25% of Americans mentally ill

[_TJ_]

25% of Americans mentally ill, says government-sponsored study

by Rick Weiss, Washington Post

June 7, 2005

One-quarter of all Americans met the criteria for having a mental illness within the past year, and fully a quarter of those had a "serious" disorder that significantly disrupted their ability to function day-to-day, according to the largest and most detailed survey of the nation's mental health, published Monday.

Although parallel studies in 27 other countries are not yet complete, the new numbers suggest that the United States is poised to rank No. 1 for mental illness globally, researchers said.

"We lead the world in a lot of good things, but we're also leaders in this one particular domain that we'd rather not be," said Ronald Kessler, the Harvard professor of health-care policy who led the effort, called the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.

The exhaustive government-sponsored effort, based on in-depth interviews with more than 9,000 randomly selected Americans, finds that the prevalence of U.S. mental illness has remained roughly flat in the past decade -- a possible glimmer of hope given that previous decades had suggested the rates were rising.

http://www.unknownnews.org/0506070607mentallyillAmerica.html

(For what it's worth, I don't agree with this article. I don't think 1/4 of any population could be classified as mentally aberrant. This seems like an attempt to sell more drugs to an already overmedicated populace.)

[tk2kewl]

1. Sell those pills baby!

[rkc3]

2. I think you're right 25% seems like a big number.

However, I know a lot of parents who coddle their kids to the point where they're not exposed to any stressful situations.

I'm not a shrink, but my guess is that if you're not exposed to this as a child and learn how to deal with it, you're going to be in big trouble when you're an adult.

[Avalux]

3. My opinion?

'Stories' such as this one will keep popping up in an effort to support *'s initiative to have the entire country tested for psychological problems:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/04/20020429-2.html

Of course, pharmaceuticals cos. are behind it all. They're salivating over the profits they'll make as we all, one by one, are labeled and medicated.

[lenidog]

7. I read this essay once written by an author who would have been

my contemporary in high school. They were talking about school shootings and how when we in high school they were totally unheard of. If it ever did happen it was one person who had a beef with another and they came in and shot that particular person and didn't try and wipe out the entire school. The one thing the person noticed that was different than when we were in school was the fact that so many children were now being medicated with things like Ritalin for ADD. He wondered if anyone had done long term effects on the prolonged use of Ritalin.

[lenidog]

4. I am always suspicous of stats like this one

It makes me wonder if you sat down and added up all the numbers of diseases that are released in the news media during one month that you would end up with a total that is greater than the population of the US.

[whistle]

5. Closer to 95% mentally ill, so I know that 95 out 99 people I come

...in contact with are nuts, remembering of course that I am in the 5% who are quite normal, mentally....sane-brain wise....heheheh!

[acmavm]

6. I don't think it's mental illness that they're really squawking about. I

think it's more likely independent thought and a refusal to get in step with their agenda.

Medication (willingly taken or otherwise) could certainly change that.

[punpirate]

8. I would guess that...

... a significant number of those are due to clinical depression. Schizophrenia and other similar illnesses are pretty consistent across geographic and ethnic lines, and is a fairly small part of the population. That has to leave depression, which is pretty common.

Wonderful--most everyone with a brain is instantly depressed when Bush is inaugurated and his answer is to get us all on prescription pharmaceuticals.... I've got a much better solution to the problem, frankly. Get his ass outta everyone's lives and the mental health of the country improves immediately. :)

[tanyev]

9. Based on the 2004 election results,

I would have thought it closer to 50-51%.

[wallwriter]

14. My thoughts exactly. Though maybe some of tht is just

plain stupidity. And some of it is greed. Hm. Maybe 25% is correct...

[shantipriya]

15. Mentally Ill

I agree. Let me be specific. All those who voted for Shrub!!

[deacon2]

18. Exactly - or 100% of the 25% voted for you know who n/t

[MaineYooper]

25. we can do the math!

54% (approximate voter turnout)
x 47% (*'s probable actual vote percentage)
-----
25.4% (of the electorate)

Q.E.D.

[indepat]

10. Grossly underestimates the ideologically and religiously insane IMHO

[HereSince1628]

11. Russia put dissidents in mental hospitals

Here in Bush's US,If you aren't into authority, militarism and manicheaism you are obviously a bit bobble-headed, well at least you are "out of the mainstream" defined by Karl Rove. And everyone knows that non-conformity is the first sign of anti-social behavior.

[jmatthan]

12. I certainly know ONE IS

and he occupies your White House!!

Jacob Matthan
http://jmpolitics.blogspot.com
Oulu, Finland

[reggaehead]

13. You are on the right track

Seems to me 25% believe in this invisible man in the sky (blatanly stolen from George Carlin) who lays down this inanne set of do's and dont's. The inference being "do it and I'll spank you" (blatantly stolen from Matt Damon(Dogma)). These people go by many names. I'm just sad that they didnt all drink the Kool-aid. However it does remind me of a lyric "He cant even run his own life. I'll damned if he'll run mine". Why is it those '60's lyrics just stick. I was a born in 1960. But I know these lyrics better than the folks they were aimed at from that period. Strange, I'm not even a musician. Just an affectianado. But I wonder if the music of our time doesnt have more of an impact on the following generation. Btw, I'm not fact checking . but i believe the band to be Steppenwolf and the song "Signs".

[JPZenger]

16. Everyone has adult ADD - buy some more pills?

Have trouble concentrating? Are there times when you feel anxious or bored? Are there times when you have trouble getting things done? You must have Adult Attention Deficit Disorder. Buy more pills. Then everything will be just fine.

(Whisper: Use of this medication may cause your sex organs to fall off.)

[shrike]

22. As someone who suffers from adult ADD

I'm here to tell you it's not a myth. Though Strattera stuff sucks -- what a rip-off. And all the doctors are pushing it.

[Mythsaje]

19. Actually

It's the "Five Man Accoustical Band" who did "signs."

Steppenwolf, on the other hand, did "Monster," which is VERY relevant even now. Do a lyric search and I think you'll see what I mean.

[enki23]

17. then, perhaps we should rethink our definition of mental illness

.

though, truthfully, i tend to think the number is considerably higher. my scoring system may be a bit different, however.

[Demeter]

20. Stupidity Is Not A Disease--Or a Crime

but when I consider the Red States, maybe it ought to be.

[Betty]

21. What's bush's approval rating?

because that will give you the current percentage of mentally ill people in this country.

[losdiablosgato]

23. THAT NUMBER IS FRACKING LOWBALLED!!!!!

[lindsayg]

24. wow

[cap]

26. maybe.. . but it is due to social and economic causes

downsize someone, spouse divorces, lose house, wreck credit --- they'll be depressed oftentimes and i do mean clinically.

dont invest in this country and people sit around and they get depressed.

there must be the gwb syndrome of depression and the laura syndrome of anxiety ...toss in a few terra alerts and you'll be a candidate for depression.

[undeterred]

27. I agree.

[Shallah Kali]

28. If people were not troubled before one term under W is enough to drive one

crazy. I have an anxiety disorder and it has been amazing for me to watch people around me develop phobias and other problems thanks to the War On Terror and it's handy dandy color coded fake terror alters. So if someone was on edge before they were encouraged to fully go over. Look at the poor people who totally duct taped their houses with plastic sheeting! that said I believe that sometimes things are considered mental illness that should not be. I remember that the DSM says if one grieves more than 1 or 2 months after the death of a loved one it is considered an illness! BAH!

[morgan2]

29. about 25% of the country voted for Bush right?

makes sense

[Blue_Tires]

30. that few???

has to be at least 30 percent!

[Elidor]

31. 51% is the correct number