Posted by bleauberry on July 13, 2010, at 19:40:11
In reply to Premature Death Linked To Mental Illness, posted by Phillipa on July 9, 2010, at 23:58:24
I don't think it is the mental illness that causes early death. It is more likely the actual illness that is causing the mental illness that shortens life. In addition to that, people chronically feel bad are probably not doing what they need to do to combat disease and optimize health. As important as it is for a normal healthy person to eat wise and exercise and such, it becomes ten times more important when chronic illness is involved. Another factor is the will to live. I think when someone has been chronically ill for a long time their will to live is probably not as strong as someone else enjoying a bountiful life. So in my opinion it is a constellation of factors involved that contribute to premature death, not the mental illness per se.
More dangerous than mental illness though, just to put it in perspective, are:
Automobiles
Alcohol
Cigarettes
OverweightPremature deaths by them I am sure dwarf premature deaths of mental disease.
poster:bleauberry
thread:953949
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100709/msgs/954385.html