What is Mental Illness
Mental illnesses are health conditions involving significant changes in thinking, emotion, or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work, or family activities.
Mental illness is treatable. The vast majority of individuals with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives. Mental health is the foundation for thinking, communication, learning, resilience, and self-esteem key to personal well-being, relationships, and contributing to community or society
Many people who have a mental illness do not want to talk about it. But mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of! It is a medical condition, just like heart disease or diabetes. And mental illnesses are treatable. We now know much more about how the human brain works, and treatments are available to help people successfully manage mental illnesses.
Mental illness does not discriminate; it can affect anyone regardless of one’s age, gender, income, social status, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, background, or other aspect of cultural identity. While mental illness can occur at any age, three-fourths of all mental illness begins by age 24. It is not always clear when a problem with mood or thinking has become serious enough to be a mental health concern. Sometimes, for example, a depressed mood is normal, such as when a person experiences the loss of a loved one. But if that depressed mood continues to cause distress or gets in the way of normal functioning, the person may benefit from professional care.
Common Mental Illnesses
Mental illnesses take many forms. Some are fairly mild and only interfere in limited ways with daily life, such as certain phobias (abnormal fears). Other mental illnesses are so severe that a person may need care in a hospital. Mental health conditions can affect different aspects of a person, including personality, thinking, perception, mood, behavior, or judgment. The following are short descriptions of some common mental illnesses.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a reaction to fear or stress. Everyone feels anxious sometimes, such as when speaking in front of a group or taking a test. A person may feel his/her heart beating faster, or may be short of breath or feel sick. Normal anxiety can usually be controlled and does not last much longer than the situation that triggers it. When anxiety becomes excessive, involves unfounded dread of everyday situations, and interferes with a person’s life, it may be an anxiety disorder. Nearly 30% of people will experience an anxiety disorder at some time in their lives. Anxiety disorders take many forms.
Panic disorder
Is a sudden attack of fear or terror. Symptoms may include a pounding heart, sweating, weakness, dizziness, or smothering sensations. People having a panic attack often fear they are about to be harmed and feel that they are not in control.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves frequent upsetting thoughts (obsessions) that cause anxiety. People with OCD usually do things over and over (compulsions) to try to control their thoughts and anxiety. For example, a person might be afraid the stove was left on and return again and again to check.
Social anxiety disorder
Involves extreme anxiety around others. A person may be very afraid they are being watched or judged by others. The fear of being embarrassed may be so strong that it disrupts relationships, work, and other activities.
Agoraphobia
involves avoidance of situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing or help might not be available if panic symptoms occur. The fear is out of proportion to the actual situation, lasts six months or more, and causes problems in functioning.
A specific phobia
Is an intense fear or anxiety that is out of proportion to the actual risk or danger posed by the object of the fear. Some common specific phobias are fear of enclosed spaces, open spaces, heights, flying, and blood.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Involves excessive anxiety and worry more days than not for at least six months. The worry is about a number of events or activities and is hard to control. The constant worrying causes distress and disrupts relationships, work, and other activities
Depression
Depression is a potentially serious medical condition that affects how a person feels, thinks, and acts. The primary signs of major depression are that the person feels sad or has no interest or pleasure in normal activities for most of 2 weeks. Activities such as eating, socializing, sex, or recreation lose their appeal. Other symptoms:
Changes in appetite
Sleep changes (sleeping too much or being unable to
sleep)
Agitation, restlessness, or changes in motor movement
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Problems thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
Lack of energy, fatigue
Thoughts of death or suicide
Depression is more intense and long-lasting than normal sadness. It can develop slowly, draining the energy, pleasure, and meaning from a person’s life. About 7% of adults experience major depression in any given year and one in five women will experience it in their lifetime. Some people may express depression differently. For example, some people who are depressed may be more likely to complain of body aches or other physical symptoms than of mood or emotional symptoms.
Like anxiety, depression can take different forms.
