What Mental Illness Is & What It is Not

1. What Mental Illness Is &What It is Not Facts and conclusions about mental illness on college & university campuses J. LaVelle Ingram, Ph.D. Director University Counseling Services

2. What Mental Illness Is According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, mental illness is a medical condition that disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, daily functioning and ability to relate to others. Mental illness often results in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.(HealthNewsDigest.com) - New Brunswick, N.J. –

3. Mental Illness is Not • A major cause of violence in our society • A key factor in most murders • A reason to fear certain individuals • The defining feature of any person

4. VA Tech: 1% of the Story National crime statistics indicate that there have been more than 16,000 homicides per year in the United States since 2001. During that same period, there have been only 95 on college campuses. U.S. Department of Education

5. VA Tech: 1% of the Story The murder rate in the U.S. is almost 44 times higher than that of the college campus and the aggravated assault rate is over 13 times higher. U.S. Department of Education

6. VA Tech: 1% of the Story With about 4,200 colleges documented in the United States, this data suggests that the average college can expect to experience a murder on campus about once every 265 years. U.S. Department of Education

7. Mentally Ill More Often Victims People with psychiatric disabilities are far more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violent crime. (Appleby, et.al., 2001)

8. Mentally Ill More Often Victims • “Researchers at North Carolina State University and Duke University found that people with severe mental illness — • Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder or Psychosis — are 2 1⁄2 times more likely to be attacked, raped or mugged than the general population.” ( Claudine Chamberlain. “Victims, Not Violent: Mentally Ill Attacked at a Higher Rate,” ABC News).

9. Most Violent People are “Normal” “Research has shown that the vast majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental illnesses.” (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).

10. Most Violent People are “Normal” “Compared with the risk associated with the combination of male gender, young age, and lower socioeconomic status, the risk of violence presented by (people with) mental disorder is (at most) modest.” (Policy Research Associates, December 1994)

11. What Conclusions Can we Draw? Grohol (1996) concluded that: “Most people who suffer from a mental disorder are not violent — there is no need to fear them. Embrace them for who they are — normal human beings experiencing a difficult time, who need your open mind, caring attitude, and helpful support.”

12. College Students Do Experience Mental Illnesses According to Spring 2006 data from the National College Health Assessment- 37 % of college students reported that in the previous school year, they felt “so depressed it was difficult to function.” National Institute of Mental Health

13. College Students Do Experience Mental Illnesses Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 24. And every year 1,100 U.S. college students commit suicide, while another 24,000 try to kill themselves. National Institute of Mental Health

14. College Students Do Experience Mental Illnesses The average onset age for many severe mental illnesses is 18 to 24. National Institute of Mental Health

15. College Students Do Experience Mental Illnesses • 92 % of directors believe that the number of students with severe psychological problems has increased in recent years. National Survey of Counseling Center Directors (2006) The International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.

16. College Students Do Experience Mental Illnesses • Counseling Center Directors also reported that 40% of their clients have severe psychological problems. National Survey of Counseling Center Directors (2006) The International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.

17. College Students Do Experience Mental Illnesses • Counseling Center Directors reported that 32% of clients experience severe problems but can be treated successfully with available treatment modalities. National Survey of Counseling Center Directors (2006) The International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.

18. UMBC Students & Presenting Problems & Mental Illnesses University Counseling Services data consistently identifies the major problems of UMBC students as: • Anxiety/Stress • Depression • Academic Problems • Relationship Problems • Time management/Procrastination

19. Students, faculty & parents should be aware of the following indicators that someone may be experiencing some form of mental illness: Noticeable Changes in Functioning or Appearance • Marked changes in academic performance or behavior • Change in personal hygiene or dress www.rutgers.edu www.HealthNewsDigest.com

20. Noticeable Changes in Functioning or Appearance • Excessive absences or tardiness • Dramatic weight loss or gain • Asking instructor for help with personal problems

21. Problematic Classroom Behavior • Avoiding or dominating discussions • Disruptive classroom behavior Complaints from other students www.rutgers.edu www.HealthNewsDigest.com

22. Pervasive Interpersonal Problems • Unusual problems with roommate or family • Isolation from friends or family www.rutgers.edu www.HealthNewsDigest.com

23. Excessive Emotionality • Tearfulness Irritability or angry outbursts Intense emotion or inappropriate responses Apparent Thinking Problems • Disjointed thoughts www.rutgers.edu www.HealthNewsDigest.com

24. Suicidal or Homicidal References • References to suicide, homicide or death • Expressed thoughts of helplessness or hopelessness • References to suicide or homicide in verbal statements or writing www.rutgers.edu www.HealthNewsDigest.com

25. Conclusions • Most college students experiencing emotional or psychological problems do not experience long-term mental illness. • Most college students who do experience mental illness suffer depressive or anxiety disorders rather than schizophrenia or sociopathy. • The most frequent danger of students suffering mental illnesses is to themselves rather than anyone else.

26. Conclusions • You can play a role in helping people with mental illnesses simply by affording them the same dignity, respect and consideration that you would want for yourself or your loved ones. And by helping to disspell the dangerous myths about them.