Mental and Emotional Disorders

Mental and Emotional Disorders Mental and Emotional Disorders are an illnesses that affects a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors; affects the mind and reduces a person's ability to function, to adjust to change, or to get along with others. Example: mental disorders can affect a person's ability to study, keep a job, or make friends.

Mental and Emotional Disorders Mental health experts see abnormal thoughts and feelings, or behaviors as signs or symptoms of a mental disorder. These “abnormal” thoughts, feelings and behaviors are highly unusual or inappropriate for a given situation.

Causes… Life Experiences Physical factors: Damage to the brain- tumor, injury; imbalance of chemicals in the brain Heredity: the person is at a greater risk Life Experiences Early Experiences: traumatic negative experiences- neglect or abuse as a child Recent Experiences: death of a loved one

Anxiety Disorders Anxiety: fear caused by a source you cannot identify or a source that doesn't pose as much threat as you think. Anxiety disorder: extreme fears of real or imaginary situations that get in the way of normal activities

Anxiety Disorders Generalized Anxiety Disorder: no identifiable source of anxiety- restlessness, fatigue, trouble sleeping and concentrating Phobias: Intense and exaggerated fear of a specific situation or object Panic Attacks: a person will experience- fast heart rate, sweating, choking sensation, rapid breathing, fear of losing control, an "out of body" sensation, fear of suffocation

Anxiety Disorders Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: a pattern of repeated thoughts/actions which force a person to do certain tasks over and over       Obsession- an unwanted thought or image that takes control of the mind        Compulsion- an unreasonable need to behave in a certain way to prevent a feared outcome Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: characterized by bad memories in reaction to life-threatening event; they may have flashbacks or nightmares that produce intense fear or horror. (unable to sleep or concentrate)  

Other Mental Disorders Mood Disorder: person undergoes mood swings that seem extreme, inappropriate, last a long time, or make it difficult to function in daily life Example: manic-depressive/bipolar disorder- shift from one mood to another with no apparent reason

Other Mental Disorders Depression: person feels a strong sense of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness, guilt and extreme sadness (occur over long periods) Schizophrenia: incurable mental and emotional illness characterized by paranoia and hallucinations

Other Mental Disorders Impulse-control Disorder: cannot resist the impulse or drive, to act in a way that is harmful to themselves or to others. Examples: gambling- mostly males uncontrollable shopping- 85% females

Other Mental Disorders Personality Disorder: display rigid patterns of behavior that make it difficult to get along with others Group A– usually cold and distant; paranoid disorder– someone who is overly suspicious of other people Group B– overly emotional/unstable and can be selfish; antisocial personality disorder– commit violent acts without any sense of guilt Group C– cannot make decisions; dependent personality disorder- need help from others to properly care for themselves

Suicide and Depression

major depression suicide Suicide Vocabulary A very serious mood disorder in which people lose interest in life and can no longer find enjoyment in anything suicide The act of killing oneself on purpose

Suicide: Intentional killing of oneself The 3rd leading cause of death among young people ages 15-24 Affects many different people: young, old, bright, poor, rich, male, female Depression can lead to suicide A suicide threat is a desperate attempt to ask for HELP Most common treatment is hospitalization

Cluster Suicides A series of suicides that occur within a short period of time in the same group or community Some involve a pact between friends

Causes of Teen Suicide Teens are at greater risk of suicide if they: have family members who suffer from depression. are living in poverty. are using alcohol or drugs. experience abuse or violence family. are victims of bullying. experience major stress. Of course, all teens face stress, and most teens find ways to cope with it. They can turn to friends, family members, and others for help when they need it. However, some teens do not have a support network of this kind. Feeling cut off from other people increases their risk for suicide.

Causes of Teen Suicide Major Risk Factor: Depression Feelings of hopelessness or isolation Feeling like he/she has no friends A previous suicide attempt or family history of suicide Being influenced by the suicide of family members, peers, friends or celebrities Having a mental disorder and a substance abuse disorder Lack of access to mental health treatment

Warning Signs of Suicide Talking about suicide or death Talking about feeling hopeless, guilty, or worthless Pulling away from family and friends Loss of interest in normal activities Sudden lack of attention to personal appearance Teens who are thinking about suicide often show warning signs ahead of time. They may even talk about their plans. They may not use the exact words, “I’m going to kill myself.” However, they may drop hints, such as “It doesn’t matter anymore” or “You won’t have me around much longer.” Remarks like this should always be taken seriously.

Warning Signs of Suicide Self-destructive behaviors, such as violence, substance abuse, or running away Constant boredom, trouble concentrating, or a sudden drop in grades Giving away favorite belongings Becoming suddenly cheerful after a long period of depression Teens who are thinking about suicide often show warning signs ahead of time. They may even talk about their plans. They may not use the exact words, “I’m going to kill myself.” However, they may drop hints, such as “It doesn’t matter anymore” or “You won’t have me around much longer.” Remarks like this should always be taken seriously.

Protective Factors/Prevention Treating a person’s mental disorder (especially depression) Treatment for abuse of alcohol or other drugs Feeling connected to school, friends, family and others in the community Having personal beliefs that discourage suicide Knowing how to resolve problems in a non-violent manner

How to Help a Suicidal Person DO Trust your feelings if you believe a person may be suicidal Take seriously a suicidal person’s threats Tell the suicidal person how concerned you are and how much you care for him or her Listen carefully to the suicidal person Talk calmly with the suicidal person Find professional help for the suicidal person. Stay with the suicidal person until help arrives

How to Help a Suicidal Person DO NOT Dare the suicidal person to go ahead and make the suicide attempt Judge the suicidal person Analyze the suicidal person’s motives Argue or try to convince the suicidal person of reasons why he/she should not attempt suicide Keep the suicidal person’s self-destructive thoughts or actions a secret Leave a suicidal person alone.

Treatment of Mental Disorders

When to Get Help Seek help right away for any of the following symptoms: Feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, or fear that don’t go away Changes in eating or sleeping patterns Wanting to be alone all the time A feeling of being out of control Loss of interest in favorite activities Doing much worse in school all of a sudden Hearing voices Thoughts of suicide

Person does not realize they have a illness Why are many people unwilling to seek help for mental/emotional disorders? Person does not realize they have a illness Blame the illness on a personal weakness Embarrassment Fear of being labeled “crazy”

Mental Health Professionals: Psychiatrist – physician who diagnoses and treats mental disorders Are able to prescribe medication Neurologist – physician who treats physical disorders of the nervous system Clinical Psychologist – trained to recognize and treat behavior that is not normal Cannot prescribe medication, not medical doctors

Mental Health Professionals Cont. Psychiatric Social Worker – helps people with mental disorders and their families accept and adjust to an illness Mental Health Counselor – focus on specific problems or work with specific groups ex. substance abuse counselors, school counselors

Kinds of Treatment: Psychotherapy – a person talks with their therapist Insight Therapy – helps better understand the reasons for their behavior Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy – helps person identify situations, objects or thoughts that trigger abnormal behaviors Group Therapy – people meet with other people with the same disorder

Kinds of Treatment Cont. Drug Therapy – to treat mental disorders, relieve symptoms, allow patients to function normally Hospitalization – need constant attention or are in danger of harming themselves or others