Mental illness has long been a social taboo. But the fact is that mental illness is as common as the common cold. Nearly everyone has symptoms from time to time. Depression is a mental illness and almost half of the population will suffer with a serious depression at some point in their life. ADD and ADHD are mental disorders and although they are both widely over diagnosed it seems that people have little or no problem labeling themselves or their children with one or the other.
The difference between these disorders, and others that are less acceptable, is education and mass understanding. The more society knows about a mental illness the more they are able to talk about it, and the more the fog lifts that has kept it mysterious and frightening. The mentally ill person has never been the root of cultural fears. The fear lies within the individual who is afraid of what they do not understand.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) is the mental health worker's "Bible" for determining which mental disorder is appropriate for a patient. Some of the listings that are not as well know to the general public are sleep disorders such as insomnia, childhood disorders such as Mathematics Disorder, and substance disorders such as Nicotine Use Disorder. Of course there are specific criteria that needs to be present in order to be given such a diagnosis, but I mention them to make a point. No one is completely immune to developing a problem that needs psychological attention.
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