How Mental Illness Affects You

Many of us have the wrong opinion and impression about mental illness. We think that for a person to be mentally ill, they have to be dirty, roam the streets partially or fully nude, have a broken mind - you get the picture. However, mental illness is non physiological disturbance to the total functioning capacity of an individual. It will shock most of us to know we are dealing with one form of mental illness or the other. During my training as a social worker, I had to work on mental illness and health, together with some of my colleagues. I'll be sharing some parts of the paper we presented. I implore you read through with an open mind, you might learn a thing or two.

WHAT MENTAL ILLNESS IS

A mental illness is a medical condition that disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.

Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible.

Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion or income. They are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan.

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health is the capacity of the individual, the group and the environment to interact with one another in ways that promote subjective well-being, the optimal development and use of mental abilities (cognitive, affective and relational), the achievement of individual and collective goals consistent with justice and the attainment and preservation of conditions of fundamental equality.

A key feature of this definition is that it does not define mental health in terms of the presence or absence of mental disorder, nor does it imply that mental health and mental disorder are simply opposite poles on a single continuum.

IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS AND RECOVERY

Mental illnesses are (serious) medical illnesses. They cannot be overcome through "will power" and are not related to a person's "character" or intelligence. Mental illness falls along a continuum of severity. Even though mental illness is widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion.

Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: 

•      unnecessary disability, 

•      unemployment, 

•      substance abuse, 

•      homelessness,

•      inappropriate incarceration, 

•      suicide,

•      wasted lives. 

Many people have mental health concerns from time to time. But a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when on-going signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function. A mental illness can make one miserable and can cause problems in daily life, such as at work or in relationships. In most cases, mental illness symptoms can be managed with a combination of medications and counselling (psychotherapy).

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of mental illness vary, depending on the particular disorder, circumstances and other factors. Mental illness symptoms can affect emotions, thoughts and behaviours.

Some of these symptoms include:

• Feeling sad or down.
• Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate.
• Excessive fears or worries.

• Extreme mood changes of highs and lows.
• Withdrawal from friends and activities.
• Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping.
• Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations.
• Inability to cope with daily problems or stress.
• Extreme feelings of guilt.
• Alcohol or drug abuse.
• Major changes in eating habits.
• Sex drive changes.
• Excessive anger, hostility or violence.
• Suicidal thinking.

Sometimes symptoms of a mental health disorder appear as physical problems, such as:

• Abdominal pain.
• Back pain.
• Headache.
• Unexplained aches and pain.

SOME PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

1.   Adjustment Disorders

This classification of mental disorders is related to an identifiable source of stress that causes significant emotional and behavioural symptoms. The diagnostic criteria include:

(a) Distress that is marked and excessive for what would be expected from the stressor and

(b) Creates significant impairment in school, work or social environments.

2.   Anxiety Disorders

Characterized by excessive and abnormal fear, worry and anxiety. In one recent survey published in the Archives of General Psychology, it was estimated that as many as 18% of American adults suffer from at least one anxiety disorder. Types include:

ü Generalized anxiety disorder.

ü Agoraphobia.

ü Social anxiety disorder.

ü Phobias.

ü Panic disorder.

ü Post-traumatic stress disorder.

ü Separation anxiety.

3.   Dissociative Disorders

Psychological disorders that involve a dissociation or interruption in aspects of consciousness, including identity and memory. Dissociative disorders include:

ü Dissociative disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder).

ü Dissociative fugue.

ü Dissociative identity disorder.

ü Depersonalization/de-realization disorder.

4. Eating Disorders

Characterized by obsessive concerns with weight and disruptive eating patterns that negatively impact physical and mental health. Types include:

ü Anorexia nervosa.

ü Bulimia nervosa.

ü Rumination disorder.

5. Factitious Disorders.

Those in which an individual acts as if he or she has an illness. Often deliberately faking or exaggerating symptoms or even self-inflicting damage to the body. Types include:

ü Munchausen syndrome.

ü Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

ü Ganser syndrome.

6. Impulse-Control Disorders

Involve an inability to control impulses, resulting in harm to oneself or others. Types include:

ü Kleptomania (stealing).

ü Pyromania (fire-starting).

ü Trichotillomania (hair-pulling).

ü Pathological gambling.

ü Intermittent explosive disorder.

ü Dermatillomania (skin-picking).

7. Mental Disorders Due to a General Medical Condition

This type of psychological disorder is caused by an underlying medical condition. Examples include:

ü Psychotic disorder due to epilepsy.

ü Depression caused by diabetes.

ü AIDS related psychosis.

ü Personality changes due to brain damage.

8.   Neurocognitive Disorders

These involve cognitive abilities such as memory, problem solving and perception. Some anxiety disorder, mood disorders and psychotic disorders are classified as cognitive disorders. Types include:

ü Alzheimer's disease.

ü Delirium.

ü Dementia.

ü Amnesia.

9.   Mood Disorders

Mood disorder is a term given to a group of mental disorders that are characterized by changes in mood. Examples include:

ü Bipolar disorder.

ü Major depressive disorder.

ü Cyclothymic disorder.

10.        Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Developmental disorders, also referred to as childhood disorders, are those that are typically diagnosed during infancy, childhood, or adolescence. These include:

ü Intellectual Disability (or Intellectual Developmental Disorder), formerly referred to as mental retardation.

ü Learning disabilities.

11.        Communication disorders

ü Autism.

ü Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

ü Conduct disorder.

ü Oppositional defiant disorder.

12.        Personality Disorders

These create a maladaptive pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that can cause serious detriments to relationships and other life areas. Types include:

ü Antisocial personality disorder.

ü Avoidant personality disorder.

ü Borderline personality disorder.

ü Dependent personality disorder.

ü Histrionic personality disorder.

ü Narcissistic personality disorder.

ü Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

ü Paranoid personality disorder

ü Schizoid personality disorder.

ü Schizotypal personality disorder.

13.        Psychotic Disorders

Psychotic disorders are those that involve a loss of contact with reality. People experiencing psychotic disorders may experience hallucinations and often display disorganized thinking. Delusional beliefs are another common characteristic of this class of psychological disorders. Types include:

ü Schizophrenia

ü Delusional disorder.

14.        Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders

Sexual disorders are those that impact sexual functioning, while gender identity disorders are those that involve a discontentment with the biological sex a person was born with. Examples are:

ü Erectile dysfunction.

ü Sexual pain disorders.

ü Paraphilias.

15.        Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders involve an interruption in sleep patterns. These disorders can have a negative impact on both physical and mental health. Examples include:

ü Narcolepsy.

ü Sleep terror disorder.

ü Sleepwalking disorder.

ü Primary insomnia.

16.        Somatoform Disorders

Somatoform disorder is a class of psychological disorder that involves physical symptoms that do not have a physical cause. These symptoms usually mimic real diseases or injuries. It is important to note somatoform disorders differ from factitious disorders. People suffering from somatoform disorders are not faking their symptoms. These include:

ü Conversion disorder.

ü Somatization disorder.

ü Hypochondriasis.

ü Body dysmorphic disorder.

ü Pain disorder.

17.        Substance Related Disorders

Involve the use and abuse of different substances, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates and alcohol. These disorders can include dependence, abuse, psychosis, anxiety, intoxication, delirium and withdrawal that results from the use of various substances. Examples are:

ü Alcohol abuse.

ü Caffeine-induced anxiety disorder.

ü Cocaine withdrawal.

ü Inhalant abuse.

Mental illness can occur at any point in one's life. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Get help and don't let it hamper your life.