> No, I think mental illness should be defined relative to a person's capacity to change behaviour volitionally or in response to feedback signals, like a scolding or rehab or imprisonment. People who are mentally ill do not respond to feedback signals like this, they have little volition over their behaviours without significant pharmaceutical or other interventions first.

Yeah, this is exactly what someone without mental illness will never understand. Awareness is not static. It ebbs and flows. Sometimes I know that I'm saying/doing something but completely unaware of what it is. I have to ask someone else about my actions/words once I regain awareness. However, I do hold a full time position and can respond to feedback signals depending on the day. I was told growing up to think of consequences of my actions before doing it. Yeah right, for that to happen I need to understand what I'm doing let alone think through the consequences. Pharmaceutical or other interventions aren't a silver bullet to all mental illness issues. Yes, they do help and curb some symptoms but you can't predict when someone will have an episode. And they come with their own side effects. Their effectiveness also depends on the person being treated. Not everyone with depression responds equally well to anti-depressants. It's much more complicated than you think.