Mental illness is not a choice. People do not choose to be mentally ill. It results from something going wrong in the brain. There are other illnesses that result from things going wrong in the brain, such as Parkinson's Disease or Alzheimer's Disease, but these illnesses have no shame and stigma associated with them. People with these brain illnesses get good medical care, along with society's compassion and understanding.
Mental illnesses are devastating.
A recent study by the World Health Organization, in listing the ten most debilitating illnesses, included four mental illnesses. Yet mental illnesses can be successfully treated. In fact, rates for recovery from mental illnesses surpass the recovery or cure rates for many physical illnesses. Early intervention in diagnosis and treating mental illnesses is key. Mental illnesses, when untreated, usually worsen over time.