ABSTRACT
Appearances can be deceiving. When a magician shows someone the technique behind a magic trick, the illusion becomes easier to understand. The same is true for the world of human behavior. Sometimes, mental health problems are also illusory, and when we can grasp the origins of these problems, we are in a better position to solve them. For instance, psychologists have learned that some elderly people show symptoms of dementia (“senility” or Alzheimer’s dis ease) when, in fact, they are depressed. Treat the person for depression, and the dementia is cured. Sometimes people become psychotic (lose touch with reality) because of negative reactions to prescription drugs. If the drug is discontinued, the psychotic behavior disappears.
