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ArishMell · 70-79, M
No.
It's not an "epidemic" in infectious terms of course, but what makes it seem more widespread than it ever was is largely growing understanding and acceptance of all of the many forms of mental conditions.
However, the proportions of mental illness to others may be changing.
For example, the Alzheimer's Society charity reckon that form of dementia, in which the disease damages the brain physically, is now one of biggest causes, or even the biggest cause, of death in Britain. It probably is, statistically, but because so many other previously fatal conditions are now treatable, very many more people now live long enough for incipient dementia to develop into a fatal state.
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A sign of that growing understanding is that Alzheimer's and similar used to be called "Senile Dementia", Well, yes, it does affect far more older than younger people, but what does the adjective really mean?
It does not mean mental or physical infirmity; and age alone is not some sort of illness!
"Senile" means simply "Elderly", just as "Juvenile" means "Young". Neither word describes any disease! Unfortunately, colloquial use by far too many too lazy to understand simple English, has given both of those innocent adjectives of age, deeply negative connotations.
Some who is simply "senile", is , simply "old"; and dementia can start to develop in or even before early middle-age. It is then described as of "early onset".
It's not an "epidemic" in infectious terms of course, but what makes it seem more widespread than it ever was is largely growing understanding and acceptance of all of the many forms of mental conditions.
However, the proportions of mental illness to others may be changing.
For example, the Alzheimer's Society charity reckon that form of dementia, in which the disease damages the brain physically, is now one of biggest causes, or even the biggest cause, of death in Britain. It probably is, statistically, but because so many other previously fatal conditions are now treatable, very many more people now live long enough for incipient dementia to develop into a fatal state.
'''''
A sign of that growing understanding is that Alzheimer's and similar used to be called "Senile Dementia", Well, yes, it does affect far more older than younger people, but what does the adjective really mean?
It does not mean mental or physical infirmity; and age alone is not some sort of illness!
"Senile" means simply "Elderly", just as "Juvenile" means "Young". Neither word describes any disease! Unfortunately, colloquial use by far too many too lazy to understand simple English, has given both of those innocent adjectives of age, deeply negative connotations.
Some who is simply "senile", is , simply "old"; and dementia can start to develop in or even before early middle-age. It is then described as of "early onset".
