I've been diagnosed with dysthymia which is caused by a chemical imbalance. They wanted to medicate me for it, but I refused. I seemed to be getting better with just therapy, but I had to stop because I just can't afford it. I don't have health insurance anymore, unfortunately.
My mom is a manic depressive and has some personality disorders that I can't remember what they are at the moment. She's been in and out of mental hospitals several times due to not being able to function and attempted suicide. Medicines didn't work for her because her body didn't absorb them... Something about her motabalism, I think. She had to undergo electroconvulsive therapy, at the failure of the leading medications, which she quit because it was affecting her short-term memory too much that she couldn't stand it. She just recently got the VNS implant as a last resort to help her. It seems to be working, but she can't get her medication (she's using like the strongest antidepresants out there... guh... can't remember what they're called) because some drug head stole them and without insurance, she can't get them. All of this is caused by a chemical imbalance that wasn't treated for 15 years. She only started getting threated 5 years ago.
Without treatment, mental disorders can just go out of control. Sometimes it is just a hypochondriac, but there are honest cases where help is needed.
EDIT: Just remembered. She also has anxiety and panic disorders. She's not very lucky. sweatdrop
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