Major depressive disorder Causes a person to feel deeply sad and unable to enjoy previously enjoyed activities for at least two weeks. Jobs, relationships, and life activities can be affected.
Persistent depressive disorder (previously called dysthymic disorder)
Is a milder form of depression that persists for years at a time. People with dysthymia may feel gloomy, irritable, or tired much of the time. They may feel hopeless and have difficulty sleeping or concentrating. Their depressed mood can interfere with their relationships, work, and enjoyment of life.
Postpartum depression
Refers to symptoms of major depression in a mother just before or after her baby is born (depression with peripartum onset).
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder can cause dramatic mood swings, from feeling high and energetic to feeling very low, sad, and hopeless. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania or hypomania (lower grades of mania) and depression. During a manic episode, a person may speak rapidly, feel little need for sleep, and become involved in activities with a high potential for risk or pain. During a depressive episode, a person may feel despair, hopelessness, or fatigue. People with bipolar disorder are at higher risk than the general population for alcohol or substance misuse.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic serious mental illness that usually begins in a person’s 20s. When untreated, it can cause people to have psychotic thinking (impaired perception of reality and ability to communicate), delusions (fixed, false beliefs), or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real). Some people with schizophrenia do not recognize that they have a mental illness. Treatment can help relieve many symptoms of schizophrenia, but most people with this illness cope with symptoms their entire lives. Nonetheless, many people with schizophrenia live successfully in their communities and lead rewarding lives.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after a person has experienced or witnessed a situation involving harm or the threat of harm. People with PTSD may startle easily or be unable to feel positive emotions. They may experience flashbacks of the event that triggered the disorder and be quick to anger.
Addiction/Substance Use Disorders
Addiction is a chronic brain disease that causes compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences. As a result of research, we now know more about how addiction affects the brain and behavior. People take drugs for a variety of reasons—to feel good, to feel better (for example, overcome distressing feelings), to do better, out of curiosity, or because peers are doing it. An initial decision to take drugs is usually voluntary, but with continued use changes take place in the brain impairing a person’s self-control and judgment. At the same time, the addiction produces intense impulses to take drugs. Many people experience both addiction and another mental illness. Mental health conditions may precede addiction; drug misuse may also trigger or exacerbate a mental illness. Stopping drug use is just one part of the recovery process, and relapse can occur often during the recovery process. Addiction affects many aspects of a person’s life, so treatment must address the needs of the whole person to be successful. These needs could be medical, psychological, social, or vocational. Treatment may include behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and medication and should be tailored to the individual’s circumstances and needs. Support groups (such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and others) are a central part of recovery for many people.
*information provided by the Canadian Mental Health Association
Helpful Links
Here are a list of Helpful websites and phone numbers :
Mental Health
Crisis Line
1-888-429-8167 (toll free)
Telephone crisis support and mobile response is offered for work, home, school, and community agencies Service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Canadian Mental Health Association
Kids Help Phone
1 800 668 6868
http://kidshelpphone.ca/Teens/home.aspx
Cape Breton County, Northern and Central Inverness County and Victoria County
Emergency Crisis Services
(902) 567-7767
Adult Outpatient Services
(902) 567-7730
Child/Adolescent Services
(902) 567-7731
CMHA Cape Breton Branch
(902) 567-7735
Addictions
(902) 563-2040
SSNS Support Group
1-800-465-2601
Victoria County Memorial Hospital
902-295-2112
Canadian Mental Health Association
Mental Health Services Nova Scotia
http://novascotia.ca/dhw/mental-health/
Adult Mental Health Service Nova Scotia
http://novascotia.ca/dhw/mental-health/adults.asp
Teen Mental Health
http://teenmentalhealth.org/
Healthy Minds Cooperative
http://www.healthyminds.ca/
NSNET
http://www.nsnet.org/
Healthlink 811
Living with Mental Illness: A Guide for Family and Friends.
http://ourhealthyminds.com/family-handbook/communication/index.html
The Self-Help Connection
http://selfhelpconnection.ca/
Help Guide