What is severe mental illness?
There is no universal understanding of what severe mental illness is, because it tends to be seen differently by the person experiencing it, their family and friends and doctors. The National Service Framework for Mental Health (1999) differentiates between severe mental illness and common mental health problems. Examples of severe mental illness include schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder (manic depression), organic mental disorder (dementia), severe anxiety disorders, severe eating disorders, severe depression and severe panic disorder
