Download Signs and Symptoms of Mental Distress

Facilitator : Richard Wakerell
Mental Health Training Manager,
Plymouth and District Mind
Background facts
 Mental health problems are common.
 One in four (UK) adults will experience some form of
mental health problem in any one year (Goldberg,1991)
 At any given time one in six working age adults have
symptoms of mental ill health which do not meet criteria
for diagnosis (e.g. sleep problems, fatigue)
 A further one in six working age adults experience
diagnosable mental health problems (e.g. Depression,
anxiety) at any given time.
 People with mental health issues often feel discriminated
against.
The Challenge for Higher Education.
 One in five students experience mental health problems
while at university [NUS study reported in Guardian May
2013]
 64% of students experiencing mental health problems do
not use any formal services for advice and support.
 Some students enter higher education with a history of
mental illness. This may be a big step to a new life. The
progression will not be automatic.
 Social anxiety causes immense distress when beliefs about
social inadequacy are reinforced.
What is mental health?
 A phrase that can provoke fear and indignation!
 A term we may use but never really define.
 Is it something to do with finding happiness
and purpose in life?
 Is it something that embraces everyone?
Activity – how would you define it?
Two definitions:
 ‘Mental Health might usefully be viewed as a continuum
of experience, from mental well-being through to a severe
and enduring mental illness. We all experience changes in
our mental health.’(The Counselling Service, University of
Liverpool)
 ‘Mental health means much more than just the absence of
mental ill health. It is about physical and emotional
wellbeing, having strength and capacity to live a full and
creative life and also the flexibility to deal with its ups and
downs.’ (Young Minds)
The impact of poor mental health
 Compare the experience of being able to
experience a full range of emotions without
getting stuck in any one emotion.
 Our lives become overtaken by anxiety and
depression. We become stuck in one emotional
gear without the possibility of being able to
unwind, relax or laugh.
 We may become isolated and remote.
Stress – slaying the myths
 Health and Safety Executive – stress is ‘the adverse
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reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types
of demand placed on them.’
Pressure may be part and parcel of all work. It helps
motivate managers and workers.
When pressure exceeds our capacity to cope, then it
becomes stress.
Stress is linked to mental health conditions such as anxiety
and depression. It can cause severe physical health
problems and lead to early death.
There is no such thing as ‘good’ stress.
Two sides of anxiety
The positives
The negatives-Panic Attacks
 Keeps us alert to danger.
 Rapid build up of
 Understandable and
overwhelming sensations
 Make people feel they are
going mad, or that they
will black out or even have
heart attack
 Serious long term physical
health consequences
natural in certain scenes –
 Sitting an exam or a job
interview
 Going into hospital
 Feeling uncomfortable,
appearing foolish.
Social Anxiety
 Intense fear in social situations that are unfamiliar or
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where people are watched or evaluated by others.
Can be confused with shyness.
Confronted by prospect of learning situations involving
peers and tutors.
Includes fear of embarrassment, criticism or rejection.
Includes feelings of insecurity. May include inferiority
complex.
Phobias
 Over intense fear of a situation or an object.
 A fear becomes a phobia when you have to change your
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lifestyle to manage it.
Phobias can develop around any object or situation e.g.
fear of dogs to vomiting.
Categorised into two groups:
Specific (simple) phobias
Complex phobias.
Specific (simple) phobias
 Relates to one thing.
 Develops often in childhood or adolescence, diminishes
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with age.
Easier to cope with if not encountered regularly.
Common examples:
Animal phobias (dogs, insects, snakes, rats, mice)
Natural (heights, water, darkness)
Situational (flying, going to the dentist)
Body based (blood, body fluids, injections)
Complex phobias
 More disabling and disruptive than specific phobias.
 Often develops after adolescence.
 Social phobia – anxious when people around, may make it
impossible for you to do everyday things that may be
taken for granted.
 Agoraphobia – more complicated than a fear of open
spaces. Environment seen as difficult to escape or get
help.
 A potential complication of panic attacks.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
 An anxiety disorder with two parts: obsessions and
compulsions.
 Obsessions are the unwelcome thoughts, ideas or urges
constantly in the mind. Frightening and horrible, interrupt
thoughts you would rather have.
 Compulsions the repetitive actions you feel you must do
to put right the distress of the obsessional thoughts to
relieve the anxiety felt.
 Little pleasure from carrying out the compulsion.
OCD – an insight
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOami82xKec
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Common obsessions
Common compulsions
 Fearing contamination
 Washing
 Imagining doing harm
 Repeating actions
 Fearing your aggressive urges
 Checking
 Intrusive sexual impulses
 Touching
 Excessive doubts
 Counting
 ‘Forbidden thoughts’
 Ordering or arranging
 Needing things to be perfect
 Hoarding or saving
 Needing to confess something
 Praying
Depression
 In its mildest form can cause lowered mood that does not
stop someone leading a normal life but which makes
things harder.
 At its most severe – life threatening.
 Possibly an overused term.
 Where upset follows after major life event (e.g. death,
redundancy), this is natural and may be an
acknowledgement of the loss/re-orientation.
Black dog - depression
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HJ9HxGqTW4
Depression – some symptoms
 Feel low spirited a lot of the time
 Low self esteem/lack of self confidence
 Numb, empty, despairing
 Difficult to concentrate and make decisions
 Sleep too much or sleep too little
 Eat too much or eat to little.
 Consume more tobacco, alcohol, caffeine or other drugs
than usual.
 Consider or commit acts of self harm or suicide
Stigma
 Term originated from Greek culture referring at first to bodily
signs, implying something unusual or bad about the moral
status of the individual concerned. The term almost always
implies disgrace.
 Stigma involves making assumptions about people based on
impressions. There is rarely any investigation of fact or truth.
 A major problem for people with mental health problems,
caused by the covered nature of the illness.
Thank you
 Now for questions!
 And discussion!
Richard Wakerell
Mental Health Training Manager
Plymouth & District Mind
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01752 513693