"The concept of “mental health” in our society is defined largely by the extent to which an individual behaves in accord with the needs of the system and does s

"The concept of “mental health” in our society is defined largely by the extent to which an individual behaves in accord with the needs of the system and does so without showing signs of stress." I think that contemporary society puts a lot of pressure and expectations on people at a young age. I suspect this is not a very healthy way to find your way in the world. Some people conform, some people follow the rules of the game, some people rebel to the rules, some are not even aware of the game. A little compassion and empathy would go along way, rather than treating each other as automata. > that mental illnesses are ‘just like’ other chronic physical ailments, such as ‘heart disease or diabetes’ I would argue that in most cases chronic ailments (including mental illness) are not a consequence of "the way a person is made", but their lifestyle. Many people with chronic ailments accept the medication as a solution and don't make the necessary changes in their lives. I think making mental illness comparable to chronic illness made people think of it as something that can be addresses with just a pill.