Changes

Religious ideas about mental illness have included [[demon]]ic possession, to be cured by [[exorcism]]. Psychological ideas run a wide gamut. [more needed here]

Religious ideas about mental illness have included [[demon]]ic possession, to be cured by [[exorcism]]. Psychological ideas run a wide gamut. [more needed here]

Mental illness is generally considered to have dimensions of severity and impact, as well as legal implications. Some people are considered [[insane]], and excluded from society or given special consideration. A defendant may be judged not guilty by reason of [[temporary insanity]].  A severely mentall unwell individual may be [[psychotic]] or [[schizophrenic]], while milder forms of mental illness are classified as a [[neurosis]] or [[syndrome]] (see [[Eating disorder]] or [[bulimia]] or [[anorexia]]).

Mental illness is generally considered to have dimensions of severity and impact, as well as legal implications. Some people are considered [[insane]], and excluded from society or given special consideration. A defendant may be judged not guilty by reason of [[temporary insanity]].  A severely mentally unwell individual may be [[psychotic]] or [[schizophrenic]], while milder forms of mental illness are classified as a [[neurosis]] or [[syndrome]] (see [[Eating disorder]] or [[bulimia]] or [[anorexia]]).

==Forms of Mental Disorder==

==Forms of Mental Disorder==

==Mental illness and the law==   

==Mental illness and the law==   

The mental health community does not recognize or utilize the term "insane" or 'insanity", yet is called upon to give expert opinion as such in capital criminal cases where the life of a defendant is at stake.

The mental health community does not recognize or utilize the term "insane" or 'insanity", yet is called upon to give expert opinion as such in capital criminal cases where the life of a defendant is at stake. This is because the terms "insane" and "insanity" tend to not have a legal definition. It is for mental health professionals to determine whether an individual is mentally unwell or not; the courts' role is to take the opinions of those professionals into account when deciding on an appropriate disposal for the defendant.

 

 

Many courts apply the McNaughton Rules as to whether the defendant was, at the time of the index offence, capable of knowing that what they were doing was wrong.

==Mental illness and the brain==

==Mental illness and the brain==