UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY AREA OF STUDY 2 LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

WHAT IS MENTAL ILLNESS?

WHAT IS MENTAL ILLNESS? PSYCHOTIC ILLNESS Involves loss of contact with reality. Difficulty with making sense of thoughts, feelings or what is actually happening around them NON-PSYCHOTIC ILLNESS Remain touch with reality despite their dysfunctional thoughts, feelings and behaviour. They may experience intense and/or prolonged feelings of sadness, anxiety and fear to such an extent that they have difficulty coping with daily activities

INCIDENCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS IN AUSTRALIA Males: More likely to experience substance abuse disorders such as alcohol and drug dependence Females: More likely to experience anxiety related disorders as well as depression

CLASSIFYING MENTAL ILLNESS First developed in 1952 and revised a number of times Classification system for mental disorders Disorders are classified based on a set of recognised symptoms A qualified mental health professional evaluates a clients condition on five separate scales of information

LABELLING SOMEONE WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS GOOD Helps clinical psychologists recognise and specifically describe a mental illness Helpful when mental professionals communicate with one another, provides a common language

LABELLING SOMEONE WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS BAD Can influence individuals in how they feel about themselves, as well as how they are viewed by society Once a label has been given to a person it may be there for life ROSENHAN (1978) SHOWED HOW LABELLING SOMEONE WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS CAN INFLUENCE HOW WE VIEW THAT PERSON

HOMEWORK Learning Activity 6.1 (pg.250) Learning Activity 6.3 (pg.253)