What Exactly Constitutes a Mental Illness

or a Psychological Disability?

 

 

Mental illness is a term that refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders which cause severe disturbances in thinking, feeling, relating   and functional behaviors.  

 

 

 

  • These disorders result in substantially diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.

 

 

 

depressed woman

  • Psychological disabilities vary widely from mild depression or anxiety to chronic situations such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

 

  • Psychological disabilities are true medical illnesses such as heart disease or diabetes.

 

  • People with severe psychological disabilities may have biochemical or structural neurological differences from people who are not exhibiting psychological illnesses.