STYLE WORKOUT #6 

 

Read the following research report about mental illness. Offer comments 

and potential edits for the author (i.e., what needs to be changed, revised, 

corrected, etc.). Consider punctuation, style, formatting/page setup, etc.   

 

Derrick Seidman 

April 12 2010 

English 0990 

Mental Illness Paper 

 Mental illness is common health problem in the United States.  

Mental disorders account for 450 million cases in the world.  Also, one in 

four people will suffer from a mental illness at some time in their life.  Such 

illnesses include: depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, sexual disorders, 

eating disorders, antisocial disorders, schizophrenia, alcohol dependence, 

drug dependence, obsessions, compusions, post traumatic stress 

concerns, and even personally disorders.  The most common of these 

occurrences being common depression and substance abuse.   

 Numerous causes for numerous disorders are found.  Yet, the most 

common causes of mental illness tends to be related to the chemistry of the 

brain, traumatic brain injury, genetic dispositions, and finally stress, 

particularly the coping mechanisms used against stress.  Most mental 

illness tends to occur in early in life, yet some conditions result as a 

response to distress in people's later years. 

 

Regardless of the naming and prevalence of the problem there continues to 

be a public stigma about mental illness.  Yet, many movie stars, rock stars, 

scholars, and politicians have been candid about their illnesses, including 

John Nash (schizophrenic and nobel-prize winning mathematician), Albert 

Einstein's son (a schizophrenic), Paula Dean (famous cook who suffers 

from agoraphobia), Billy Bob Thornton (an actor who suffers from 

agoraphobia), Phillip K. Dick (award-winning author who suffered from 

anxiety and agoraphobia),  Woody Allen (award-winning director who 

suffers from debilitating claustrophobia), Donny Osmond (actor of film and 

television and musicians suffers from social anxiety disorder), Anne Rice 

(author of many popular books has suffered from long-term depression as 

the result of losing her beloved husband), and Princess Diana (who 

reportedly suffered from eating disorders throughout her life).   

  And, there are others: Vincent Van Gohn (Depression), Kurt Cobain 

(Depression), Sheryl Crow (Depression), Pete Wentz (Depression), J.K 

Rowling (Depression), Jim Carrey (Depression), and even comic, Robin 

Williams (Substance Abuse).  Yet, regardless of their conditions and the 

limitations of their conditions, each person is able to manage their condition 

and contribute to society actively. 

 Throughout history, there have been a lot of different types of 

treatment give to people with mental illness.  Medical treatment through 

drugs is the most common method of treating mental illness.  Patients are 

prescribed many different kids of medications: anti-depressants, 

anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, and even stimulants, which have the effect of 

balancing out those with depression and mania.  Some also patients are 

provided psychotheraphy where they meet with a psychiatrist or 

psychologist to discuss their problems and issues daily, weekly, monthly, 

etc.   Fianally some patients who cannot be reached with psychotherapy or 

conventional medical treatments (such as medication), are prescribed 

Electroconvulsive therapy, psychosurgery, and, less evasive kinds of 

treatment such as creative therapy (music therapy, art therapy, etc).   

 

With mental illness, the main focus of any therapy is stability and if a 

person can function in life on their own (that is, go to work, go to school, 

have friends, tolerate family members, eat, and enjoy life).   

 Unfortunately, because of the stigma found with mental illness, many 

people are reluctant to seek help.  Many people are often untreated and 

live out their lives in complete misery.  Generally, these people fear 

employment discrimination, social stigmatizing, and sometimes violence 

(as in the case of those with sexual disorders or those with particular kinds 

of schizophrenia). Yet, in seeking fixes, people are often able to reclaim 

their lives better to live.  It is important to help these people and to support 

those who seek treatment for their illnesses.  After all, life is difficult, at 

some point, it could be us seeking the treatment and needing the support.