Mental and Emotional Disorders

1. Mental and Emotional Disorders These are when emotional problems interfere with daily life, such as: Work, personal relationships and basic daily tasks

3. schizophrenia

4. Emotional Problems • Patterns of thinking or behavior that cause a person significant emotional pain or prevent normal functioning

5. Fear and Anxiety • In small doses, fear and anxiety can help you meet challenges, but too much anxiety is disabling • Fear is a normal, instinctive response to a dangerous situation – it triggers the stress response • Anxiety is an emotional state of high energy that triggers the stress response – it is related to fear

6. Sadness and Grief • Sadness is a normal reaction to events in your life • Sadness can be mild and brief or deep and long-lasting • The deepest form of sadness is grief • Grief is the emotional response to a major loss, such as the death of a loved one • Sadness may lead to depression

7. Guilt and Shame • Guilt can remind you of your values • Guilt is the normal feeling that arises from the conscience when a person acts against internal values • The best way to deal with appropriate guilt is to admit that you are wrong • Inappropriate guilt (parent’s divorce) – acknowledge that you are not to blame

8. Guilt and Shame • Shame is harmful and can contribute to serious mental problems • Shame is a feeling of being inherently unworthy • Shame means feeling bad about who you are as a person and feeling incapable of correcting mistakes • Feelings of shame can be linked to serious mental problems (depression and eating disorders)

9. Anger • Behind all anger is hurt, fear or frustration

10. Anger • Dealing with anger involves recognizing the emotion, addressing the cause and taking time to cool off • During your teen years, the increased levels of hormones that your body is producing can cause you to become angry over small things • Anger may lead to damaging your relationships or worse, leading to violence

11. Anger Management • Recognize the emotion • Identify the cause – this can be tricky as sometimes we are angry about one thing but react to that anger for an entirely different reason • Once you understand the cause of the anger, you can think about ways to deal with the problem • Take time out to calm down

12. Mental Illness • This refers to disorders of thought, emotion or behavior that cause distress and reduce a person’s ability to function • They vary in severity and duration • They can have a variety of causes • Can affect a person’s sense of reality • Can have physical causes

13. Warning Signs of Mental Illness • Sudden noticeable change in personality • Inability to cope with problems • Difficulty performing day-to-day tasks • Bizarre or unrealistic ideas • Excessive anxiety

14. Warning Signs - continued • Prolonged depression or indifference to the world • Dramatic change in eating or sleeping habits • Extreme highs and lows in mood • Excessive anger, hostility or violent behavior • Thoughts of suicide or homicide (These people need immediate help)

15. Anxiety Disorders • Phobias = an extreme, irrational fear of an object or situation Fear of heights = Acrophobia Fear of small, closed spaces = Claustrophobia Fear of germs = Mysophobia • Social anxiety = extreme fear in the presence of other people

16. Anxiety disorders • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is uncontrollable fixation on specific thoughts and behavior • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious stress reaction in response to a terrifying event • Panic Disorder is sudden, unexplained attacks of terror with physical symptoms

17. Mood Disorders • Depression is a persistent feeling of apathy, hopelessness, or despair • Bipolar Disorder is Manic-depressive disorder With extreme highs and lows

18. Bipolar Disorder (manic-depressive disorder) • Involves extreme highs and lows of emotion alternate between episodes of mania and depression (manic) • Mania phase = do everything at top speed/energy levels shoot up/sleep less/euphoric happiness • Manic phase = Extreme irritability or aggression/difficulty concentrating/poor judgment/reckless behavior

19. Other Disorders • Schizophrenia = a psychotic disorder which affects a person’s sense of reality • Substance-related disorders = involve problems with alcohol or drug abuse • Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) = perceived ugliness

20. Eating Disorders • Extreme, unhealthy eating habits, often related to an obsession with weight or appearance • Anorexia Nervosa • Bulimia Nervosa • Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

21. Addiction • Substance abuse and addiction are related, but they are not the same • Addiction is a physical or psychological dependence on a particular substance, habit or behavior • Continued use of drugs or alcohol may lead to addiction • A behavior such as gambling, may become an addiction

22. Remember……… • Mental Health Disorders are Medical Disorders • They should be treated like any other medical disorder • Mental Disorders can have physical causes (chemical imbalance in the brain causing depression/hardening of the arteries in the brain causing memory loss or confusion)

23. And….. • Some people inherit a tendency towards depression • People who suffer from Mental Health Disorders do not have a character flaw • Environmental factors, such as poverty and stress, can also increase the risk of mental illness

24. Therapy • This is any activity or treatment that helps a person cope with a mental or emotional problem • You are not ‘crazy’ or ‘sick’ – you could just use a little assistance right now • People may seek therapy for a variety of reasons • It is important to find a qualified therapist who is a good fit for you

25. Helping Others • It is important to recognize when it is possible to help a friend and when professional help is needed • Listening and offering support can help your friend work through problems • Codependent is someone focused on the needs of others to the extent that the person’s own needs are neglected • Enabling is misguided “helping” because it allows the problem behavior to continue