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What
is a Mental Illness?
Mental
illness is a health condition that affects thinking, mood
or behavior and significantly interferes with accomplishing
the tasks of daily living. Anxiety in stressful situations
is a normal part of life, for example, but if the thought
of leaving your house makes you so anxious that you can't
go out, you have "agoraphobia." Our brain and central nervous
systems run on a series of electro-chemical impulses. Many
mental illnesses stem from imbalances in the brain's chemistry.
Often medications can counteract these imbalances, reducing
or relieving the symptoms.
Mental
illness has nothing to do with one's abilities or character.
It can happen to someone just as any disease can happen to
someone. Mental illnesses are treatable. In fact, they
are more treatable than many physical illnesses. Sadly, only
about 16 percent of the more than 51 million Americans who
have some form of mental illness seek help.
With
the right treatment and supports, most people can and do get
better.
Treatment consists not only of medications, but therapy, which
helps one to understand the nature of the illness and to deal
with any problems it causes. Self-help groups enable others
who have "been in their shoes" to help individuals along the
road to recovery. Community services help people to get back
on their feet and get on with their lives.
What
Causes Symptoms Can Be Hard to Pin Down
For example, clinical or "major" depression can be purely
neurobiological in origin. It can be present at birth. Depression
can also be caused life events, such as trauma, however. Severe
trauma can change brain chemistry. Symptoms can result from
learning disorders, substance abuse problems, negative self-image
or brain injury instead of, or in addition to, a mental illness.
Symptoms of one mental illness can resemble those of another.
This is why an accurate, careful diagnosis is the key to effective
treatment and recovery. Following are the major types of mental
illness:
Anxiety
Disorders
When anxiety
or exaggerated fears interfere with our lives, we call them
anxiety disorders. More than 23 million Amercans have them.
They are not only the most common but the most treatable of
mental health conditions.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by longstanding
chronic anxiety, tension and worry with no real cause.
Panic Disorder involves sudden, unexplained bouts of
extreme fear or "panic attacks."
Phobias
are irrational fears of things or situations that are so extreme,
the sufferer avoids the thing or situation.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder involves overwhelming,
obsessive compulsions to repeatedly engage in specific, often"
ritualistic" behaviors, like handwashing, doing something
in a certain order or checking to see if something is in its
place.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder follows a severally
traumatic event. Symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks,
distress from and avoidance of anything that reminds one of
the event, detachment, irritability and sleeping problems.
Several types of effective treatments and therapies are available
for anxiety disorders. Unchecked, they can grow in severity
over time.
Eating
Disorders
Anorexia
nervosa and bulimia are serious, potentially life-threatening
illnesses. Symptoms include a preoccupation with food and
an irrational fear of being overweight. Specifically, anorexia
is self-starvation, while bulimia is cycles of bingeing (consuming
large quantities of food) and purging (self-induced vomiting
or abusing laxatives). Treatment involves a combination of
medications and therapy.
Mood
Disorders
"Major"
or clinical depression is the most common mood disorder. It
is more than sadness or sorrow over life events, although
life events can trigger it. Clinical depression is a feeling
of despair, of hoplessness, worthlessness and helplessness
that doesn't let up. It is a condition that can strike anyone
at any age and can be life-threatening. Symptoms include sadness,
social isolation/withdrawal, poor sleep patterns, appetite
changes and lack of interest in or enjoyment in everyday living.
Suicidal attempts or thoughts can easily result from this
condition. Depressed children can "act out" and be disruptive,
leading to a misdiagnosis such as conduct disorder. Bipolar
Disorder (manic-depression) takes one through extreme
mood swings, highs and lows. One can feel "on top of the world"
for as long as three months, then come crashing down into
clinical depression. Symptoms of the "manic" phase in-clude
abundant energy; sleeplessness; disorganized, racing and grandiose
thoughts, unrealistic beliefs in one's abilities; rapid, pressured
speech and general recklessness. There is almost always a
denial that anything is wrong. Though they can be debilitating,
clinical depression and bipolar disorder are very treatable
with several medication options and psychotherapy.
Schizophrenic
Disorders
About
one in every 100 Americans is afflicted with schizophrenia.
It is a neurobiological disorder that impairs one's ability
to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions and relate
to others. Those with this illness do not have a "split personality."
This is a myth. Although schizophrenia can affect anyone at
any age, 75 percent of those who have it develop it between
the ages of 16 and 25. Symptoms may include seeing or hearing
things that aren't there (hallucinations) or having strong
feelings, beliefs or perceptions not grounded in reality (delusions).
Paranoia, disorientation, social disinterest and an inability
to sleep or concentrate usually accompany these symptoms.
A common
symptom, and problem, is a continued lack of understanding
that one actually does have an illness. About 60 percent of
those with schizophrenia have this "lack of insight." Several
medications are available which can reduce or eliminate these
symptoms. In combination with rehabiliation therapies, support
and education, they are effective for the great majority who
have this disease.
Treatment
Alone Is Not Enough
Successful
recovery can take time and much effort. It most often comes
from a partnership of the person and his family, community
and supports. The love, care and encouragement that a family
can provide is very often the most important factor in a person's
recovery. Family support is crucial. Education is very important,
both for the family and for the person in recovery. Former
patients need to learn about treatment options and services,
symptom management, medications and their own rights in order
to start taking control of their lives again. Supports include
self-help groups, peer advocacy services, case management,
PACT programs, housing and vocational/educational help. As
with any other type of illness, love, support and assistance
are the keys to recovery.
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