Understanding Mental Illness: Definitions, Categories, and Law Enforcement Encounters

1. Intermediate CIT Course TCOLE Course # 3841 Texas Commission On Law Enforcement AND UNIT TWO BCCO PCT #4 PowerPoint BCCO PCT #4 PowerPoint

2. Unit Goal: 2.0. • To sensitize the participant to the adversity of mental illness.

3. 2.1. • Define the term “mentalillness”.

4. Definitions: • General Definition of Mental Illness. • Professional Definition of Mental Illness. • Definition of Insanity. • Abnormal vs. Normal Behavior.

5. General Definition “Illness, disease, or condition that either substantially impacts a person’s thought, perceptionof reality, emotional process, or judgment, or grossly impairsa person’s behavior, as manifested by recent disturbance behavior.”

6. Professional Definition Mentalillnessis diagnosed based on behaviors and thinking as evaluated by a psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed professional counselor, licensed social worker, or other qualified professionals using a tool known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

7. Fourth Edition, most commonly called the DSM-IV. (American Psychiatric Association, Updated, 1999)

8. Insanity Legal Term Insanity is considered “a diminished capacity and inability to tell right from wrong.” This is not a psychological term. The definition varies from state to state. It is generally used by the court with regard to an individual’s competency to stand trial.

9. Abnormal Versus Normal Behavior A sharp dividing line between “normal” and “abnormal” behavior does not exist. Adjustment seems to follow what is called a “normal distribution,” with most people clustered around the center and the rest spreading out toward the extremes.

10. Basic Facts • There are two distinct types of mental illnesses • Serious to persistentmental illnesses which are caused by psychological, biological, genetic, or environmental conditions • Situationalmental illnesses due to severe stress which may be only temporary

11. Basic Facts – Cont’d • Anyone can have a mental illness, regardless of age, gender, race or socio-economic level. • Mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes, heart disease or AIDS. • Mental illness can occur at any age.

12. Basic Facts – Cont’d • 20 - 25% of individuals may be affected by mental illness. • 7.5 million children are affected by mental, developmental or behavioraldisorders.

13. Basic Facts – Cont’d • Nearly two- thirds of all people with a diagnosable mental disorder do not seek treatment.

14. Basic Facts – Cont’d • With proper treatment, many people affected with mental illness can return to normal, productive lives. • Mental illness can - and should - be treated. — Basic Facts About Mental Illness — NAMI Texas

15. OCD Video (View video newscast from “Train the Trainer” materials-updated version ))

16. 2.2. Four Categories of Mental Illness Four prominent categories of mental illness. 1.PersonalityDisorders 2.MoodDisorders 3.Psychosis 4.DevelopmentalDisorders

17. 2.3. Personality Disorders Disorders as they relate to law enforcement officercontact.

18. 2.3 Personality Disorders Many individuals who are functioning well in their lives may display characteristics of what are known as personalitydisorders

19. 2.3 Personality Disorders Continued Individuals experiencing these disorders show personalitytraits that are inflexible, maladaptive, or inappropriate for the situation, and this causes significant problems in their lives.

20. 2.3 Personality Disorders Continued Those individuals who have personality disorders usually have very little insight that they have a problem, and tend to believe that the problems are caused by other people, the “system,” or the world at large.

21. 2.3 Personality Disorders Continued These traits are often accompanied by some form of depression and may also be seen in those with chemical dependency problems.

22. 2.3 Personality Disorders Continued Persons with personality disordersare not usually treated like those with other mental illnesses, but are taught a variety of communication and copingskills, or treated for other problems such as chemical dependency or depression.

23. 2.3 Personality Disorders CAUSES Although the causes for these disorders may not seem relevant for the officer dealing with these individuals, their backgrounds are significant

24. Personality Disorders CAUSES – Cont’d It is believed that most personality disorders are caused by • a family history - usually beginning at a young age - of physical or emotional abuse, • lack of structure and responsibility, poor relationships with one or both parents, and • alcohol or drug abuse.

25. 2.4 Personality Disorders Encountered By Law Enforcement Common personalitydisorders that may be encountered by peace officers include; • paranoidpersonality disorder, • antisocialpersonality disorder, and • borderlinepersonality disorder.

