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An intro to mental health difficulties: how much do you know?
What is your mental health literacy? You probably know that good mental health is something you have to work to maintain, but what about mental health difficulties? Get up to speed in a nifty, and dispel any myths you might have heard about mental health difficulties.
What is a mental health difficulty?
Mental health difficulties cause people to think, act, and feel differently from how they usually do. This may be different to how the people around them think and act but for the person with the mental health difficulty these feelings are real. Having a mental health difficulty doesn't make someone lazy, bad or stupid.
Mental health difficulties are common-- with at least one in five people experiencing one. In most cases they are manageable and people are able to live happy and successful lives.
What causes mental health difficulties?
Mental health difficulties may affect a person from any religion, culture, economic background or nationality. There are a number of factors that are associated with mental health difficulties.
Some of these factors may include:
Family history
Most illnesses have a genetic component. This means that if a family member has a mental health difficulty, others may be at higher risk.
Chemical balance
An imbalance of chemicals (called neurotransmitters) in the brain can cause symptoms of a mental illness to emerge. Most drugs used to manage mental health difficulties try to correct this balance. There is also research that suggests that the behaviour itself can cause the chemical change in the brain (as opposed to the chemical imbalance simply always being there).
Stressful life events
Stressful experiences such as grief or loss, experiencing violence or a traumatic accident may trigger mental health difficulties.
Drug use
Research has shown that using drugs may lead to mental health difficulties. For example, some links have been found between psychosis and the heavy use of marijuana and amphetamines.
Mental health difficulties
There are many terms used to describe mental health difficulties. Here are a few of the most common terms-- click the links for more info.
Depression
When someone feels sad and down for a period of time that is longer than a couple of weeks they may be experiencing Depression. The Getting help section of ReachOut.com has more information on the different people who can help.
Anxiety
There are many forms of anxiety disorders that can stop people from doing what they want to do. Some people have sudden unexplained panic attacks, and some people experience phobias like agoraphobia (fear of being in an open space). Other people become anxious about something in particular. This can lead to obsessive behaviour causing them to check and recheck things, for example: having to go home to check that they turned off the cooker.
People who experience high levels of anxiety can learn to manage and reduce their anxiety levels. A form of therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been shown to be really effective in managing anxiety. Have a look at the Anxiety fact sheet for more information.
Psychosis
If someone becomes very confused and appears out of touch with everyone else's perception of the world, they may be experiencing a psychotic episode.
When someone is experiencing a psychosis they may have hallucinations, hear voices that may not be heard by anyone else, or have false beliefs known as delusions. Some drugs may even trigger a psychotic episode.
Treatment of psychosis usually involves medication, and if someone is experiencing a psychotic episode, it is important that they seek help from a doctor, psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist. Friends and family can also provide support. See the factsheet on Understading psychosis and getting help.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterised by disturbances in a person's thoughts, perceptions, emotions and behaviour. It affects approximately one in every hundred people worldwide and first onset commonly occurs in adolescence or early adulthood, although it can also occur later in life.
Symptoms vary widely between individuals, but generally speaking, symptoms are divided into two groups, ‘active' symptoms that reflect new or unusual forms of thought and behaviour, such as delusions or hallucinations, and ‘passive' symptoms, which reflect a loss of previous feelings and abilities.
Schizophrenia does not mean someone has more than one personality or 'split personalities'. With medication and support, schizophrenia can be managed. Having the support of family and friends may also be very helpful. The earlier people receive help for schizophrenia, the greater the chance of a better outcome. Click here for more info on schizophrenia.
Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
When someone has problems concentrating and staying focused on tasks, they may have an attention deficit disorder. The condition may have started in early childhood.
People with attention deficit disorders find situations like paying attention in class particularly difficult, and this can lead to conflict with teachers or other authority figures.
They may also have a lot of energy and become involved in many activities that can be positive. Young people experiencing attention deficit disorder may need to be helped by their family and school, as well as receiving good medical support. After proper medical assessment, medication may be helpful in managing symptoms.
Eating disorders
Eating disorder is the term used to describe a group of illnesses where someone has a distorted view of body image with a preoccupation around eating, food and weight. There are a number of different eating disorders including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge eating disorder.
If someone has an eating disorder, it is a good idea for them to get help as soon as possible. This help may come from their local doctor who may then refer them to a psychiatrist or other mental health professional.
Is this new to you?
So, how good is your 'mental health literacy'? Are there any facts in the above that surprise you, or are you a mental health know-it-all? Are there any aspects of mental health in particular that you think have poor public awareness? How do you think it's best to spread the word? Post your thoughts below-- we want to hear em!
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Comments (Page 1 of 1)
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Stephen
3 months ago
Reply ReportHey
I don't class myself as a mental health Know it all, but Im a guy who's developed 90% of any mental health problem there is so I do know what Im talking about!
From an early age I was always shy, scared, anxious, well actually, I chose to be.
I was adopted at birth and I never felt comfortable when I was a child, nor am I now!
It was always easier for me to put my head down and say nothing to no1 and disallow myself to feel any form of emotional grievance. I now know I was in fact avoiding myself for the last 23 years and telling myself, actually convincing myself that Im different, stranger to everyone else and that ah well, "this is the way I am" type of attitude.
I was picked on and got beatings in school by a guy in my class, this happened in secondary school also and I chose not to tell anyone about it.
None of that crap was nice growing up, in fact it was horrible, degrading and I hold a lot of anger towards myself for never sorting it out with that guy and for never standing up for myself. I feel very pathetic to say the least.
