I think both the mind and heart help with the illness rather than hinder; we "pick" our symptoms based on our genetics, background, experience and temperments so how we experience our illness is truly "peronal". I don't think anyone who deliberately "stays" a certain way, doesn't try to get "better" in any way is truly ill but just is getting more by being how they are than not. Just like how some people enjoy challenges and "thrills" and bungie jump off bridges or skydive or something, I think there are people who are more comfortable "using" others than dealing with the difficulty and scariness of doing things for themselves. I don't think they're "ill," they just get more from being "sick" than from working on getting well. That's fine (as long as they don't try to use me :-)