26. 2.4 Personality Disorders Encountered By Law Enforcement 1. Paranoid: A. Tendency to interpret the actions of others as deliberately threatening or demeaning B. Foresee being in position to be used or harmed by others

27. 2.4 Personality disorders encountered by law enforcement officers – Cont’d 1. Paranoid: C. Perceive dismissiveness from other people 2.Antisocial: A. Most commonly recognized in males (Polarization) Lone Wolfe

28. 2.4 Personality disorders encountered by law enforcement officers – Cont’d 2.Antisocial: B. A pattern of irresponsible and antisocial behavior diagnosed at or after age 18 C.May have one or more of the following:

29. 2.4 Personality disorders encountered by law enforcement officers – Cont’d 2.Antisocial C - Continued: 1.) History of truancy as a child or adolescent, may have run away from home 2.) Starting fights 3.) Using weapons

30. Personality disorders encountered by law enforcement officers – Cont’d 2.Antisocial C - Continued: 4.) Physically abusinganimals or other people 5.) Deliberately destroying others’ property 6.) Lying

31. 2.4 Personality disorders encountered by law enforcement officers – Cont’d 2.Antisocial C - Continued: 7.) Stealing 8.) Other illegalbehavior D. As adults, these people often have trouble with authority and are reluctant or unwilling to conform to society’s expectations of family and work

32. 2.4 Personality disorders encountered by law enforcement officers – Cont’d 2.Antisocial: E. These individuals know that what they are doing is wrong, but do it anyway

33. 2.4 Personality disorders encountered by law enforcement officers – Cont’d 3.Borderline: A. Most commonly recognized in females B. May have one or more of the following: 1.) unstable and intense personal relationships

34. 2.4 Personality disorders encountered by law enforcement officers – Cont’d 3.Borderline B: 2.) impulsiveness with sex, relationships, spending, food, drugs, 3.) intense anger or lack of control of anger 4.) recurrent suicidal threats SUICIDE

35. 2.4 Personality disorders encountered by law enforcement officers – Cont’d 3.Borderline B: 5.) chronic feelings of emptiness or boredom 6.) feelings of abandonment

36. 2.5. Prevalent behaviors associated with personality disorders.

37. Behaviors associated with personality disorders People with personality disorders usually will not seek treatment because they don’t think they have a problem

38. Behaviors associated with personality disorders – Cont’d They may end up in the criminal justice system because their disorder may lead them to break laws and come to the attention of law enforcement by theft, by hot-check writing, by fraud, etc.

39. Behaviors associated with personality disorders – Cont’d They may use alcohol and illegal substances as a form self-medication, due to the stress and the consequences of their behaviors They often need treatment for chemical dependency or depression.

40. 2.6. Mood Disorders Mood Disorders as they relate to officer contact.

41. Discuss Mood Disorders as they relate to officer contact A. A mood disorder is another type of mental illness demonstrated by disturbances in one’s emotional reactions and feelings. B. Severe depression and bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, are referred to as mood disorders.

42. Discuss Mood Disorders as they relate to officer contact – Cont’d C. Recognizable behaviors that associate with mood disorders could include: 1.) lack of interest and pleasure in activities, 2.) extreme and rapid moodswings,

43. Discuss Mood Disorders as they relate to officer contact – Cont’d C. Continued: 3.) impaired judgment, 4.) explosive temper, 5.) increased spending and 6.) delusions

44. Discuss Mood Disorders as they relate to officer contact – Cont’d D. Causes: Researchers believe that a complex imbalance in the brain’schemical activity plays a prominent role in mental illness selectivity in the individual. E. Environmental factors can also be a trigger or buffer against the onset.

45. 2.7. Two most common mood disorders encountered by law enforcement officers. 1. Depression 2. Bipolar Disorder

46. 2.7 Depression Depression is a common, widespread disorder. Most people have experienced some form of depression in their lifetime or even had repeated bouts with depression.

47. 2.7 Depression – Cont’d Depression is a natural reaction to; • Trauma • loss, • death, or • change.

48. 2.7 Depression – Cont’d Major depression is not just a bad mood or feeling “blue” but a disorder that affects thinking and behavior not caused by any other physical or mental disorder.

49. 2.7 Depression – Cont’d A major depressive syndrome is defined as a depressed mood or loss of interest of at least two weeks duration accompanied by symptoms such as; • weight loss/gain and • difficultyconcentrating.

50. 2.7 Depression – Cont’d Five or more symptoms are generally present during the same two-week period and are represented by a change from previous functioning. Depressed mood or loss of interest must also be included as a symptom.