This is great Ann Romney is doing this but.

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This is great Ann Romney is doing this but.

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I think it's a shame that when it comes to brain diseases like alzheimer's and dementia, there is more help and research done as opposed to diseases like bipolar, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder. In general, society accepts diseases like alzheimer's and dementia and but other diseases like I just mentioned are taboo and those suffering are discouraged to talk about their illness because society deems these mental illnesses as taboo and therefore those suffering become discouraged to get help.Totally unfair how these illnesses are treated differently. When it comes to alzheimer's, people feel sorry for the person suffering. When it comes to schizophrenia or bipolar, major depression etc... people are judged and made fun of and thought of as "lesser than". It's true.

latimes/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-ann-romney-new-center-study-neurological-diseases-20141014-story.html#page=1

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V Veronica91 Oct 2014 · Answer 1 · 2014-10-14T20:39:27.000-0400

This is very brave of Anne Romney because she also has MS

There is definitely still a stigma against those with mental illness. they are seen as unreliable and likely to do things their "sane" counterparts would not.
I also agree that mental illness is a disease just like any other say heart disease, kidney disease. i think some time in the future we will find that they all stem from the same general body defects.

Alzheimers does not carry the same stigma as other mental illnesses because it mainly affects the elderly and is therefor 'fogiven" because we expect granny to be a bit strange "It's her age you know"

F freqflyer Oct 2014 · Answer 2 · 2014-10-14T20:08:55.000-0400

How I wished Laura Bush would have brought Alzheimer's to the forefront back when she was First Lady because her father had died from Alzheimer's back in 1995. I remember back in 2000 there was talk about stem cell research to see if it would help. But it was put on the back burner :(

P pamstegma Oct 2014 · Answer 3 · 2014-10-14T19:46:29.000-0400

MS is increasing in numbers, and can definitely produce dementia symptoms. God Bless Ann Romney for funding the research, because it WILL give insights into parallel syndromes like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS. Good Show.

F freqflyer Oct 2014 · Answer 4 · 2014-10-14T19:32:48.000-0400

I remember way back when epilepsy was viewed as a mental illness. In fact some States use to have laws saying if you had epilepsy you couldn't marry. Today, there is hardly any sigma.

L lilyat Oct 2014 · Answer 5 · 2014-10-14T19:22:12.000-0400

Thanks all. sharynmarie, I have a hard time with any of these illnesses classified as mental illnesses. I don't believe that the mind and the body are separate. I believe that all of these so-called mental illnesses (alzheimer's, schizo, bipolar, borderline...all of them) are really physical illnesses with behavioral and mental symptoms. I think there would be far less stigma if other people had this view. It's just too bad that people have sympathy for people with one but not the other.

S sharynmarie Oct 2014 · Answer 6 · 2014-10-14T17:38:28.000-0400

This is very true....however, I personally have a hard time with Alz being classified as a mental illness...why I don't know...my mother has Alz...but she also has borderline personality disorder which is a mental illness too and I have no problem accepting it. I think it is because I classify Alz as a disease like heart disease or cancer. I totally agree.

T Tryingmybest Oct 2014 · Answer 7 · 2014-10-14T16:25:04.000-0400

You are so right lilyat! It is hard enough for people who battle brain disorders like bipolar, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder... for them and their families to also have to endure judgement and mistreatment by society at large is criminal. These illnesses are still highly stigmatized.

Access to care, proper treatment and support is seriously lacking in much of our country. Research is pathetically underfunded. People with poorly treated or untreated mental illness often self medicate and many times end up incarcerated or on the streets which only exacerbates the problem.

As someone who has loved ones battling these illnesses I have no patience for the ignorant attitudes of people who continue to vilify and stigmatize people with brain disorders. For that I have no more tolerance than I do for racists or bigots.

F freqflyer Oct 2014 · Answer 8 · 2014-10-14T15:36:28.000-0400

We must realize that with each new generation there is more understanding and tolerance to any type of brain dysfunction.

I remember back growing up in the 1950's, no one ever mentioned they were talking to a psychologist or anyone in that similar profession... oh good heavens, that was really taboo, but today it is more accepted and more common place. Plus the larger the metro area where one lives, more acceptable which holds true for any aspect of life that is different from others.

This is great Ann Romney is doing this but.

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