Mental illness is a brain disorder that causes an individual to think, act and feel differently to other people. It is quite common for the disorder to disrupt a person’s whole life and prevent them from going about their day normally without thinking these disturbing thoughts. Unfortunately nobody has been able to establish a direct cause for why mental illnesses affect up to 30% of the British population. There are some common factors thought to influence its development, for example genetic inheritance and social causes but no one knows for sure because each case is different.

Some common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety affect an individual’s emotions and the way they are feeling, less common illnesses like schizophrenia affect the way a person thinks. It is extremely important to understand that a person with a mental disorder cannot just stop the way they are thinking, feeling or behaving; theses illnesses take control of the individual and disrupt their lives.

Mental disorders are very common and there is a great deal of help available to those suffering. However, most individuals with an illness are embarrassed about their thoughts and don’t want to seek help or tell anyone about it. It is important to get the correct treatment because if the individuals have a severe case and are not given the right help it can lead to devastating results.

How can counselling help?
Counselling can help you in several ways. We can often feel not so alone when we have someone to talk our problems through with. The counsellor can help you to hear yourself make connections and statements, which until that moment were difficult for you to truly hear and know. The counsellor should be able to support you through difficult periods, without the use of medication; if that should be your wish.