re: Has anyone here dealt with the onset of mental illness with their spouse?

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You think there’s a difference?

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There is. Human beings all have a touch of sanity issues, but the mentally ill individuals that have problems regulating themselves are beyond what regular people can deal with. Normal women crazy is starting a fight just to start a fight. Crazy is sending pictures of self harm and blaming someone other than themselves while threatening to go farther.

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You think there’s a difference?

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I may get some of the terminology slightly wrong here, but I had someone explain to me that most of what people categorize as "mental health issues" are not mental illness per se, but are instead properly described as "personality disorders" or "mood disorders."

The only meaningful distinction psychiatry draws is between all that crap (depressed, borderline, etc.) and real, organic problems like schizophrenia or mental retardation. Moreover, psychiatry basically acknowledges an element of personal responsibility in the first category of issues.

I think a lot of people who claim "mental health issues" would benefit from acknowledging this distinction. Someone who's depressed or avoidant or whatever is not an innocent victim. They're more like someone who injured himself due to a poor decision, or a Type II diabetic.