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What is Mental Illness?... and What it is not.

"ABOUT ONE IN FIVE AMERICANS EXPERIENCES A MENTAL DISORDER IN THE COURSE OF A SINGLE YEAR."
-Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (1999).

From www.NAMI.org
We all experience emotional ups and downs from time to time caused by events in our lives. Mental health conditions go beyond these emotional reactions and become something longer lasting. They are medical conditions that cause changes in how we think and feel and in our mood. They are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing. With proper treatment, people can realize their full potential, cope with the stresses of life, work productively and make meaningful contributions to the world. Without mental health we cannot be fully healthy. But understanding mental health isn't only about being able to identify symptoms and having a name for these conditions. There is a complicated ecosystem involving local communities, the federal government, research institutions, private companies and other pieces that are all trying to fit together.  Each piece contributes to our understanding of mental health—if one is missing, the picture isn't complete. 

For more information, see the links below:
  • NAMI Wisconsin: Navigating the Experience. A Guide for People Living With Mental Illness and Their Families UPDATED 2020: nami_wi_navigating_the_experience_fcresource-guide_jan-2020.pdf
  • Know the Warning Signs: http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Know-the-Warning-Signs
  • Mental Health Conditions: http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions
  • Mental Health By The Numbers: http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-by-the-Numbers
  • Treatment: http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Treatment
  • Research: http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Research
  • Public Policy: http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Where-NAMI-Stands-on-Public-Policy
  • Fact Sheet Library: http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Fact-Sheet-Library
How pain manifests in the body via mental thought patterns
The body is extremely literal when it comes to pain. The experiences in your life directly manifest in your body, and when you encounter emotional stress, your body shows you exactly what the problem is. 
An interesting article with a unique take on how pain manifests in the body via mental thought patterns.
www.healthy-holistic-living.com/20-sources-of-pain-in-the-body-are-each-directly-tied-to-specific-emotional-states/
emotional_pain_chart_emotional_body_chart.jpg
Diabetes and Mental Illness are Linked
Diabetes and mental illness can occur as separate conditions with little to do with each other; however, when someone does have both, the likelihood seems high that there is a relationship between them. It’s believed that certain factors cause one illness to lead to the development of another. Possible explanations for the link between diabetes and mental illness include:
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Physiological connection (happenings in the body like chronic inflammation, presence of stress hormones, or neurotransmitter problems)
  • Lifestyle factors (inactivity, poor diet, obesity, smoking, improper treatment of or uncontrolled diabetes or mental illness)
  • Psychiatric medication (many medications cause weight gain and/or impaired glycemia control)
Read more here: www.healthyplace.com/diabetes/mental-health/whats-the-link-between-diabetes-and-mental-illness
Diabetes and Mental Health Conditions
Diabetes and mental health have a rather deep relationship. Each one affects the other in many ways. Living with either diabetes or a mental health condition can increase the risk of developing the other. Also, symptoms and effects of diabetes and mental health conditions are worse when someone has both diabetes and a mental health diagnosis.
​Read more here: 
  • www.healthyplace.com/diabetes/mental-health/diabetes-and-mental-health-how-one-affects-the-other
  • ​www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/mental-health.html
  • www.ucsf.edu/news/2018/06/410741/diabetes-added-high-risks-people-severe-mental-illness
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