Mental Illness “ The Scream ”

Write down a few words that society uses to describe people with mental illness  Most words tend to be negative, prejudice, fearful and based on misconceptions  Most mental illnesses are treatable and nothing to be afraid of

Two General Causes of Mental Illness Organic Causes Actual ‘ sign ’ they can see (MRI or through testing) Caused by an illness or injury Illnesses such as brain tumors, hardening of the arteries, and injuries can cause mental illness. Functional Disorders No actual physical sign A result of psychological causes in which no clear brain damage is involved

Insanity Defense Generally a person is considered insane and is not responsible for conduct if, at the time of the offense, as a result of a severe mental disease or defect, he or she was unable to appreciate the nature and quality or the wrongfulness of his acts. Hannibal Lector

Neurosis Psychosis Mental disorder where a person can go about their daily activities They can function normally until the issue comes up. Mental disorder where a person can ’ t go about their daily activities They can ’ t function normally Phobias

Anorexia: Anorexia is a progressive eating disorder characterized by the inability to consistently maintain adequate body weight, and intense fear of becoming obese, and an unrealistic, negative body image.

Bulimia: Binge / Purge disorder. A person eats a lot feels guilty and forces themselves self to vomit

Acrophobia - heights Arachnophobia - spiders Agoraphobia - open spaces or crowds Claustrophobia - closed in spaces Phobias: Irrational fear of a situation or object Triskaidekaphobia ?

Hypochondria A chronic and abnormal anxiety about imaginary symptoms and ailments

Schizophrenia Mental disorder meaning “ split mind ” or split off from reality Any of several psychotic disorders characterized by distortions of reality and disturbances of thought and language and withdrawal from social contact

Bi-Polar (Manic Depression) Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by episodes of mania and major depression Extreme mood swings

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) A type of winter depression that affects an estimated half a million people every It is caused by a biochemical imbalance in the hypothalamus due to the shortening of daylight hours and the lack of sunlight in winter. For many people SAD is a seriously disabling illness, preventing them from functioning normally without continuous medical treatment. Light therapy

Multiple Personalities Dis-associative Identity Disorder Very rare psychiatric disorder Having at least one "alter" personality that controls behavior. The "alters" are said to occur spontaneously and involuntarily, and function more or less independently of each other A movie about Sybil

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder An anxiety disorder characterized by an inability to resist or stop continuous, abnormal thoughts or fears combined with ritualistic, repetitive involuntary behavior.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life- threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults like rape

Paranoia When you think people are talking about you or plotting against you When you think you are being persecuted

NarcissisticHistrionic Overly exaggerated sense of self Everything is about them Overly dramatic Needs to be the center of attention

Autism There is no definite cause or cure for autism Usually begins in the first three years of life An autistic person may show some of the following characteristics in varying degrees of severity Apparent insensitivity to pain Avoid affection Unusual repetitive behavior Difficulty expressing themselves Spins objects or self Echoes words or phrases

What is Autistic Savant? An individual that has autism but has an extraordinary skill They are historically called “ idiot savant ” or unlearned skill Abilities include music, memory and art

History of mental illness Many believed, even as late as the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that the bizarre behavior associated with mental illness could only be an act of the devil himself Our earliest explanation of what we now refer to as psychopathology involved the possession by evil spirits and demons Thousands of people were confined to dungeons of daily torture Dungeons used to house the insane

Mental Illness Professions Psychiatrist: Can use psychotherapy and prescribe medications Psychologist: Uses psychotherapy but can ’ t prescribe medications

Methods of treatment Psychotherapy: Medications Group therapy Electroconvulsive therapy