Outgrowing, avoiding, and lessening the damage of mental illness
Posted Oct 05 2009 10:00pm
When I read Bipolar Disorder May Be Outgrown and add to that the knowledge that schizophrenia usually remits after a certain age, I wonder how much of the damage of mental illness is from the ravages of being left untreated or under-treated during vulnerable periods.
We know about the "kindling" effect of depression, and the known triggers of bipolar episodes (stress, drugs, lack of sleep).
I wonder if we will come to a time when we look at eating disorders as a vulnerability that, if we avoid activating it during childhood and adolescence and early adulthood, could be avoided altogether. If children at risk were protected from dietary restriction, unrelieved stress, and over-exercise - would it prevent eating disordered minds?
We know about the "kindling" effect of depression, and the known triggers of bipolar episodes (stress, drugs, lack of sleep).
I wonder if we will come to a time when we look at eating disorders as a vulnerability that, if we avoid activating it during childhood and adolescence and early adulthood, could be avoided altogether. If children at risk were protected from dietary restriction, unrelieved stress, and over-exercise - would it prevent eating disordered minds?