42
Question # 1
In Ontario, what percentage of children and youth between the ages 4-16 suffer from some type of mental illness?
Question # 2
What is the second* most common cause of death in teens?
(*the #1 cause is accidental death)
Question # 3
What percentage of individuals who are depressed respond to treatment?
Question # 4
Can you name three negative things people with mental illness or mental health difficulties might have to face?
What is mental health?
Mental health can be measured by how well we cope with stress, relate to others and make choices.
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Mental Health
Mental health relates to feeling good, both mentally and physically.
When you are mentally healthy, you are generally high functioning in your thinking,
behavior, and feelings. You may have your ups and downs, but your general state of being is
good.
Mental Health is how we…
FeelFeel – feelings, sentiments, moods, sensitivity, affection, attachment, and relationships (self and others)
ThinkThink – thinking, memory, learning, language, decision making, problem solving, understanding, point of view, and relationships (self and others)
ActAct – actions, deeds, activities, manners, conduct, performance, and relationships (self and others)
Mental Health Difficulties
Mental health difficulties can range from…
•temporary reactions to a painful event or stress, symptoms of drug or alcohol use, lack of sleep, etc.
•to more severe psychiatric conditions and mental illness, such as depression and anxiety.
Factors contributing to mental health difficulties:
•The environment
•Personal life experiences
•Your physical body
Major Mental Health Problems
PsychosisMoodAnxietyPersonalityAddictionEating Disorders
What is Psychosis?
A loss of contact with reality that usually includes: • Delusions - False beliefs about what is taking
place or who one is • Hallucinations - Seeing or hearing things that
aren't there
Treatment of Psychosis
MedicationSkill Building
• Social networks for support• Medication Compliance• Occupational support and job• Relapse prevention / Stress Management
Mental Health Disorders
Mood Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Personality Disorders
Schizophrenia
Mood disorders refer to a chemical
imbalance that causes a persistent
change in a person’s behavior and interferes with their daily living.
An Anxiety disorder is when this anxious feeling persists with
physiological symptoms and interferes with
normal functioning.
An enduring pattern of behaviour that deviates from the
individuals culture, has onset in
adolescence or early adulthood and
leads to distress.
A thought disorder, characterized by a
history of acute psychosis and lasts
for at least 6 months.
Examples of mood disorders: Mania,
Bi-polar, depression and seasonal
affective disorder.
Examples of Anxiety Disorders:
Panic disorder, generalized anxiety
disorder, post traumatic stress
disorder.
OCD
Examples of personality disorders: Borderline personality
disorder, antisocial personality disorder
Caused by changes in brain chemistry,
genetics which affects thinking,
perception, mood and behavoiur.
Commonly Held Misconceptions of Mental Illness
People with mental illness are always violent and dangerous
People with mental illness are somehow responsible for their condition
People with mental illness have nothing positive to contribute• We need to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. • We need to develop a strong sense of understanding,
empathy, compassion and tolerance
Common Myths and Mental Illness
Myth #1
You can always tell when someone is experiencing mental illness
FactNot all people who look
or act differently are mentally ill. Some people exhibit eccentric behaviour as a matter of choice and not because of mental illness.
Myth #2
Mental illnesses are long-term illnesses.
FactMental illness is not
necessarily long term. Some mentally ill people may have several episodes of mental illness in their lifetime while having long periods of healthy living in between.
Myth #3
Mental illness is associated with a low level of intelligence.
Fact
On the contrary, people with mental illnesses are of average or above average IQ.
1) Mood Disorders
DepressionSAD (seasonal affective disorder)ManiaBipolar I & II
Depression
Low moodAnhedonia - lack of pleasureUnintentional Weight ChangeInsomnia or HypersomniaFatigue or Loss of EnergyWorthlessness or GuiltyThinking problemsMorbid thoughts
Depression
Is very common component of substance use and withdrawal, particularly alcohol, opioids, steroids and stimulants.
Typically takes 4-8 weeks of clean time before substance-induced depression can be ruled out
Older adults who abuse substances usually have mood disorders
Depressed persons have some preference for stimulants and alcohol
Mania
A state of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, arousal, and/or energy levels. In a sense, it is the opposite of depression
Decreased need for sleepTalkative or fast talkingFlight of ideasDistractibleExcessive pleasure seekingCan be brought on by stimulant use or depressant withdrawal
Bipolar I and II
Both require having had at least a 2 week episode of depression and• a one week episode of mania (I)• 4 days of hypomania (II)
Continuum of depression
DepressionNormal
Sadness/
Grieving/Blues
Depression
BipolarManic
Normal
Depressed
Treatment of Mood Disorders
MedicationsPsychotherapyOccupational TherapyExercise
2) Anxiety Disorders
Panic DisorderGeneralized Anxiety DisorderSocial Anxiety DisorderPhobiasPost Traumatic Stress DisorderObsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Panic Attacks
A discreet period (< 30minutes) reaching a peak within 10 minutes with 4 or more of …• Palpitations, pounding heart, or fast heart rate• Sweating• Trembling or shaking• Shortness of breath or feeling smothered• Feelings of choking• Chest pain• Nausea• Feeling dizzy, light-headed, faint, or unsteady• Fear of losing control / going crazy• Numbness• Chills or hot flashes
Phobias
Technophobia - fear of technology Sciophobia - fear of shadows Decidophobia - fear of decision making Nyctophobia - fear of nights Topophobia - fear of performing (stage freight) Gatophobia - fear of cats Hydrophobia - fear of water Spermophobia - fear of germs Aerophobia - fear of flying Agoraphobia - fear of open spaces Claustrophobia - fear of enclosed spaces Gamophobia - fear of marriage Scholionophobia - fear of school Pyrophobia - fear of fire
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
1. Person exposed to trauma2. Event is persistently recurrently experienced
• Intrusive memories of event• Dreams of the event• Feeling as if they are reliving the event• As intense distress or physiological reactivity when
exposed to cues that resemble or symbolize the event
3. Avoidance of stimuli and numbing responsiveness4. Persistent symptoms of increased arousal
Anxiety Treatment
Medications preferably very short-term Cognitive Behaviour TherapyTrauma therapies to reprocess memories
3) Personality Disorders
Borderline Personality DisorderAntisocial Personality DisorderAvoidant Personality DisorderDependent Personality DisorderObsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Marked by repeated obsessions and or compulsions that are so severe that ehy interfere with everyday activities.
Obsessions are disturbing, intrusive thoughts, ideas or images that cause anxiety or distress
Examples are washers (fear contamination), checkers (repeatedly check things like locks, ovens, irons etc.), counters (ruled by magical thinking and superstitions, hoarders (people who can not throw things away)
Therapy for Personality Disorder
Medications for symptom managementPsychotherapy
4) Schizophrenia
A disturbance involving delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and or catatonic behaviour
Delusions are false beliefsHallucinations can be auditory, visual or any of the 5
sensesIt is also associated with a deterioration of a person’s ability
to function at work, school and or sociallyIt may begin in late adolescence or early adulthoodDrug use may initiate this change
Anorexia Nervosa
Refusal to maintain normal body weight for age & height
Intense fear of weight gainDisturbance in self-evaluation of body shape
and size, denial of serious of underweightAmenorrhea in postmenstrual women
Bulimia Nervosa
Recurrent binge eating episodesRecurrent purging to avoid weight gainBinge eating and purging occur on
average, at least twice a week for 3 monthsSelf-evaluation influenced by body shape
and weight
Treatment of Eating Disorders
Medical stabilizationMedicationIndividual therapy Family Therapy- several models are being
researchedNutrition EducationTeam approach
