Question: Would it be possible to stop mental diseases

Alexandra Hogan answered on 5 Jun 2018:

There is a really big range of different types of mental illnesses or diseases, and we are getting to understand mental illness a lot more due to research and public awareness. Depression is one type of mental illness that is really common – many people will experience at some point during their lives, although for some people it can be more severe than in others. I don’t think it is possible to completely stop all mental illness, as we don’t really know what causes it. However, there are known ‘risk factors’ for mental illness (think of this as ‘clues’ that someone might be more at risk of being unwell, such as a family history) and many options for effective management and treatment. One of the first things someone can do if they are not feeling well mentally is talk to their doctor, or a trusted family member or teacher. There is also lots of research happening in this area so we are getting better at preventing mental illness and reducing how severe it is.