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Let’s Talk About It: Mental Illness
Talk by Joanna Simone
Class of 2014
This is my little therapy dog, Mason
What Am I Going to Talk About?What is Mental Illness Exactly?
What is it like having a Mental Illness? (My Experience)
What can you do (or not do) to support someone with a Mental Illness?
What resources are there for myself or a friend on Campus or Livingston and
Monroe Counties?
What is Mental Illness? Technical Terms
A mental illness is a medical condition that disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, mood,
ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that
often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.
What types of Mental illnesses are there?
Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder,
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Eating Disorders, and borderline
personality disorder.
What types of Mental illnesses are there?
Major Depression – feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for weeks or longer.
Schizophrenia – makes it hard to: Tell the difference between what is real and not real; Think clearly; Have normal emotional responses; Act normally in social situations.
Bipolar Disorder - a condition in which a person has periods of depression and periods of being extremely happy or being cross or irritable.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make
them feel driven to do something (compulsions).
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder – a type of anxiety disorder. It can occur after you have gone through an extreme emotional trauma that involved the threat of injury or death.
Eating Disorders - such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder – include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. Eating
disorders are serious emotional and physical problems
Borderline Personality Disorder - condition in which a person has long-term patterns of unstable or turbulent emotions. These inner experiences often result in impulsive actions
and chaotic relationships with other people.
How to Identify Symptoms of Mental Illness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JjZYLl1Ils
Do NOT, I repeat, Do NOT diagnose yourself, a friend,
or a family member with a mental
illness
Who Can Mental Illness Affect?
Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion or income. Mental
illnesses are NOT the result of personal weakness, lack of
character or poor upbringing.
ANYONE
What’s the Real Answer?
What is Mental Illness? My Terms
WeightsClasses
Friends
WorkFamily
InternshipHobbies
Thinking about the
FutureThinking about the
Past
FinancesRelationship
s
The idiom, skating on thin ice is used figuratively to refer to the state of being
in a risky situation. It is also used in speech as a warning to a person who seems to be taking a big risk without being aware.
What is it like having a Mental Illness?
I have 4 mental Illness diagnoses
1. Dysthymia - a mild but long-term (chronic) form of depression. Symptoms usually last for at least two years, and often for much longer than that. Dysthymia interferes with your ability to function and enjoy life.
2. Anxiety - extreme worry about things, even when there is little or no reason to worry about them. very anxious about just getting through the day and that things will always go badly.
3. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions)
4. Eating Disorder, Atypical anorexia nervosa - characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.
A Day In the Life of a Person with a Mental Illness
7:00am – Wake up, wanting to sleep more but knowing if I skip class, I’ll fail out of college
7:05AM – take my dog for a walk, constantly worried that he’ll run away or eat something and he’ll get sick
7:20AM – Come home to a messy kitchen and feeling the urge to clean it or else.. But I have to get some reading done… But…
9:30AM – I finish cleaning the kitchen and debate whether or not to eat breakfast, even though my stomach is rumbling
10:00AM – Go to class (without breakfast), going back and forth between frantically writing notes and making a to-do list of things I could be doing at that moment, like other school work
A Day In the Life of a Person with a Mental Illness
How People See Me
Outgoing
Caring
High Energy
Sweet
Fun
Inspiring
Compassionate
Important
Bright
Understanding
How I see Myself
Incompetent
Stupid
Fat
Annoying
Horrible
Burden to everyone I meet/Poisonous
Failure
Unattractive
Fake
The Do and Do Not’s of Supporting
Someone with a Mental IllnessLet’s start with Not’s
Do NOT say: “Get over it”
“You’ll be ok”
“Just be happy”
“You wouldn’t be depressed/Have anxiety/etc. if…”
“I understand what you’re going through. I was depressed once”
“Why don’t you do something about it?”
“If I were you, I’d…”
“This happened because you…”
“IT’S JUST A PHASE. IT WILL PASS.”
“CHIN UP!”
“WHAT CAN I DO TO FIX THIS?”
“IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND”
"YOU'RE JUST OVERREACTING AGAIN.”
"ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER.”
"EVERYBODY HAS MOOD SWINGS SOMETIMES."
"YOU ARE PSYCHO/CRAZY/WEIRD/ETC.”
"ISN'T THAT WHAT SERIAL KILLERS HAVE?”
"EVERYONE IS A LITTLE BIPOLAR SOMETIMES."
"I WISH I WAS MANIC SO I COULD GET THINGS DONE!”
"YOU'RE ACTING LIKE A MANIAC!”
"BUT YOU SEEM SO NORMAL!”
"IT MUST BE YOUR TIME OF THE MONTH.”
“YEAH, I UNDERSTAND. I’M LIKE SUPER OCD ABOUT CLEANING MY BATHROOM.”
Do NOT say: “Do you like have to
organize everything?”
“Just calm down.”
“Are you nervous?”
“It’s okay, I get anxious about things too.”
“There really aren’t that many people here.”
“You know [insert dumb statistic here] is more likely to happen, right?”
“Are you medicated?”
“Medication will change who you are. Besides, you already act normal.”
• “CONQUERING YOUR FEARS IS THE ONLY WAY YOU’RE GOING TO GET RID OF THEM.”
• “YOU'RE ONLY THREATENING SUICIDE TO GET ATTENTION”
• “ANYTHING IN A WHISPER”
• “HAVE YOU LOST WEIGHT? YOU LOOK AWESOME!”
