![Helena Bonham Carter stars in "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) as the Red Queen](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/large_lightbox/hash/bb/c7/bbc75b79ca385d7f787f5f61856cb894.jpg "Helena Bonham Carter stars in "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) as the Red Queen")
British actress, Helena Bonham Carter, 43, has long been known for her 'eccentricity'; however, Helena Bonham Carter, in a recent report to the Times newspaper, says that she fears she may suffer from mental illness, at some time in the future, because her mother, Elena, suffered from a a severe mental breakdown when Helena was five years old. In addition, Helena Bonham Carter says her grandmother and great-grandmother suffered from mental illness.
What Helena Bonham Carter says about mental illness
Helena Bonham Carter stars as the Red Queen in Tim Burton's new movie Alice in Wonderland which is on general film release and in IMAX 3D format today, March 5 2010. Talking about mental illness, the British actress stated:
“I haven't suffered yet, but I know there's potential there. I've been depressed and don't like it.”
She went on to say that she had had therapy but wasn't sure if this had helped her or not.
Statistics on mental illness in the U.S.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about one in four adults suffer from mental illness in the U.S., and about one in seventeen adults suffer from a severe mental illness. Mental illnesses are the leading cause of disability in the U.S., according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Mental illness, which includes suicides, have a significant impact on society, in both productivity and health; the Global Burden of Disease study, conducted by the World Health Organization, Harvard University and the World Bank estimates that the burden of mental illness is a greater burden on society than cancer.
Is mental illness heredity?
Experts state that although mental illness is heredity, it does not necessarily mean that a child will suffer from mental illness even if a parent does; there are a lot of factors which impact on the development of mental illness. The interaction of genes is affected by:
- environmental stressors – death, divorce, substance abuse, life changes
- psychological trauma – emotional, physical or sexual abuse
- imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain.
Mental illness is a real disease and not something someone can just 'snap out of and pull themselves together'; it is often misunderstood by many. Although men suffer from mental illnesses too, women are sometimes more susceptible to mental illness due to society factors such as domestic violence and abuse.
References:
- National Institute of Mental Health web site, accessed March 5, 2010
- World Health Organization web site, accessed March 5, 2010
- Medicine Net web site, accessed March 5, 2010
CopyrightSharonFalsetto2010
Comments
Despite it being so common(one in seventeen adults suffer from a severe mental illness!), there is so much stigma that comes with mental illness that makes it very difficult to live with*, a lack of deep understanding and solid cures by the medical world and a huge lack of funds and research compared to other illnesses that are not even as common. And far far too often, the lives of those inflicted ends in suicide. When will this change?
Start change now. Read. Listen. Open your mind.
Look up: Nami - A foundation of support
Look up: BringChange2mind - A foundation battling the stigma
Look up: Narsad - a foundation for research
*People don't talk about it. This article is a rare exception. People refer to people with mental illness as 'crazy'. The media portrays them in violent, scary ways. People don't reach out and help the way they would with another illness. And people who are otherwise healthy, intelligent and wonderful people have their lives snatched away.
Good article. It's good to get this information out there. As Brokenhearted said, it's too often not talked about in our society.
Sims Examiner
Indianapolis Healthy Living Examiner
Only 40% of cases seem to be connected through family 60% are not.
There is no 'testable objective evidence' that any of the treatments or drugs do anything. Placebo often does as well as drugs to have remissions.
There is a simple explanation, Subliminal Distraction exposure.
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