it effects your ability to function, then it may be a mental illness, although probably not severe.

If the depression last a long time, then it becomes chronic depression and is generally considered to be a mental illness.

One of the key factors is how you ended up being diagnosed. Did you seek help or did someone refer you because it seemed that something was wrong?

Wen't to the doctor 'cos I couldn't sleep or eat properly, also didn't want to do anything at all. I just sat there and watched TV.

Being diagnosed with depression gave me the jolt I needed to get out of the rut I was in. Was sorted in a couple of weeks and I didn't take the drugs I was given, except for the sleeping tablets.

How are they defining mentally Ill though?

The truer query. Who [and what is] defines what is mentally disturbed? And to what degree would any such diagnosis act as an absolute. Semantics? Fabricated psychological officialdom?

Extreme emotional distress. Mentally unbalanced?

Common unethical behaviour. Slightly off?

Religious and spiritual zealotry. Psychologically unhinged?

The notion [and perfectly acceptable] of killing another during times of war. Sociopathic?

What about the eccentrics and those whom might casts different thought processes? Nutters...??