Mental Illness

- A medical condition that disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning.

Areas we will cover- Autism Spectrum Disorder- ADHD- Bipolar Disorder- Borderline Personality Disorder- Eating Disorders- Major Depression- OCD- Panic Disorder- PTSD- Schizophrenia- Seasonal Affective Disorder- Tourette's Syndrome

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are complex developmental disorders of brain function.

OverviewSince the causes for Autism Spectrum Disorders are unknown, an ASD diagnosis is based purely on observations or behavioral reports. In contrast to other medical syndromes, ASDs are not diseases: They are developmental disorders that reflect differences in the way that children develop from very early on to adulthood. Within the category of ASDs, there are a number of different levels of severity.

Causes

There is no known direct cause of the disorders, which is one of the reasons why ASDs continue to remain elusive to doctors in the field. ASDs are complex disorders and have remained relatively inaccessible for study

Signs- Lack of or delay in spoken language

- Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects)

- Little or no eye contact

- Lack of interest in peer relationships

- Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play

- Persistent fixation on parts of objects

- Does not smile

Treatment

- At present, there is no specific cure for ASDs- Medication (serotonin based)- Behavior Interventions- Educational Interventions

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Overview

- A condition characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

- The most commonly diagnosed behavior disorder in young people, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that ADHD affects an estimated 9 percent of children aged 3-17 and 2-4 percent of adults.

Causes

While we don’t know for sure what causes ADHD, we do know that ADHD probably results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. ADHD is a brain-based disorder and is strongly inherited, but parenting styles do not cause ADHD.

Signs

- Fails to pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes in schoolwork, work or other activities

- Fidget with their hands or feet or squirm in their seat

Signs

- Have difficulty organizing tasks and activities

- Have difficulty awaiting their turn

- Have difficulty engaging in leisure activities quietly

- Interrupt or intrude on others

Treatment

- Medication (helps 70-80%)

- Behavioral Treatment

- ADHD Coaching

Bipolar Disorder

A chronic illness with recurring episodes of mania and depression that can last from one day to months.

Overview

This mental illness causes unusual and dramatic shifts in mood, energy and the ability to think clearly. Cycles of high (manic) and low (depressive) moods may follow an irregular pattern that differs from the typical ups and downs experienced by most people.

Causes

- No known causes - Bipolar Disorder does have a genetic component

Signs- Mania (High)- Extremely talkative- Less need for sleep- Surges of energy

- Depression (Low)- Irritability - Hopelessness

Treatment

- Medication

- Therapy

- Learn to take responsibility

Borderline Personality Disorder

- A serious mental illness that can be challenging for everyone involved, including the individuals with the illness, as well their friends and family members. BPD is characterized by impulsivity and instability in mood, self-image, and personal relationships.

Causes

- The exact causes of BPD remain unknown, although the roles of both environmental and biological factors are thought to play a role in people who develop this illness.

Signs

- Inappropriate, intense or uncontrollable anger

- Recurring suicidal threats or non-suicidal self-injurious behavior, such as cutting or burning one’s self

- Impulsive behaviors that result in adverse outcomes and psychological distress, such as excessive spending, sexual encounters, substance use, shoplifting, reckless driving or binge eating.

Treatment

- Medication

- Therapist

Eating Disorders

- Anorexia Nervosa

- Bulimia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa

- A serious and potentially life-threatening mental illness. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder defined by an inability to maintain one’s body weight within 15 percent of their Ideal Body Weight (IBW).

- An intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted image of one’s body, denial of the seriousness of the illness

Bulimia Nervosa

- Characterized by a destructive pattern of binging (eating too much unhealthy food) and inappropriate, reactionary behaviors (called purging)

- Includes self-induced vomiting and the abuse of laxatives, enemas or diuretics (e.g., caffeine). Other behaviors such as “fasting” or restrictive dieting following binge-eating episodes are also common, as well as excessive exercising.

