Problems of Well-Being: Mental Illness

Natasha Ryckman

What is Mental Illness?

• Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behaviour. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviours (Mayoclinic.org, 2015)

What is Mental Illness

• Mental illness effects one in four people

• Mental disorders can “cause a wide variety of problems with

different symptoms. However they can all be generally characterized by abnormal thoughts, emotions and behaviours with others (Who. Int, 2015).

• Some mental illnesses have a greater effect on the persons daily activity and relationships

with others (Who. Int, 2015).

Common mental illnesses

• Anxiety Disorder- People with anxiety disorder respond to certain objects or situations with fear and dread, as well as with physical signs of anxiety or panic, such as a rapid heartbeat and sweating (Webmd.com, 2015).

Common Mental Illnesses

• Mood Disorder- involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression, bipolar disorder and cyclothymic disorder (Webmd.com, 2015).

Common Mental Illnesses

• Eating Disorders- Involves extreme emotions, behaviours and attitude involving weight and food. There are a couple types like Anorexia and Bulimia (Webmd.com, 2015).

Common Mental Illnesses

• Post traumatic stress disorder- PTSD is a condition that can develop following a traumatic and/or terrifying event, such as a sexual or physical assault, the unexpected death of a loved one or a natural disaster (Webmd.com, 2015).

Statistics on Mental Illness in Canada

• 20% of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime.

• Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.

• About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”).

• Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment.

• Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds.

• Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age.

• All cited from (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2015).

Youth with Mental Illness• It is estimated that 10-20% of

Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder – the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.

• Today, approximately 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth, age 12 to 19, have experienced a major depressive episode.

• Suicide is among the leading causes of death in 15-24 year old Canadians, second only to accidents; 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.

• Schizophrenia is youth’s greatest disabler as it strikes most often in the 16 to 30 year age group, affecting an estimated one person in 100.

• All cited from (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2015).

Video

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54sDdNa9vek

Diagnosing Mental Illness

• A physical exam. Your doctor will try to rule out physical problems that could cause your symptoms.

• Lab tests. These may include a check of your thyroid function or a screening for alcohol and drugs, to determine if it is an abuse problem.

• A psychological evaluation. A doctor or mental health provider talks to you about your symptoms, thoughts, feelings and behaviour patterns. You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire to help answer these questions. The doctors will use specific tests and questions to pin point the right illness so you are not getting treated wrongly.

• All cited from (Mayoclinic.org, 2015).

Treatments

• Can be through medications

• Community support programs

• Treatment is not always in a hospital but rather it can be in your home, where the trauma took place etc.

Newly Developed treatments

• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)– This uses a magnetic

field to stimulate neurons in the brain

– There is no medication needed

– Has been most effective on patients with depression and anxiety

• (Who. Int, 2015).

Theories: Maslow’s Basic Human Needs Model

Without these basic Human needs is when mental illness hits us (Lavc.edu, 2015).

Sociological Theory

• Conflict theory – Those dealing with mental illness have a hard

time talking to other groups – Ethnic groups could make it hard for those

dealing with mental illness to try and branch out of there comfort zone

References • Canadian Mental Health Association,. (2015). Fast Facts about Mental Illness - Canadian Mental

Health Association. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from http://www.cmha.ca/media/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/#.VR_m3PnF98E

• Lavc.edu,. (2015). 404 page not found - Los Angeles Valley College. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from https://www.lavc.edu/.../5%20theories%20for%20mental%20health.ppt

• Mayoclinic.org,. (2015). Mental illness - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/basics/definition/con-20033813

• Mayoclinic.org,. (2015). Mental illness Tests and diagnosis - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/basics/tests-

diagnosis/con-20033813• Webmd.com,. (2015). Mental Health: Types of Mental Illness. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-types-illness• Who.int,. (2015). WHO | Mental disorders. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from

http://www.who.int/topics/mental_disorders/en