Now THAT explains our government - one in 5 work for them don't they?

with all the economic stress and the amount of drugs the drug companies are handing out, who in hell wouldn't be mentally ill. that's just the prescription drugs, then there's all the street drugs.yeah they're mentally ill alright.

It looks as though the year of drug abuse has caught up with America, 1 in 5 have mental illness. I didn't see this in the 70s. or 80s. I guess the baby boomers are not the problem, generation X and Y.

It is about 52 millions of Americans uninsured and millions and millions of Americans are underinsured.

The healthcare insurance does not take mental illness as the same weight as physical illness. Illness is still just illness and they have codes and diagnoses. But, the treatmentwise of mental illness is discriminated.

Some mental illnesses, eg, dementia, are job related risk, or occupational risk, such as nurse.

This explains the bagger movement.

Someone call the "WAAAAAAAAAMBULANCE"!

Life is hard. Deal with it like an adult, don't blame some "illness" (and I use that term loosely).

The mental illness that plagues most Americans is called Conservatism.

I say BS. Mental illness, my ass. Bunch of whining people who want a diagnsis as a reason for their unhappiness. Depressed? Exercise, play with your dog, play with your kids. Anxiety? Solve your problems, instead of wallowing in them. Is there mental illness? Sure. Is it one in 5? Only if you count a bunch of whining, overweight, lazy people.

You can get any statistic you want, just change the definition of mental illness. It's all a shell game. 1 in 5? Give me a break.

The sad part is that people who really have serious problems don't get the help they truly need.

These comments are unreal. Would you ostracize someone who had cancer too? Many people who have mental illness are just as sick...but their illness goes untreated for a variety of reasons. When one of your family members commits suicide, perhaps you will take depression more seriously.

I totally agree, talksense. I never thought serious mental illness would affect me, either, until it did. And after seeing my husband suffer from a severe psychotic episode, I can tell you that mental illness is real. It's not about being "whining, overweight, or lazy," it's about having a chemical imbalance that absolutely CAN be treated effectively.

My husband is an Ivy-league educated engineer in a high-paying job. He's not a bum on the street who's living off charity. He was lucky enough to receive proper treatment quickly because he had people in his life who cared about him and didn't tell him to "snap out of it" or "quit your whining." I can only imagine how extraordinarily difficult it would be to seek help under those circumstances.

If these comments are any indication of the attitude of the general population, it's no wonder that so many people don't get proper treatment. I hope that mental illness never strikes close to your home, Mom of Four, etc.

(If you want to read more about me and my husband and how we deal with his illness, check out my Jumbling Tower marriage and mental illness blog: http://heatherwhistler.wordpress.com/)

I'm sure Obama will fix it all.

 The study is WRONG! After reading these comments by mental incompetents who may never loose their house, applying for food stamps for the first time in their lives, or have to see their child go without, during this Christmas, because they don't have a job, I'd say it's more like 4 out of 5.

Perhaps the term Cognitive impairment can be substituted for the word MENTAL illness....Anyway Depression is classified as a Major Mental Illness and Im willing to believe more than 1 out of 5 folks in America suffers from depression.....Who they crappin

I am dumbfounded with how ignorant and dense people are. Honestly, I am suprised that some of you are even able to read this news article. Mental illness is a very serious condition and any type of person can suffer from it.

 How did MSLSD mange to get everyone of those people on the payroll! I guess some believe that it is a coincidence that 20% have a mental illness, and Gallup tells us that 20% self-identify as liberals!

I've contended for years that liberalism is merly a form of mental illness. My contention has been validated!

Mental Illness is a product of society. When someone loses a Loved one or their job or something equally important...they should be "depressed" that is NORMAL for humans. When you call it abnormal in order to sell pills for it ...you are hurting people and preventing thier recovery. That's Criminal.

For me physical exercise daily keeps me feeling good and not depressed! Perhaps if we started to have more of an active life we will feel alot better both mentally and phyiscally. :)

For me, physical exercise has helped me coop with depression. Perhaps if we all started to be more active thing might not look so gloom.

Mental stress caused by the three stooges - Obama, Pelosi & Reid..

