Transcript Introduction to mental illness/abnormality

MENTAL ILLNESS
What is normal?
What does mental illness mean to
you?
O Write down all the things
that come into your head
when you think of mental
illness. Don’t worry if they
seem offensive or
inappropriate at this stage.
In order to challenge
stereotypical views we
need to first address
them.
How normal are you?
O Look at the list
opposite. Write
down any of the
things on it that
could be attributed
to you.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Nonconforming
Creative
Strongly curious
Idealistic
Happily obsessed with a specific
hobby
6. Aware from an early age that you
were different from others
7. Intelligent
8. Opinionated and outspoken
9. Non-competitive
10. Unusual eating or living habits
11. Not interested in the company or
opinions of others
12. Mischievous sense of humour
13. Single
14. Eldest or only child
15. Bad speller
How normal are you?
O If you said yes to two thirds of these (10) then you are
considered eccentric and thus you are different (but not
abnormally so) from the social norm.
O Every society or culture has standards of acceptable
behaviour/norms. Behaviour that deviates (moves
away) from these norms is considered abnormal. Social
norms are approved and expected ways of behaving in a
particular society or social situation. For example, in all
societies there are social norms governing dress for
different ages, gender and occasions.
Task: - Think of specific occasions where social norms
govern appropriate dress. Which social norms do
mentally ill people deviate from?
Depression - an example of
mental Illness
O Depression is a mood or affective disorder. It
involves a prolonged and fundamental
disturbance of mood and emotion. Depressive
disorders are the most common of all the
psychopathological disorders. In Britain it is
estimated that 1 in 20 adults (5%) suffers from
depressive illness at any one time.
O There are no laboratory tests to diagnose
depression so doctors diagnose from behaviour
and what patients tell them. This means that it
is difficult for doctors to distinguish between the
least severe cases of depression and a bad
attack of ‘the blues’.
Symptoms of Depression
In order to be suffering from clinical depression a person
should have experienced at least five of the following
symptoms and a persistent low mood over at least two weeks.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Poor appetite or weight loss or increased appetite and
weight
gain.
Sleep difficulty or sleeping too much.
Loss of energy, tiredness.
Body slowed down or agitated (speeded up).
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities e.g. social
contact
and sex.
Feelings of self-reproach, excessive or inappropriate guilt.
Inability to concentrate or think clearly.
Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide or suicidal behaviour.
Beck’s Depression Inventory
O This questionnaire was
devised by Aaron Beck
to assist health care
professionals in the
diagnosis of
depression.
O Fill in the
questionnaire and
score it.
O http://www.ibogaine.d
esk.nl/graphics/3639
b1c_23.pdf
O Don’t worry a high score
doesn’t necessarily mean
you are depressed.
O This questionnaire has a
lot of weaknesses and
limitations.
O Why do you think it may
not be a reliable
instrument for diagnosing
depression?
O In reality it would be used
as one amongst many
other diagnostic tools by
health care professionals
Place the following words into as many groups as you feel is
enough to accurately characterise them. Really think about it
and make as many connections as you can.
Hammer Tea
Blanket Lamp
Brush
Book
Bin
Paper
Radiator
Pillow
Tree
Pick
Fork
Flower
Screw
Crystal
Chalk
Racket
Tie
Plank
Shirt
Glass
Water
Leather
Tin
Knife
Board
Stone
Fluff
Sand
White
Red
Blue
Yellow
Green
Examine your groups of words
O Give each group a gender and a name
O Give each group an occupation
Multiple Personality Disorder
O These groups came from you and
are representative of different
aspects of your own personality.
O This activity is designed to give
you an insight into multiple
personality disorder. All of us
have multiple aspects to our
personalities, however this does
not mean we have multiple
personality disorder. This is a
serious psychological disorder
often linked to traumatic
childhood experiences e.g. sexual
abuse.
Suggestions for further
reading
O You might like to watch one of the following
films: - A Beautiful Mind, Girl Interrupted,
One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
O Downloadable leaflets on mental health
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/
O www.mind.org.uk