Treatment

- Medication

- Doctors

- Therapist

Major Depression

- Major depression is a mood state that goes well beyond temporarily feeling sad or blue. It is a serious medical illness that affects one’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, mood and physical health.

- Depression is a life-long condition in which periods of wellness alternate with recurrences of illness.

Overview

- Each year depression affects 5-8 percent of adults in the United States.

- Depression occurs 70 percent more frequently in women than in men for reasons that are not fully understood.

- Without treatment, the frequency and severity of these symptoms tend to increase over time.

Signs

- Depressed Mood

- Poor Concentration

- Fatigue

- Insomnia

- Appetite Disturbances

Treatment

- Medications

- Therapist

- Exercise

- Friends and Family

OCDObsessive Compulsive Disorder

- Intrusive, irrational thoughts—unwanted ideas or impulses that repeatedly appear in a person's mind.

Overview

- More than 2 percent of the U.S. population, or nearly one out of every 40 people, will be diagnosed with OCD at some point in their lives.

- Two to three times more common than schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Panic Disorder

- An uncontrollable and terrifying response to ordinary, nonthreatening situations.

- People who experience recurrent panic attacks, have persistent anxiety or fear regarding their panic attacks and change their behavior in an attempt to avoid further panic attacks may have panic disorder.

Overview

People who experience recurrent panic attacks, have persistent anxiety or fear regarding their panic attacks and change their behavior in an attempt to avoid further panic attacks may have panic disorder.

.

Signs

- Constant worrying

- Fear the Fear

- Choking or smothering sensations

- Hot, sweating and cold flashes

Treatment

- Medication

- Behavioral Therapy

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD)

- When faced with terror, less critical body functions (e.g., the parts of the brain where memory, emotion and thinking are processed) get "turned off" in the service of immediate physical safety. Specifically, this “fight or flight” response increases the heart rate, moves more blood to muscles in order to run and adds stress hormones to help fight off infection and bleeding in case of a wound. As a result, the traumatic experiences are not integrated at the time they happen because the body is focusing entirely on immediate physical safety

Overview

- PTSD can affect many different people, from survivors of rape and survivors of natural disasters to military service men and women

- 10 percent of women and 5 percent of men are diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetimes, and many others will experience some adverse effects from trauma at some point in their lives

Signs

- Recurrent nightmares or flashbacks

- Physical reactions to triggers that symbolize or resemble the event

- Avoidance of activities, places or people that remind the person of the trauma

Signs

- Outbursts of anger/irritability

- Exaggerated startle response

- Difficulty concentrating

Treatment

- Medication

- Therapy

- Group Therapy

Schizophrenia

- Loss of contact with reality and usually involves hallucinations and delusions

- Impairs a person's ability to function

- Interferes with a person's ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions and relate to others

Overview

- Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects 2.4 million American adults over the age of 18.

- Suicide is a serious risk for those with schizophrenia, occurring at a much higher rate than the general population.

Signs

- Emotional flatness

- Inability to start or finish activities

- Lack of content in speech

- Hallucinations

- Delusions

Treatment

- Medication

- Family Support

- Behavioral Therapy

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

- Characterized by recurrent episodes of depression, usually in late fall and winter, alternating with periods of normal or high mood the rest of the year.

Signs

- Depression symptoms

- Usually begin in October or November and subside in March or April

- Oversleeping

- Weight gain

- Daytime fatigue

Treatment

- Light Therapy

- Medication

Tourette’s Syndrome

- A neurologic illness that begins in childhood or adolescence. The essential feature of TS is tics—multiple movements or vocalizations that are sudden, rapid and purposeless.

Signs

- Tics are recurrent, non-rhythmic, stereotyped (the same each time) actions or vocalizations that can usually be suppressed for a period when a person focuses on stopping them.

- Tics occur many times a day, nearly every day or intermittently throughout a span of more than one year.

Treatment

- Medication

- Behavioral Therapy

- Relaxation Techniques