Thank you for that, Debbyiski. I would be the last to make light of serious emotional distress, having suffered terribly myself. I work closely with people who have severe and enduring mental health difficulties, on a voluntary basis, so fully concur with your sentiment. I also do work to challenge people's conception of mental illness.
Hypomania is considered less serious than full blown mania, and most who suffer from episodes of it can learn to live with it. This is one of those clips where I wish I could have included more, but the full article is useful. If anything, the point is raised that we all suffer some degree of mental distress all of the time or some of the time, that 'men...

Thank you for that, Debbyiski. I would be the last to make light of serious emotional distress, having suffered terribly myself. I work closely with people who have severe and enduring mental health difficulties, on a voluntary basis, so fully concur with your sentiment. I also do work to challenge people's conception of mental illness.
Hypomania is considered less serious than full blown mania, and most who suffer from episodes of it can learn to live with it. This is one of those clips where I wish I could have included more, but the full article is useful. If anything, the point is raised that we all suffer some degree of mental distress all of the time or some of the time, that 'mental illness' is something that is often on a spectrum and potentially we are all susceptible. The UK statistics suggest that one in four adults will be treated for mental disorder at some point in their lives. The World Health Organisation projects that depression will be the most prevalent illness by 2020.
All too often, people are dismissive of people suffering dreadfully from bipolar, depression and anxiety. I can see how the clip as it stands may provide 'ammunition' to some. I hope your comment will make them think again.

4 U:
The Neuropsychiatric Inventory

We developed a new instrument, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), to assess 10 behavioral disturbances occurring in dementia patients: delusions, hallucinations, dysphoria, anxiety, agitation/aggression, euphoria, disinhibition, irritability/lability, apathy, and aberrant motor activity. The NPI uses a screening strategy to minimize administration time, examining and scoring only those behavioral domains with positive responses to screening questions. Both the frequency and the severity of each behavior are determined. Information for the NPI is obtained from a caregiver familiar...

4 U:
The Neuropsychiatric Inventory

We developed a new instrument, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), to assess 10 behavioral disturbances occurring in dementia patients: delusions, hallucinations, dysphoria, anxiety, agitation/aggression, euphoria, disinhibition, irritability/lability, apathy, and aberrant motor activity. The NPI uses a screening strategy to minimize administration time, examining and scoring only those behavioral domains with positive responses to screening questions. Both the frequency and the severity of each behavior are determined. Information for the NPI is obtained from a caregiver familiar with the patient's behavior. Studies reported here demonstrate the content and concurrent validity as well as between-rater, test-retest, and internal consistency reliability; the instrument is both valid and reliable. The NPI has the advantages of evaluating a wider range of psychopathology than existing instruments, soliciting information that may distinguish among different etiologies of dementia, differentiating between severity and frequency of behavioral changes, and minimizing administration time.

Psychopathology and early experience: a reappraisal of retrospective reports

Three potential sources of error in retrospective reports of childhood experiences are documented: low reliability and validity of autobiographical memory in general, the presence of general memory impairment associated with psychopathology, and the presence of specific mood-congruent memory biases associated with psychopathology. The evidence reviewed suggests that claims concerning the general unreliability of retrospective reports are exaggerated and that there is little reason to link psychiatric status with less reliable or less valid recall of early experiences. Nevertheless,

Thank you for not only the sources and comments but also your taking seriously and giving time to an issue that concerns me greatly: it is supportive and nourishing.
'The Psychopathology of Everyday Life' is a phrase which was the title of a Freud classic available free online.
There is much controversy around what constitutes mental wellbeing and mental distress as a google search demonstrates. Personally I do not dismiss neuropsychological approaches to research and treatment, but given the anger, discontent, and violent vituperative attitudes abroad in the population of successful and 'normal' westerners, I would wish to restore to a consideration of human behaviour and subject...

Thank you for not only the sources and comments but also your taking seriously and giving time to an issue that concerns me greatly: it is supportive and nourishing.
'The Psychopathology of Everyday Life' is a phrase which was the title of a Freud classic available free online.
There is much controversy around what constitutes mental wellbeing and mental distress as a google search demonstrates. Personally I do not dismiss neuropsychological approaches to research and treatment, but given the anger, discontent, and violent vituperative attitudes abroad in the population of successful and 'normal' westerners, I would wish to restore to a consideration of human behaviour and subjective experience the dimensions of morality and spirituality, and most of all what constitutes the basis of healthy relationships - with others, with the cosmos,
with oneslef and with the democracy of the unborn.

abailart said:

what constitutes the basis of healthy relationships

This is a very subjective concept to try to grasp. Subjective to the conditions in the family unit on many levels. There are some very sick minds out there and those sick minds have taught and are teaching their offspring their values. As the offspring grow sometimes they see the world as they are taught and sometimes they see the world by their own standards.
The independence of my childhood and young adulthood allowed me to form my own conclusions about the world around me. Not all people have this chance. They are pushed into 'family values' and never escape their limitations. I created my family values when I...

abailart said:

what constitutes the basis of healthy relationships

This is a very subjective concept to try to grasp. Subjective to the conditions in the family unit on many levels. There are some very sick minds out there and those sick minds have taught and are teaching their offspring their values. As the offspring grow sometimes they see the world as they are taught and sometimes they see the world by their own standards.
The independence of my childhood and young adulthood allowed me to form my own conclusions about the world around me. Not all people have this chance. They are pushed into 'family values' and never escape their limitations. I created my family values when I created my family. My ancestors are all dead as far as I know except my big sister. We hardly ever get to talk anymore.
There is a system of values that state the defined values of a healthy relationship but it is often circumvented by personal beliefs. People twist the values to fit their ideals of self-conscience. Then, They impose those beliefs onto the people they come in contact with. I have a tendency to watch and listen to people quietly and recognize where they deviate from my 'norm'. People are hostile and pompous and rude. They are forceful and irresponsible. They are filled with hate and bigotry and resentment. They are jealous and petty.
Understanding what to expect from the people around you allows you to react accordingly to the personality type.
Some people;
You praise and you are best buddies
You joke and you are fun
You sympathize and you are friendly
You can control your interactions with a few small gestures or words.
I rented an apartment one time because the landlord liked how I shook his hand.