I can NOT believe how many ignorant, self-absorbed, idiots there are. I have attempted suicide THREE TIMES (and please don't be a TOTAL a-hole and say too bad it didn't work!!!) I suffer from bipolar, one of the WORST cases of depression. I would spend DAYS in bed, depressed. NO, I did NOT know my diagnosis before having kids and it scares me to death to know I might pass on the "bp" gene to them. After TEN years and over 30 DIFFERENT medications, I am finally happy, confident, and for the first time, enjoying life! I DO have a chemical imbalance or else the medications would not have changed my life 180 degrees. It is BECAUSE of MORANS like most who are posting here that I have to keep my "illness" a secret, for fear I will be judged and ostrisized. I am employed, have a college degree, and have NEVER taken street drugs (EVER). Mental illness IS a legitimate illness. Before some of you open your big mouth (or post on something you know NOTHING about), try to "act" like an educated adult and do some RESEARCH!!!!!!

Tony, you're right. There were 2 articles back this past summer that gave the results of studies about a 'liberal gene', turns out there is one and it has definite characteristics as reported by the doctors doing the study. Liberals tend to focus on the big picture not details, are less 'morally oriented' as others, and are less concerned with consequences. Sounds like a lot of our presently elected officials (Obama, Reid, Pelosi).

Sounds like you're the one with mental health issues AB. But then, since it is a gene, its not your fault!

http://mindfulminute.wordpress.com/

Is there an inherent emptiness in your life which simply will not go away? You can keep it from awareness for a time. You can distract yourself but it always comes back.

Do you feel that you are spending your whole life just barely getting by? You may look OK from the outside. Are you hiding it? Do you yearn to touch life more fully?

You pursue a good job. You fall in love. You win the game. You say to yourself, “OK, now I’ve made it; now I will be happy”. But that quickly fades and is replaced by a vague awareness that something is wrong.

Another realm of depth and sensitivity is available in life. You are just not seeing it. You feel cut off.

What is wrong with you?. You’re tense, you lack of compassion for others, your feelings are being blocked. We built a whole culture around hiding from it, We distract ourselves from it with goals, projects and status. “Better, more.” The same theme is then repeated: jealousy, suffering, discontent and stress.

You can learn to control your mind, to step outside of this endless cycle of desire and aversion. You can learn to not want what you want, to recognize desires but not be controlled by them.

The overdeveloped the material aspect of existence can fade and be replaced by a deeper emotional and spiritual aspect. The place to start is within ourselves.
It can occur in a single instant.http://mindfulminute.wordpress.com/

What is it .

That Causes of Many .

To have Mental Illness.

Many have what.

Many different reasons .

I am sure.

Whom will help more ,,,,,than hinder someone,,,,,, to a healthy living.

I was in the Service ,,,,,The Navy .

In the 80's ,,,,,,,,,and a many Things ,,,,,,,did happen .

Or go wrong,,,, towards myself ,,,, or whom of others sometimes.

I do not,,,,,,, have Complaints.

To my care ,,,,,of most.

This last 20,,,,,, or so Years.

Even when there is,,,,,,,,,, to this Present Day,,,,,,,,, to call someplace ,,,,Or of a Clinic,,,,, or Hospital .

They first say what.

To Call 911 ,,,,,,to get help.

That I think this should ,,,,,,,be Changed.

Because back in 2003,,,,,, I did call 911,,,,,, on getting help for myself,,,,, for Mental Illness .

As a Result .

I had to go to Court,, and all A Doctor said,,,, on a Audio Phone ,,,was that I Felt .

That God was Against Me.

As to why,,,,,, I could not defend myself ,,,,, even with what ,,,,,appointed Lawyer.

If a person forgets ,,,,,,,,,or does not have anyones help .

To have what Medicine,,,,, for a week or more .

A Person does have,,,,,,, a Major Problem.

I ended up being sent to,,,,,, a V.A. Facility.,,,, for about a month.

And had a six month Commitment ,,,,,,,,with what Councelors,,,, and Doctors also.

Towards as some People .

May Try to Cause Others...

Problems .

Maybe that is what A Many want.

To get what ,,,,,, over whom else.

With whatever way ,,,,,they are able .

I have a very hard time ,,,,,, trusting of many people.

Find out whom,,,,,, you could trust,,,,,,, or rely upon ,,,,,,in your circles.

To each is to their Own .

To try to just be .

from one day at a time .

Is how I live .

Working with what .

I am able to .

More for Home and Family,,,,, and Myself also.

Have a nice day .

If you are Able to.

From Larry.

"Made to Order" mental illness is voted on by the APA by a raising of hands and designed with profits in mind. There is no science to Psychiatry. There is no medical model, No evidence based medicine and the industry lied about chemical imbalance to drug the world population into a unstable and compromised personality for long term gain.. The industry is political and a threat our form of government.