Transcript Chapter 10: Mental Disorders What Are Mental Disorders?

Chapter 10: Mental Disorders
What Are Mental Disorders?
 Illnesses of the mind that can affect the thoughts, feelings,
and behaviors of a person, preventing him or her from
leading a happy, healthful, and productive life.
 People who suffer from mental disorders are often identified
by their inability to cope in healthful ways with life’s
changes, demands, problems, or traumas.
Types of Mental Disorders
 2 General Types
 Organic Disorders: mental disorder clearly caused by a physical illness or injury to the brain.
 Brain tumors, alcoholism, meningitis, lupus, and stroke.
 Could be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain.
 Functional Disorders: occur as the result of psychological cause in which no clear brain damage is
involved.
 Generally result from stress, emotional conflict, fear, or poor coping skills.
 Could be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain.
 Anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, affective disorders, and personality disorders.
Anxiety Disorders
 Some anxiety (worry/nervousness) is normal.
 An anxiety disorder is an illness in which real, imagined, or persistent fears prevent a person
from enjoying life.
 Continuous, chronic anxiety.
 People affected live their lives as to avoid the object or situation that makes them anxious
or fearful.
4 Types of
Anxiety
Disorders
 Phobias
 Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder (OCD)
 Panic Disorder
 Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD)
1. Phobias
 Specific fear that is so strong, a person goes to extreme measures to avoid the fearproducing object of activity.
 Acrophobia – fear of heights
 Claustrophobia – fear of enclosed spaces
 Coulrophobia – fear of clowns
 Some mental health experts believe that a phobia is related to some past experience that
was traumatic for the individual. Although there is no longer a threat or danger, the fear
remains real.
2. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
 Someone trapped in a pattern of repeated behaviors or
thoughts.
 Obsessions are persistent, recurrent, unwanted thoughts or
ideas that keep people from thinking about other things.
 Compulsions are urgent, repeated, irresistible behaviors.
 When these activities (ex: hand washing 20-30 times/day)
interfere with other daily functions or commitments, they are
considered a problem.
3. Panic Disorder
 Condition in which fear or anxiety prevails and gets in the way of functioning and enjoying
life.
 Panic Attacks (usually caused by trigger – object, condition, or situation).
 Symptoms: trembling, racing heartbeat, shortness of breathe, dizziness, or fear of losing control or
even dying.
4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
 Condition in which a person who has experienced or
witnessed a traumatic event feels sever and long-lasting
aftereffects. (very common in veterans, rape survivors,
and survivors of disasters/crashes).
 Symptoms (may appear months or even years after initial
event): flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness,
dreams about the event, sleeplessness, feelings of guilt, or
extreme reaction to an image or sound that reminds the
person of the event.
Somatoform Disorders
 Illness in which a person complains of disease symptoms,
not no physical cause can be found.
 Hypochondria: preoccupation with the body and fear of
presumed diseases that are not present.
Affective Disorders
 Illness often with an organic cause that relates to emotions and may involve mood swings or
mood extremes that interfere with everyday living.
1. Clinical Depression
 Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or despair last for more than a few weeks and interfere with daily
activities and interests.
 Depression often runs in families and can be hereditary, but can also be caused by life events and
accumulated traumas or stress.
2. Bipolar Disorder/Manic Depression
 Phycological illness characterized by extreme mood swings between depression and extreme
happiness (or mania).
Personality Disorders
 Variety of psychological conditions that affect a person’s ability to get along with others.
1. Antisocial Personality Disorder
2. Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder
3. Schizophrenia
1. Antisocial
Personality Disorder
 Characterized by a person’s conflict
with society.
 May display behavior that is cruel,
uncaring, irresponsible, and impulsive.
 Knows right from wrong but does often
not care about others’ needs or
society’s rules.
 Often in trouble with the law.
2. Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder
 Often uncooperative with others.
 Resent being told what to do.
 Get angry over issues of control.
3. Schizophrenia
 Means “split mind”
 Affects about 1-2% of population (appears most frequently
between 15-35)
 Symptoms: paranoid, hear voices, withdrawal, hallucinate, talk
to themselves, neglect care for themselves.
 Professional help and chemical intervention are always
recommended.
