1. Mental Health Problems & Diseases The Health of Young People

2. General Nature  Young people today seems to experience increasing levels of stress due to factors beyond their control  Stress: is a physiological or psychological influence that produces a state of tension in a person.  Since everyone is exposed to some level of stress, it is an individual’s reaction that determines how well they cope

3. What type of person are you? TYPE A  Aggressive  Competitive  Impatient  Time Urgent  High work involvement  Hate failure, word hard to avoid it TYPE B  Relaxed  Non-competitive  Patient  Work steadily, are not fussed by achievement  Faced with competition, do not mind losing, or back down

4. Coping Mechanisms  Young people need to develop personal coping mechanisms and alter their perspective of the stressors that affect them. The AIHW report Australia’s young people — their health and wellbeing 2007 indicated that one in five males and one in 10 females aged 18 to 24 years were found to have a substance (alcohol/drug) use disorder. Combined with the high frequency of mental illness and youth suicide, this indicates that not all young people are coping with life.

5. Coping Mechanisms

6. Mental health issues of major concern DEPRESSION  All people may feel depressed at some stage in their lives or even during a typical week. Depression becomes a serious health concern for young people when it extends for several weeks at a time and they feel ‘down’, worthless, angry, tired and irritable.  They may have difficulty sleeping and concentrating, and no longer gain satisfaction from daily activities.  It has been found that depression is linked to the increased risk of suicide and self-harm behaviours.

7. DEPRESSION According to information from Mental Illness Education Australia: Women experience a higher rate of depression and anxiety than men. This results in a greater incidence of self-harm, eating disorders and attempted suicides. 1 to 3 per cent of young people will be affected by a major depressive disorder 15 to 40 per cent of young people will report having symptoms of a depressed mood disorder It is believed that by the age of 18, approximately 24 per cent of young people will have suffered from a major episode of depression.

8. SCHIZOPHRENIA  Schizophrenia affects the way a person behaves, feels and views the world.  It is not just a single disorder, but a group of disorders with variable causes and outcomes.  A common misconception is that it is the development of a split personality or multiple personalities.  A person suffering from this illness may experience hallucinations, delusions, diminished emotional responsibility and disjointed thought patterns, and may seek to withdraw from society.  It can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race or intelligence.  Sufferers may experience one or a few episodes and can return to normal living in between episodes; for others, it can be a daily struggle.

9. SCHIZOPHRENIA  According to the New South Wales Department of Health, most new cases of schizophrenia are diagnosed in adolescents or young adults.  One in three schizophrenics will have only one to two episodes in their lives.

10. SELF HARM  Self-harm encompasses a wide range of behaviours that are not necessarily suicide attempts or an indication that the person wants to die.  One of the behaviours attributed to deliberate self-harm is self-mutilation, which involves the person inflicting pain or punishment on themselves, usually in secret.  This can be their way of trying to cope with stress or painful emotions, or might be a means of regaining power that has somehow been lost or taken away by others.  Young people who are victims of sexual assault often exhibit this type of behaviour. It can be a cry for help and attention.

11. SELF HARM It is estimated that the number of young people who have engaged in self-harm is 40-100 times greater than those who have actually ended their lives It is difficult to estimate the rate of self harm as evidence suggests that only 10% of young people who self-harm will present for hospital treatment Australian studies suggest that 6-7% of Australian youth aged 15-24 years engage in self-harm in any 12-month period While suicide is more common among young men, self-harm is more common among young women

12. SUICIDE  Studies conducted in Australia estimate that 5 to 10 per cent of young people will attempt suicide and 1 in 2 will have suicidal thoughts at some time during their life.  Females tend to use drug overdoses and are less successful in taking their own lives, whereas some males use more violent methods such as firearms and hanging.  Suicidal tendencies are most prevalent in the mid-teens and many of the people who commit suicide have previously shown evidence of poor mental health. Suicide is an intended self-inflicted injury that is fatal.

13. SUICIDE  According to the AIHW,in 2004, of the 15–24 years age group, males suicided at a rate of 13 deaths per 100 000 people and females suicided at a rate of 6 deaths per 100 000 people.  There is a growing trend towards an increase in female suicides.  Females generally make more unsuccessful attempts, largely due to the different method used between males and females.  The Australian suicide rate is the fourth highest among Western countries, with New Zealand having the highest rate of all countries.

14. Risk Factors & Protective Factors

15. Determinants that impact health

16. Young people at risk  the unemployed or economically disadvantaged  students who leave school prematurely  individuals with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander backgrounds  rural males  Females  gay youth  individuals who experience incarceration or the juvenile justice system  long-term drug users  individuals who experience habitual bullying or harassment  individuals who act as a carer for parents or siblings with disabilities.

17. Time to be a 1.You will be given a scenario/case concerning a mental health issue. 2.Read through it and use pages 335-349 of your textbook to suggest coping strategies or social problem solving skills that could assist the individual. 3.Write up your diagnosis and coping prescription

18. Health Services