1. A better view of mental illness
Ch. 5 - Mental Health
A better view of mental illness

2. Mental Health
A mental disorder is an illness of the mind that can affect the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of a person, preventing him/her from leading a happy, healthful, and productive life.
Classified into two general types: organic and functional

3. Mental Health
Organic disorder: is one that is clearly caused by a physical illness or an injury that affects the brain.
Ex. Brain tumors, alcoholism, infections (syphilis, meningitis), lupes, and stroke
Functional disorder: may occur as the result of psychological causes in which no clear brain damage is involved.
Ex. Stress related, emotional conflict, fear, or poor coping skills

4. Mental Health
Anxiety Disorder: is an illness in which real, imagined, or persistent fears prevent a person from enjoying life.
A. Phobias: a fear so strong, a person goes to extreme measures to avoid the fear- producing object or activity; person is often unable to carry out daily activities; often related to a past experience.
B. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: is trapped in a pattern of repeated behaviors or thoughts; may interfere with other daily functions.

5. Mental Health
C. Panic Disorder: fear or anxiety prevails and gets in the way of functioning and enjoying life; may feel anxious, fearful, and upset most of the time, feelings may arise for no apparent reason; “panic attacks”
D. Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder: experienced or witnessed a traumatic event feels severe and long lasting aftereffects; military combat, rape victims; flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness, guilt; symptoms can appear 6 months to years after event.

6. Mental Health
Somatoform Disorders: an illness in which a person complains of disease symptoms, but no physical cause can be found.
A. Hypochondria: preoccupation with the body and fear of presumed diseases that are not present

7. Mental Health
Affective Disorders: an illness often with an organic cause that relates to emotions and may involve mood swings or mood extremes that interfere with everyday living.
A. Clinical Depression: feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or despair last for more than a few weeks and interfere with daily activity; can affect one’s performance; can lead to substance abuse; can be biologically based, can also stem from traumas or stressors

8. Mental Health
B. Bipolar Disorder: is a psychological illness characterized by extreme mood swings between depression and extreme happiness; often inherited

9. Mental Health
4. Personality Disorders: variety of psychological conditions that affect a person’s ability to get along with others; no apparent signs; individual continues to function
A. Antisocial Personality Disorder: person’s constant conflict with society; may display cruel, uncaring, irresponsible, and impulsive behavior; does not care about other or society

10. Mental Health
B. Passive- Aggressive Personality Disorder: uncooperative with others; angry over issues of control, they show their anger indirectly
C. Schizophrenia: serious mental disorder meaning “split mind”; affects 1-2% of the population, most common between the ages of years; withdraw, often lose sense of time and space, hear voices, talk to themselves, hallucinate, act oddly, and often neglect to take care of themselves; may be caused by a physical disorder or genetics.

11. Suicide
Risk Factors
Depression, family history of mental health disorders, isolation, substance abuse, emotional/physical/or sexual abuse, exposure to other suicides.