Mental Health & Mental Illness topics

Week of 4-13-2015

Intro to topic

• Actress Glen Close’s campaign to recognize those with mental illness on behalf of her own family.• Started in 2010 – wanted to remove the stigma people

face with mental illness• https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUaXFlANojQ. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5pwkV5cjx4• Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdUz0tlKZ78. • Not always sure who around you in society is

affected by mental illness.

Mental health vs. illness

• Very different concepts in meaning – • positive vs. negative concepts• Mental health(CDC) -“a state of well-being in

which every one with their own abilities, can• cope with the normal stresses of life, • work productively and fruitfully, • able to make a contribution to his or her

community.”   Estimated only about 17% U.S adults in a state of optimal mental health.

• Have met Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

 

What are mental health indicators ?

• Emotional well-being perceived life satisfaction, happiness, peacefulness

• Psychological well-being - self-acceptance, personal growth openness, optimism, hopefulness, purpose in life, spirituality, self-direction, and positive relationships.

• FOR THE INDIVIDUAL

• Social well-being - social acceptance, beliefs in the potential of people as a whole, personal self-worth usefulness to society, sense of community.

Mental illness

• Mental illness - “collectively all • diagnosable mental disorders” or “health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or combination) with distress and/or impaired functioning.• Depression alone – affects about 26% of the

US population at any one time(most common diagnosis ?)• Stats for those who receive a diagnosis• http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics.htm.

Mental illness causes

• Causes:• Genetics (twins?)• Biochemical issues• Environmental

factors• Life events (long

term and short term)

• Anxiety • Short term ?• Long term ?• Depression • Long/short term ?• Remember –

impaired function, continued distress indicate problems

Who is affected ?

• Probably all know someone with a mental health diagnosis• All of us have situational experiences short term• What about long term ?• Mental illness is another topic requiring sensitivity.• May be a silent part of personal or family history• Stigma, cultural Discrimination, Embarrassment, shame• Kevin Breel: Confessions of a depressed comic - you will

relate to someone your own age successful on the surface with depression

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qe8cR4Jl10.

College campuses

• Tulane University’s mental health meltdown• 5 students were dead,

three by suicide in 6 months• Students demanding

more psychological services. But how much responsibility does the college bear?

• http://news.yahoo.com/tulane-s-mental-health-meltdown-144028239.html.

• Students struggled with anxiety, depression, other illness• When should you

worry about yourself or others ?• What would you do ?• Where to go for

help?• Here at GSU ?

Adults Seen /Talked to a Mental Health Professional Past One year, Health Insurance Status & Age Group — CDC National Health Interview Survey, US 2012–2013. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm

.

What is normal ?• No universal

definition• Different for every

person• Depends on life stage,

environment, events of life• Never propose to

judge another – be sensitive to individual history

• About 1 in 4 adults has a mental illness diagnosis every year at some time• Wide range from

mild to severe, functional or not

Suicide rates and method in persons 10–24 YO , by sex and method — United States, 1994–2012 (CDC data)

Who seeks mental health care ?

• Lots of people• BUT –• 1 What about younger people vs. middle age ?• 2. Do you think almost 50% of young people seek mental health services/care ?• Most important question may be : WHEN ?• If unsure – then seek advice from a professional• When need friendly support vs. more

sophisticated help

Insider views of mental health

• Kevin Briggs: Almost 2 million views from a policeman who patrolled the Golden Gate Bridge and watched people attempting suicide• The bridge between suicide and life