Is mental illness contagious?
It is very nice of you to visit your uncle. I hope you will continue to do so. I am sure he looks forward to your visits. Mental illness is not contagious. It is not like a cold or pneumonia. The reason you feel weird when come out of the inpatient setting is because by being there you see a group of individuals who are having a hard time with their behavior and mental state. It’s a bit like being in a room with strangers who are strange. It is bound to affect you emotionally. You might be afraid that because your uncle is ill you might inherit the disease. Possible but not likely. I have a child with schizophrenia who has been hospitalized a half dozen times. I am a nurse and I feel unsettled after I have visited her The main thing to remeber is mental illness is not contagious. Mentally ill people as a rule are not violent towards others, there are exceptions, and persons with mental illness have the same emotions and needs as anyone! Do not perpetuate the incorrect belief that menta
