Do ppl use mental illness as an excuse for not helping themselves

AKB2000

So I know mental illness is 100% real and I’m not doubting that for a second, but do people just use their label as a way of avoiding doing stuff that progress them through their life?

Reply 1

AKB2000

That’s just ppl venting though, I’m more talking about in real life

Reply 2

Claire461

Original post by AKB2000

So I know mental illness is 100% real and I’m not doubting that for a second, but do people just use their label as a way of avoiding doing stuff that progress them through their life?

They may do, but that is part of the condition. Poor mental health is a major factor in the way people cope with different stages/events of their lives.

Reply 3

Joleee

yes and no. when you have a mental illness, you don't think like a rational person because mental illness is not rational. depression convinces you that all is hopeless, that this is just the way you are. and once you're convinced this is you, it's very hard to imagine you could live another life. but if you've never experienced real depression (not just sadness) then you have no idea what i'm talking about. :smile:

I have my suspicions, based purely on my own 'reckon' and some IRL instances I've seen, that being too quick to pathologise some issues may not put people in the best mindset to deal with them themselves.

Reply 6

CoolCavy

Volunteer Team

No it just takes them 100% more effort to do the simple tasks that non-mentally ill people take for granted.

Reply 7

999tigger

Original post by AKB2000

So I know mental illness is 100% real and I’m not doubting that for a second, but do people just use their label as a way of avoiding doing stuff that progress them through their life?

You mean because they are mentally ill? Not really getting your point.

Reply 8

THS2018

Original post by Joleee

I totally agree with the above, especially considering the amount of times people seem to be quick to label. ( you may notice this across many of my responses on threads). Particularly with depression and OCD people self diagnose with the intention to make it seem more socially acceptable. Having said that people with depression, espically deep rooted tend to fall into a vicious circle of self for filling prophecy, for which they can’t function rational thought patterns which is fair enough not a lot they can do. For example the amount of times I have read threads and met people who say sorry I guess it’s cause i’m a little OCD that just does my head in, a pet peeve if you like. OCD is a lot more than being neat and tidy, it’s the compulsions, and obsessions and anxiety around that . Personally speaking I think the approach to mental health is much like physical disability in Pe some people can’t complete the activity and some create a sick note to avoid the activity. ( apologies if this just comes out as a massive vent but it’s just one of those things that set me off on one) b

Reply 9

username4200854

I believe a lot of people, particularly kids in school, like to self diagnose themselves with depression. It’s not summat that should be messed about with but I reckon some kids like the idea of claiming a mental illness for attention

Reply 10

THS2018

Original post by 4StarsOutOf5

Definetly met a few of these 😂 they seem to be suddenly fine as soon as the inital rush of attention is over.

Reply 11

username4011692

There's a yes and no to this. Most of the time, the problems and the things they do are genuine, and they need the support they can get. However, I do know someone who has a mental illness, and will, occasionally, use it to get out of something she doesn't want to do. But this is extremely rare, even for her, and whenever someone has a mental illness, they should always be given priority.

Reply 12

Notoriety

Yes, no, maybe so.

The question is too vague to be answered properly. Of course, some people who have MH issues are going to use their MH issues as an excuse not do stuff that would help them. Why? Because there are people without MH issues who use excuses to avoid doing stuff that would help them.

There are people who self-diagnose and don't actually have MH issues -- the delusion of thinking you have MH issues is likely going to cause dysfunction. Then there are people who have MH issues who a) do not identify that they are "well" and so behave as they are not or b) have "learned despondency", where they think, perhaps reasonably, that nothing they can do will avoid the issues they're having.

Reply 13

AKB2000

Original post by THS2018

I suffer from social anxiety, but it doesn’t mean I can’t complete an activity, it just means it’s harder for me. But if i tell myself I can’t do something then I can’t do it. What I’m trying to say is, is this like other mental illnesses? And if it is, therefor isn’t it a bit limiting to describe it as a physical disability? If people let me go through life letting me off doing anything social because I have social anxiety, my life would be way way worse. For example going to job interviews seems impossible to me, but I force myself to go because the next one won’t be as painful. I feel as though he attitude towards mental health shouldnt be it’s okay to say you can’t, it should be you can. Idk, I guess it’s different for OCD because that’s literally about compulsions but there is treatment . Also yea ppl everywhere seem to just be like yea I have depression when they feel sad so they don’t want to get out of bed and do something, thing is a lot of people truly convince themselves they have a mental illness because our society had to label everything and ppl can’t just be sad.

Reply 14

THS2018

Original post by AKB2000

The first couple of sentences just about sums it up, it’s the fact that you try even though it’s hard. You are one of the ones that proves it’s and obstacle not a barrier, a big well done for actually trying to deal with it ( not intended sarcastically).