I have a 4 year old daughter who hasn't seen me in the last 3 months, because Im too scared of rejection from her mother over the way I used to speak to her, her mother not my daughter. Im now paranoid over what way she is being brought up and what may be going on around her that I don't know about and Im frustrated at myself for not being a proper Father figure to her.
I may be ranting on a bit but my main advice to you is this, We all have choices and we can choose to do something about the way we feel, don't ever blame others or label whatever it is you've been diagnosed with "the illness".
Accept your situation, accept your feelings, stay positive because whatever it is that's deep down bothering you can be sorted out, provided you want it to be.
And please, take yourself out of the negative I've "mental illness" thoughts because thats a starting point to the majority of problems, thats my belief anyway.
If anyone ever wants a chat gimme a chat giime a shout : )
Bye for now.
Derek
3 months ago
Reply ReportHi Stephen
Thanks for the comment. We're sorry to hear about the tough times you've had but it's good that you're trying to make sense of things and work through them.
Many of us go through difficulties from time to time and need different levels of support - every situation is different - but the main thing for all of us is to be as supportive and positive for each other as we can be.
We hope you're finding helpful information on ReachOut.com and that being part of our community continues to be a positive experience,
Take care
ReachOut crew
Gem
3 months ago
Reply ReportHello,
I'm 17 years of age and in September I'm starting 6th year. I have recently come to realise that I have depression.
I have had it for a number of years, thinking back it was probably properly set off during a mentally abusive relationship I was in at the age of 15 years. After my Junior Cert, having recently broken up with the boy in particular, nd having broken away almost completely from my main group of friends I faced that summer alone, feeling completely helpless and empty.
Since I was so low on self-esteem from the mental battering I received while in the so-called 'relationship', I felt that if I improved myself on the things I thought were the worst about me, I would perhaps feel better. Naturally, being a teenager girl in this day and age, this was my body. Reading recent articles, I have now found out that I suffered from Binge Eating Disorder, of which I set myself an unrealistic goal to lose weight very fast, but failed again and again, and binged when I failed believing I would start up again the next day. Since I was either having too much or too little food, this did not improve my mood, to say the least I plummeted further and further into my depressive state.
As my parent's are spilt up and my mam lives in the country, alot of the time it was easy to ensure I was alone, as I didn't want to see anyone. As the summer progressed, the feelings of emptyness, loneliness, worthlessness and hopelessness increased more and more. I cried myself to sleep on most nights, and shut myself up in my room away from everyone most of the time. My health dropped as I gained weight from the binge eating, I was constantly tired, down, weak.. I was suicidal. But I would never be selfish enough to take my own life, in the end. By the end of the summer, I had little to none self-confidence, and dreaded returning to school. However, getting back into school life I quickly learnt to adapt more in situations outside my bedroom, but I did have alot of down days, where I could not face the world.
I have since matured alot more, and looking back, understand there was a reason I acted in these strange ways. To this day, I have not told anyone the full details of that horrible isolated summer.
I now experience episodes of these depressive stages. I still do not have a good relationship with food, and have since lost alot of weight, which is nowhere near as satifying as I would have thought it would be. I still have days where I cannot face the world, and hide away in my room like that summer. I am, however, on the waiting list for counselling. I would urge anyone out there experiencing feelings of sadness, worthlessness, loneliness, emptyness, hopelessness etc. or episodes of these feelings, to get help and talk about it to someone. Being a child of a separated family I learnt to bottle things up as I grew up, but look at where its got me now? I don't feel like I'm properly experiencing life, like its holding me back. I want to get better for my lovely new boyfriend, my friends, the better side of my family.. and of course myself, so I have a chance at living life to the full, as it should be.
Thank you :)
Gem x
Edited by moderator 3 months ago
Derek
3 months ago
Reply ReportHi Gem
It’s great that you have such good insight into the things that are good for your mental health and the things that don’t help. It’s never easy to have to work through the different challenges life can present and we’re glad to hear that you’re so positive about making sure you experience life to the full.
At ReachOut.com we’re not counsellors but we do want everyone to get the help and support they need – whatever the problem. It seems that you are already managing to look after your mental health by making a counselling appointment and it’s great that you have a good network of social support again.
Keep looking after yourself and if you need information or a signpost in the right direction there is lots of information on ReachOut.com for you to link back in with – whether that’s for general information on getting help http://ie.reachout.com/find/getting-help/practical or information on mental health issues, family issues or relationships http://ie.reachout.com/find
Take care
ReachOut Crew
c.i.a.r.a.
2 months ago
Reply ReportHi,
I think that this is a really helpful blog for us all. So often we find it difficult to cope with the day to day challenges life throws at us but when the topic of mental health is brought up we freak out. It’s time we all focused on the fact that we are one....one body, one spirit, one mind. We need to recognise when we are finding things tough and not be afraid to ask for help. We may feel alone, bottle things up or even isolate ourselves from loved ones. When this happens I really think that is important for us to stop, take some time out for ourselves and talk to somebody, anybody! As the blog points out, ‘most mental health difficulties are manageable and people are able to live happy and successful lives’.
I find the consistent advice that the sooner one seeks help the better and the important role that support from family and/or friends can have in recovery particularly interesting. Co-operation between professionals and supportive loved ones appears to be crucial. We all experience tough times, some more so than others, so let’s be there for each other.
The fact that one in every hundred people worldwide suffer from schizophrenia also comes as a shock to me. I had no idea it was so prevalent, especially among young people. This just shows that we need to know the facts about mental illnesses as they can affect absolutely anyone. Let’s talk about it openly because just like the lotto...it could be you! We need to be aware of the symptoms and how best to manage them. ReachOut.com provides some excellent information on this subject so keep up the great work team!
Thanks,
Ciara