It’s a pretty disturbing statistic but in the Western world today it is believed that one in four men and women will have some sort of episode of mental illness. The diagnosis could be a nervous breakdown, a psychotic break, full blown schizophrenia and depression or bi-polar disorder. The lifestyles we lead, stress, general bad living and drug use generally bring these on. Given this statistic, there should be a manual on how to best survive it.

The prospect can be disconcerting at best, to anyone of any age, so having a handle on it can make it less disturbing. When thinking of seeking help, the biggest fear people have is men in white coats running around to the tune of, “They’re coming to take me away,” or spending time with rats in room one o’ one. But today’s wards are nothing like that at all. Really some of them can be more like Club Med with free happy pills more than anything else, with activities and plenty of rest, the odd group therapy session and an hour a day of some doctor (usually badly dressed and not in a white coat) asking you how you're feeling.