• “BUT YOU’RE SO THIN! WHY DO YOU NEED TO LOSE MORE WEIGHT?”
• “IS THAT ALL YOU’RE EATING? YOU SHOULD EAT MORE.”
• “YOU’RE NOT FAT.”
• COMMENTS ABOUT YOUR OWN WEIGHT LOSS OR SOMEONE ELSE WEIGHT GAIN/LOSS
• “WOW. IF YOU THINK YOU’RE FAT, THEN I MUST BE REALLY FAT.”
• “IF YOU COULD GO OUT LAST WEEK, WHY CAN’T YOU GO OUT NOW?”
• “I’VE BEEN THROUGH THINGS TOO, THAT’S LIFE.”
• “ARE YOU FEELING DOWN IN THE DUMPS?”
• “JUST TAKE SOME DEEP BREATHS AND COUNT TO TEN”
Do NOT say: “Get busy, and distract
yourself.”
“Do you want to get better?”
“Change your attitude.”
“Stop focusing on the bad stuff, and just start living.”
“You have everything you need to get better.”
“Just pray about it.”
“Why can’t you work?”
“You have the same illness as my ______.”
“There’s always someone worse off than you are.”
• “NO ONE EVER SAID THAT LIFE WAS FAIR.”
• “STOP FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF.”
• “SO YOU’RE DEPRESSED. AREN’T YOU ALWAYS?”
• “TRY NOT TO BE SO DEPRESSED.”
• “I THINK YOUR DEPRESSION IS A WAY OF PUNISHING US.”
• “HAVEN’T YOU GROWN TIRED OF ALL THIS “ME, ME, ME” STUFF YET?”
• “HAVE YOU TRIED CHAMOMILE TEA?”
• 'WHY ARE YOU MAKING YOURSELF MISERABLE?'
• 'YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HAPPY.'
• 'IF YOU WON'T CHANGE FOR YOU, DO IT FOR...'
• 'YOU DON'T 'LOOK' {INSERT ILLNESS HERE}.'
Remember:“Telling a depressed person
to be happy is like telling someone who is choking to breathe. The presence of air
is not the issue.”
What’s the Best Way to Help Someone with a
Mental Illness?
DO: Active listening! THIS ONE IS HUGE
Sincerely express your concern: ‘You have {insert illness}? I’m so sorry to hear that. From what I’ve heard, that can be just awful.’
Offer your support: ‘Please let me know if you need anything, or if you’d just like to talk.’
Be there as much or as little as that person needs. Unless they are going to hurt themselves or others, leave them alone if they need to be left alone
Talk to them the same way you did before, which lets them know your feelings about them or respect for them hasn’t changed; your relationship is stable. They’re the same person, just dealing with an issue that is less visibly obvious than a broken arm or the flu.”
Be Patient. It won’t be easy
Take care of yourself. If working with the person is affecting your mental health, schooling, personal life, etc., ask a mutual friend for help. Never Ever TELL THE PERSON THAT THEY ARE A PROBLEM TO YOU. You would not tell a friend/family member with cancer they are a Problem. If you’re overwhelmed, reach out.
Invite them to go places with you, even if its just for a walk.
If they live far away, call them when you get a chance and let them know they were in your thoughts.
Resources for Mental Illnesses/Mental Health
Campus
• Lauderdale counseling
• 585-245-5716
• Lauderdale Self-Help Library
• Geneseo HealthGuards
• 585-245-5747
• Pathways
• 585-237-8860
• 8pm to 8am daily
Livingston County
• Livingston County Mental Health
• 585-243-7250
• Noyes Mental Health
• 585-111-1111
Monroe County
• University of Rochester Med Center/Strong Memorial Hospital
• 585-279-4900
• Behavioral Health Network, Inc.
• 585-922-2500
• The Steve Schwarzkopf Community Mental Health Center
• 585-241-1200
Resources for Mental Illnesses/Mental Health
Online
Geneseo Online Screening Program
http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/?keyword=knights
Developing A Recovery And Wellness Lifestyle: A Self-Help Guide
http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content/SMA-3718/SMA-3718.pdf
Mental Illness Help Guide
http://www.helpguide.org/index.htm
Quotes about Mental Illness
I’m not struggling with my weight, I’m struggling with my mind. If I loved myself more my weight wouldn’t be a problem.
“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.” ― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
I promise you, no one judges me more harshly than I do myself; I caused a brilliant wreckage. Some say I fell from grace; they’re being kind. I didn’t fall – I dove. - Sue Monk Kidd, The Mermaid Chair
We all carry these things inside that no one else can see. They hold us down like anchors. They drown us at sea. – Bring Me the Horizon
You are so brave and quiet I forget you are suffering. - Ernest Hemingway
It’s like drowning but you just won’t fucking die.
Quotes about Recovery
Depression is just like any season, it will change, and before you know it you will see the first flower blooming. Then another. Then another. Before you know if your whole life will be in bloom. And you’ll no longer remember the winter.
“nobody can save you but yourself and you’re worth saving. it’s a war not easily won but if anything is worth winning then this is it.” ― Charles Bukowski
If nothing else, one day you can look someone straight in the eyes and say “But I lived through it. And it made me who I am today. - Iain Thomas
You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. - The Buddha
When someone says mental illness is all in your head:
Question and
Answers
