The thing I don't like is the romanticising of mental illness- or any illness -through books and tv and movies. I'm not saying that you're doing this, Castiel, or anything like that... I'm just voicing something I think is an issue with the way mental illness is often portrayed. River, from Firefly was certainly an interesting character, but in my opinion she was portrayed in a way that made her seem somehow angelic, and waif-like because of her mental illness, supposedly. She'd have these out bursts were her brother would have to come and hug through the battle, and it ends with her sobbing in his arms.... now yeah, that does happen with some people with mental illness, but it doesn't always happen that way. It depends on the person, and the severity of the illness... often it varies drastically between genders, as well. My point is, unless you're basing you're character solely on you're own illness and tendencies, you might want to consider talking a look at some of those links Rosendorn supplied, and just think about what a mental illness would be like for someone else, regarding their style of life, family, etc.
Now, a lot of YWSers have mental illnesses, or have had someone in their life that has had one. It's not an uncommon thing, nor is it a terrible thing. Everyone has different struggles in their life that they have to face. The cool thing is, you get to learn from them... and I think mental illness shouldn't be looked at as a disability, but a challenge... a dare. I dare myself to do better, no matter what the challenge, to succeed in my goals. I dare you, as well.
I think that we shouldn't romanticise the struggles of mental illness, but instead, the challenge to do better with what we have to work with.
( that's my two cents on mental illness and portrayal )
As for mental hospitals themselves, I have no experience with them.
Though if 'trying to kill someone' is just striking out, beating some kid to a pulp... I really doubt that they'd get put into a mental hospital from a one time thing ( I knew a kid that had a mental illness, wasn't diagnosed, but would attack other kids... but they didn't get put into a mental hospital for that... they may be there now though ). When a teenager tries to kill themselves they don't get put into a mental hospital, they give them consoling first, from what I've witnessed. I would assume the same steps would apply to a teenager trying to kill a kid.
The other thing is there's different degrees, so to speak, on trying to kill people. There's someone beating someone because they're at their breaking point, and there's bringing a gun/knife to school and threatening the teachers, kids, bullies, etc. If you're character came into her school with a gun, you can bet she'd get into a mental hospital, or at the very least, it would be a prospect. If she beat a kid, she might get consoling instead. You see what I mean? It really depends... and it's good to figure out what would actually seriously get her into a mental hospital.
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