Depression and Teen Years
 Depression – feelings of helplessness,
hopelessness, and sadness (more than a few
weeks)
 Common during teen years when new
challenges, responsibilities, and pressures can pile
up and seem overpowering.
 Could lead to alienation (feeling isolated and
separated from everyone else).
 When painful feelings go unchecked over long
periods, some teens may feel so filled with hurt
and despair that they will try drastic, selfdestructive measures to escape.
Suicide Risk Factors
 Suicide and suicidal behavior are NOT normal responses to
the stresses experienced by most people.
 Suicide risk factors:
 Depressed
 Isolated
 Angry/Violent
 Substance/Physical/Emotional/Sexual abuse
 Prior suicide attempts, firearms in house, jail time, family history,
exposure to other suicides
Accidental Suicide
 Results of alcohol or drug abuse
 Misuse of a firearm
Multiple
Suicides
 Cluster Suicides – rash of
suicides occurring within a
short space of time and
involves several people from
the same school or
community.
 Suicide Pact – oral or written
agreement between 2 or more
people to take part in a join
suicide.
Warning Signs
 Verbal Signs
 “I want to die”
 “I don’t want to live anymore”
 “I wish I were dead”
 “I/You won’t have to put up with this much longer”
 “I just want to go to sleep and never wake up”
 “Nothing matters”
 “They’ll be sorry when I’m gone”
 Poems, song lyrics, or social media posts that deal with death.
Warning Signs
 Nonverbal Signs
 Depression and hopelessness
 Lack of energy and zest for life
 Withdrawal from family, friends, and social activities
 Drop in grades
 Giving away possessions
 Increased risk taking
 Sudden upbeat mood
 Neglect or dramatic change in appearance
 Irrational or bizarre behavior
 Drug and alcohol use
 Violent actions
Preventing
Suicide
 Most suicide thoughts are
temporary, but death is
permanent.
 With help, people suffering
from depression or mental
disorders can often find new
levels of purpose and
happiness.
How Can YOU Help?
1. Remember that people who are suicidal often feel that no one cares. SHOW YOU CARE
2. Take any and all talk of potential suicide seriously. BE CALM, LISTEN, and SHOW SUPPORT
3. STRESS THE TEMPORARY NATURE OF THE PROBLEMS AND FEELINGS AND EMPHASIZE THERE IS
HELP AVAILABLE
4. MAKE CLEAR YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE PERSON WANTS TO END HIS/HER PAIN BUT
EMPHASIZE SUICIDE IS NOT THE ANSWER
5. MAKE SURE NO WEAPONS OR DRUGS ARE AVAILABLE
6. DO NOT LEAVE THEM ALONE IF THREAT IS IMMEDIATE
7. SUGGEST TALKING TO A PARENT OR TRUSTED ADULT
8. DO NOT KEEP A SECRET
Getting Help
 Asking for help is a sign of strength. It
shows responsibility for one’s well-being.
 Serious disorders, compulsions and
addiction are complex and require
professional intervention. Don’t think
you can do it on your own.
 Help is as close as a trusted adult, friend,
preacher, phone call. Finding help is
NOT difficult.
 Many state and community facilities
offer low-cost or no-cost help. You can
afford it.
Kinds of Help
 Psychiatrist
 Medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental disorders and CAN prescribe
medications.
 A psychiatrist may use many therapies including:
 Psychotherapy – ongoing dialogue between patient and psychiatrist designed to get to the root of the problem
AND find a solution.
 Psychoanalysis – analysis of the patients past to determine early roots of a mental problem (used rarely today).
 Medical psychotherapy – medication in conjunction with talk therapy.
Other People Who Can Help
 Neurologist
 A physician who specializes in organic disorders of the brain and nervous system.
 Clinical Psychologist
 Diagnoses and treats emotional and behavioral disorders but CANNOT prescribe medications.
 Counselors
 Many kinds: school, pastoral, addiction, etc.
 All may help with mental disorders
 Psychiatric Social Worker
 One who has concentrated on psychiatric casework, doing fieldwork in a mental hospital, mental
health clinic, or family service agency that provides guidance and treatment for clients with
emotional problems.