Insanity and mental illness

[JustHeckinKillMe]

What's the difference between the two? Does insanity exist? What's its definition?

 

[Susannah]

I would say that the term 'insanity' is an overused cliché. Insanity is not a diagnose. No legitimate medical or clinical professional would be caught dead saying it in public. 'Insanity' is more a legal term used in court. A defendant may be found not guilty by reason of insanity if his or her lawyer can provide clear and convincing evidence that he/she was suffering from severe mental illness.

 

[CyanideSoup]

I might be wrong but I believe insanity is when you don't have the mental capacity to tell right from wrong anymore. Insanity would be considered mental illness, but mental illness is a spectrum and not all mentally ill people are 'insane'. Honestly it seems to be used as an excuse more than anything for criminals and their lawyers to get them out of long sentences.

 

[Winniethepooh]

I believe "insane" is synonymous with "psychotic"...

 

[Sweet emotion]

Mental illness is depression, OCD, Bipolar disorder. Insanity is when you're just completely off your rocker. Nuts. That's when you have to be locked away because you're a danger to society and yourself. That's how I envision it. I don't mean suicide as a danger to yourself. I don't think that people who kill themselves are insane by any means.

 

[JustHeckinKillMe]

Mental illness is depression, OCD, Bipolar disorder. Insanity is when you're just completely off your rocker. Nuts. That's when you have to be locked away because you're a danger to society and yourself. That's how I envision it. I don't mean suicide as a danger to yourself. I don't think that people who kill themselves are insane by any means.

What causes someone to become insane?

 

[End Piece]

I think 'insanity' is definifely on the spectrum of mental illness, in terms of being a symptom, not an actual diagnosis. Like, for me, I picture the classic image of someone thrashing in a straight jacket and talking about the man on the moon, which I guess would be psychosis?
Wait, this question is really intriguing me. When I think 'insane' I think 'irrational, unsound mind'. Even though it's more subtle, the shit I do when I am depressed/in binge-purge cycle is completely insane in it's own way. Staying in bed all day crying isn't rational. Eating a shit tonne of food just to throw it up isn't sound. Maybe we're all just a lil insane here.

 

[Sweet emotion]

What causes someone to become insane?

Some people are just born that way I guess. It's something in them that is waiting to be set off.

 

[almaranthine]

Are you asking because you believe you fall into one of the two categories?

Anyways, "mental illness" is an umbrella term that covers so, so many states. If you ever happen to look at the DSM that psychiatrists and psychologists consult (which is regularly updated and added to) you will be floored by the sheer number of of illnesses they define. Perhaps, like me, you will be hesitant to believe that all of the listings are legitimate. At any rate, that school would probably (I'm not studied in it) classify "insanity" as a type of psychosis or mania. There are "psychotic" episodes as well as "manic" episodes. Mania can be more euphoric; a person suffering a manic episode can feel that great revelations or mysteries have been revealed to them. They can feel a sense of divine purpose or intervention even if they are not regularly religious. A manic will find themselves feeling a surge of energy from nowhere, propelling them not to eat or sleep. They say that psychosis is more of a depressive state, and can include having hallucinations or delusions. However mania and psychosis can happen at the same time, wherein a person is euphoric and energized, but also paranoid and delusional and/or hallucinating.