(NC)-Lots of myths surround mental illness. For instance, many still think that it's something that can be cured simply by 'toughening up' or by adopting a better outlook on life. In fact, mental illness is not caused by 'moral' weakness, and it's clearly not something that people 'choose' to have. Mental illness is a diagnosable illness that requires treatment, just like diabetes.

While the causes of mental illness are not well understood, most research suggests that it results from a chemical disturbance in the brain. Many factors may contribute to this: heredity, genetics, stress, recreational drug use may all contribute to the onset of mental illness.

Although research is still in its infancy, there now exist many effective treatments for those who suffer from mental health disorders. In most cases these treatments make a significant, positive contribution to quality of life, and the earlier a condition is identified the better the treatment outcome.

More information on mental illness and how a new book called "Catch a Falling Star: A Tale from the Iris the Dragon Series" is helping parents identify and understand early onset mental illness visit www.iristhedragon.com.

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