The phrase “mental illness” bothers me.
I like to refer to it as “emotional illness.”
Yes, I am aware that our thoughts frequently reflect the substance within us, but I also think that many conditions do not originate in the mind. The emphasis on the cerebral keeps us searching within the head for the underlying problems, while the true problem is frequently in the emotional body and calls for more embodied therapy techniques.
When someone is diagnosed as “mentally ill,” they frequently see an analytical psychiatrist who prescribes medication for them instead of a psychotherapist who can assist in their deeper healing.
It reminds me a lot of the patriarchal and spiritual emphasis on the “monkey mind” rather than the “monkey heart” as the cause of an individual’s difficulties. When we only pay attention to our minds, we can become mentally disoriented and find it very difficult to break free.
We are also far simpler to manage.
There is potential for significant improvement if we instead concentrate on resolving the emotional issues that underlie the illness.
#humanityliftinghumanity