“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start” 1.What are Mental Illnesses? 2.What are some signs and symptoms? 3.How can you help someone?

Depression and Suicide

Mental Disorders A mental disorder is a mental health problem that may: make parts of daily life hard or impossible cause emotional pain cloud a person’s ability to think clearly make a person lose touch with reality cause someone to harm him or herself or others require medical treatment

What are the signs of Mental Health Disorders? Sadness, Hopelessness, Despair, or Irritability Feeling of Panic or Terror without reason Change in Eating and Sleeping Habits Bizarre Behavior; Violence or agressive Loss of Self-Esteem Withdraw from Life; Lack of energy Extreme and Sudden Mood Changes

Some Mental and Emotional Disorders Eating Disorders - Anorexia - Bulimia * Excessive dieting resulting in self-starvation * Bingeing on food then purging to avoid weight gain Anxiety Disorders - Anxiety - OCD (Obsessive- Compulsive) - Panic - Phobia * Feeling of fear with physical symptoms (Increased heart rate, shortness of breath, shaking, and sweating) *Recurring thoughts with the need to perform some actions such as washing one’s hands * Intense feeling of terror that occurs suddenly without cause * Persistent fear of something

Continued... Some Mental and Emotional Disorders Dissociative Disorders - Multiple Personality - Amnesia * Having two or more distinct personalities * Loss of memory Mood Disorders - Depression - Manic- Depressive (Bipolar Disorder) * Feelings of extreme sadness, loneliness, and hopelessness * Exaggerated feelings of euphoria, irritability, and excessive mood swings Personality Disorders - Antisocial - Paranoid - Passive-Aggressive * Preference to remain distant from others * Consistent mistrust of others * Behavior showing inner conflict between being dependent and assertive

What is Depression? A disorder that affects a person’s mood where feeling range from the blues to extreme sadness and hopelessness. [ It can be a crippling disease and may lead to suicide. [ It is caused by either a: [ Physical: Chemical imbalance, injury, or illness within the brain. [ Psychological: Unhealthy way of dealing with experiences, emotions, or stress [ Other Factors: Family history, Major life stresses, Physical illness, Drug abuse, Gender.

How to help someone who is Depressed? Talk to them- Don’t dwell on the negative; focus on the positive. Listen - Get them to talk. Show understanding. Get them to put things into perspective. Exercise. Don’t tell them “THINGS ARE NOT THAT BAD.” If it lasts longer than 2 weeks, seek help, hotlines, counselors, & trusted adults.

Treatments Psycho-Therapy helps people resolve past trauma through counseling Group Therapy involves a therapist leading a group of people with a similar disorder Medication can help ease symptoms of a mental disorder but are not the answer to all mental health issues

Suicide: an act of taking one’s own life. Causes depression or other mental disorder big disappointment or change substance abuse Warning Signs extreme sadness or hopelessness changes in grades, eating habits and sleep habits * gives things away * talks about it * has a will

What you can do to help? 1) Determine the Danger ASK who, what, where, when, why, & how 2) Deal with the actual plan. Remove the potential for suicide.Or Remove the means.Or Determine the method. 3) Get professional HELP. Tell someone - teachers, counselors, parents, or suicidal hotlines. 4) Take RESPONSIBILITY for saving your friend’s life. 5) Write a contract for life. SUICIDE IS A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO A TEMPORARY PROBLEM!