What are some aspects or house placements that you see over and over in charts that may give an mental illness?
Would the Mercury(Thinking) or Moon(Emotions) need to be badly aspected? Or a mixture of both?
I'd think Moon-Uranus contacts maybe with Jupiter thrown in too
I think about Moon in 12th house, Moon in Capricorn/Pisces, Moon-Neptune (delusion), Moon-Mercury opposition or square. This is what first comes to my mind 
I think something with Mercury involved or aspects involving the 3rd house, since Mercury rules mental processes. The Moon is not really your mentality; it may tell you how you respond emotionally, but that's not "mental"...
Goldie said
I think something with Mercury involved or aspects involving the 3rd house, since Mercury rules mental processes. The Moon is not really your mentality; it may tell you how you respond emotionally, but that's not "mental"...
I'm agree with you about Mercury/3rd house, but I think how inability to handle some hard emotions can cause mental illness like depression or anxiety disorder.
redro said
I'd think Moon-Uranus contacts maybe with Jupiter thrown in too
: ( thats me
gemini moon opposite uranus, and has aspect to jupiter. moon highly aspected with hard aspects. there's something not quite right with me, but it is managable for the most part in the sense that... it hasnt reached a level thats unbearable enough for me to be put on meds.
i would think mercury would need to be involved somehow too. so i say both