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This is what happens when you make the definition of mental illness so loose that almost everyone is captured. While it might help those with an axe to grind or

This is what happens when you make the definition of mental illness so loose that almost everyone is captured. While it might help those with an axe to grind or a vested interest in ramping the numbers, it doesn’t help those with serious mental illness problems.

mirimir 8y ago
That's a useful perspective, I think. I mean, isn't it useful to distinguish between "poor fit for job" and "mental health issues"? Would we expect mentally healthy people to do well, and be happy with, any arbitrary sort of job?
- danieltillett 8y ago
  The supposed aim of all this trivialization of mental illness appears to be to destigmatize mental illness, but in practice it just prevent us from helping those who really need help. When 75% of the population is labeled as having a mental illness then we can’t find those who really need help - the finding a needle in a pile of needles problem. The reality is most people are unhappy with their lives (at times) and always have been and only a small percentage are seriously unwell.
  - projektir 8y ago
    > The reality is most people are unhappy with their lives (at times) and always have been and only a small percentage are seriously unwell. If you ask me most people being unhappy with their lives is a problem.
    - mirimir 8y ago
      Isn't that rather a symptom of modern society? As others have noted. Still, it's certainly not that modern society is horrible. Far more people (especially in "developed" countries) live far better lives (materially, anyway) than at any time before. But maybe what's missing is meaning. Family and other social connections. Like "Why am I doing this?" Maybe it's just an unavoidable consequence of the extreme specialization of labor in modern society. And that there are many important jobs that just aren't much fun. Or at least, aren't acknowledged or rewarded well enough. Don't come with enough status.
      - projektir 8y ago
        Why would this be a modern phenomenon? Nothing I've read of history leads me to believe this is a modern phenomenon. People in the modern world just have more of a voice.
        mirimir 8y ago
        I guess. So have people always hated their jobs? Maybe so. Even hunter-gatherers probably complain about needing to hunt and gather all the time.
grovehaw 8y ago
In the UK the definitions have a fair amount of consensus and the loss of productivity is one of the motivations for a range of employers organisations to support this initiative. The UK's Mental Health Foundation gives these figures: > 1. Mixed anxiety & depression is the most common mental disorder in Britain, > with 7.8% of people meeting criteria for diagnosis. > 2. 4-10% of people in England will experience depression in their lifetime. > 3. Common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are distributed > according to a gradient of economic disadvantage across society. The poorer > and more disadvantaged are disproprotionately[sic] affected by common mental health > problems and their adverse consequences. > 4. Mixed anxiety and depression has been estimated to cause one > fifth of days lost from work in Britain. > 5. One adult in six had a common mental disorder. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/fundamental-facts-about-mental-health-2016 https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/fundamental-fac... [pdf]
deleted 8y ago
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mirimir 8y ago

That's a useful perspective, I think. I mean, isn't it useful to distinguish between "poor fit for job" and "mental health issues"? Would we expect mentally healthy people to do well, and be happy with, any arbitrary sort of job?

danieltillett 8y ago
The supposed aim of all this trivialization of mental illness appears to be to destigmatize mental illness, but in practice it just prevent us from helping those who really need help. When 75% of the population is labeled as having a mental illness then we can’t find those who really need help - the finding a needle in a pile of needles problem. The reality is most people are unhappy with their lives (at times) and always have been and only a small percentage are seriously unwell.
- projektir 8y ago
  > The reality is most people are unhappy with their lives (at times) and always have been and only a small percentage are seriously unwell. If you ask me most people being unhappy with their lives is a problem.
  - mirimir 8y ago
    Isn't that rather a symptom of modern society? As others have noted. Still, it's certainly not that modern society is horrible. Far more people (especially in "developed" countries) live far better lives (materially, anyway) than at any time before. But maybe what's missing is meaning. Family and other social connections. Like "Why am I doing this?" Maybe it's just an unavoidable consequence of the extreme specialization of labor in modern society. And that there are many important jobs that just aren't much fun. Or at least, aren't acknowledged or rewarded well enough. Don't come with enough status.
    - projektir 8y ago
      Why would this be a modern phenomenon? Nothing I've read of history leads me to believe this is a modern phenomenon. People in the modern world just have more of a voice.
      - mirimir 8y ago
        I guess. So have people always hated their jobs? Maybe so. Even hunter-gatherers probably complain about needing to hunt and gather all the time.

grovehaw 8y ago

In the UK the definitions have a fair amount of consensus and the loss of productivity is one of the motivations for a range of employers organisations to support this initiative. The UK's Mental Health Foundation gives these figures: > 1. Mixed anxiety & depression is the most common mental disorder in Britain, > with 7.8% of people meeting criteria for diagnosis. > 2. 4-10% of people in England will experience depression in their lifetime. > 3. Common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are distributed > according to a gradient of economic disadvantage across society. The poorer > and more disadvantaged are disproprotionately[sic] affected by common mental health > problems and their adverse consequences. > 4. Mixed anxiety and depression has been estimated to cause one > fifth of days lost from work in Britain. > 5. One adult in six had a common mental disorder. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/fundamental-facts-about-mental-health-2016 https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/fundamental-fac... [pdf]

deleted 8y ago

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