Mental Illnesses have biological causes that often go unrecognised by many people, whether it be because of ignorance or misinformation. Just as a physical illness has a physical/biological cause, a mental illness does. Studies have shown that different types of mental illness are caused by different biological factors, including internal and external forces. For example, people suffering from anxiety were shown to to have neurochemical imbalances and differences in genes. Connections between nerve cells and pathways also have a big effect on mental health. Abnormalities in these can result in abnormal moods, thoughts, perceptions and behaviour. Physical structures of the brain have also been shown to alter and even damage themselves when a person has a mental health issue. The brain learns patterns of thinking, feeling and different behaviours in response to all of this, and cannot properly control which chemicals and the amount of those chemicals being released. This of course has a very real impact on a person. How would you feel if you sustained a serious, and possibly life threatening injury, but received no help for it because it's biological effects were being ignored? Of course you know it is real and hurting you, but people are ignoring it and telling you that it isn't real. This is how many sufferers feel, as the stigma surrounding mental illness invalidates their pain. I urge everyone to recognise mental illness for what it is: a very real problem for people that can be easily solved. Help is out there, so why aren't we providing it to people? Everyone's struggles deserve to be recognised.