Download Mental Health

Mental Health
Objectives
 What is Mental Health?
 Intro to Common Mental Health Disorders
 Ways to keep “Mentally Healthy”
 Resources inside and outside prison
Definition of Mental Health
 A state of emotional well-being
 Ability to realizes one’s own abilities, and
cope with the normal stresses of life
 Ability to work productively, and make a
contribution to the community
Mental Illness
 COMMON: 1/5 Canadians
 Diverse: many types and causes
 Range from mild to serious
 Can effect physical health
 Treatable
Common Mental health illnesses
 Depression
 Bipolar Disorder
 Anxiety Disorders
 Substance Abuse
 Schizophrenia
Which of the Following are
Signs of Depression?
a. Overwhelming sad, hopeless, helpless
b.
c.
d.
e.
feelings
Sleeping and eating more or less
Loss of interest in activities
Avoiding people
All of the above
Depression
 It is normal to feel sad and hopeless
sometimes
 Depression: Feelings of sadness and
hopelessness are:
 Overpowering
 Long-lasting
 Effect your life and function
 Very common, and often ignored in men
Depression: Causes
 Complex, no single cause, not completely




understood
Disturbance of chemicals in the brain
Genetic link: runs in families
Drugs and alcohol
Stress
Depression
 Time Course:
 Varies: Can last weeks to months
 Almost everyone recovers
 Faster recovery when treated
Depression: Treatment
 Medication
 Counseling
 Support
 But….prevention
is the best method
Friends and Family
 You can play a huge role!
 Let them know they are not alone
 Let them know they can talk to you
 Support, listen, and be patient
 Put them in contact with someone that can
help
Bipolar Disorder
 It is normal to feel a variety of moods, both
happy and sad
 Normally we feel in control of our mood
 Bipolar (manic depression): severe
uncontrolled depression followed by periods
of mania
Bipolar Graph
Bipolar Disorder
 Very common
 More than one cause
 Often misdiagnosed (Ex. Drugs)
 Runs in the family
 Triggered by:
 Drugs
 Alcohol
 Stressful events
Bipolar Disorder: Treatment
 TREATABLE
 Medication to stabilize mood
 Some side effects
 Counseling
 Trigger avoidance
Anxiety
 Everyone feels anxious sometimes
 These experiences can lead to worry and fear
 Anxiety from…
 Release from Prison
 Jobs
 Relationships
 Healthcare
 There are positive ways to cope
Anxiety disorders
 Not coping well with normal
stressors
 Anxiety is intense, long-lasting,
out of control, often for no
reason
 Most common mental health
disorders: 1/10
 Treatable and preventable
Anxiety disorders: Types
 Panic: Sudden feelings of terror
 Phobias: Irrational fears
 Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
 Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
 General anxiety: Repeated and extreme
worry about everyday life
Anxiety disorders: Treatment
 Medication and counseling
 In combination, or counseling alone
 Learn how to:
 Rationalize and control thoughts
 Control fear by facing it in a safe place like the
doctor’s office
Staying Mentally Healthy in
Prison
 Fitness and time outdoors
 Nutrition: Vegetables, fruit; finding a balance
 Don’t isolate yourself, get your yard time
 Plan for life when released
Staying mentally healthy in
the community
 Life balance
 Work, social, fitness, nutrition
 Relax
 Talk to a mental health professional
 Response to stress: identify problem, try and
solve problem, talk about it, stress
management, reduce tension, do activities
that take your mind off your worries
Suicide
 Taking of one’s own life
 Who: People with serious mental illness,
drugs/alcohol abusers, people that lost loved
ones (death, divorce)
 Why: Feeling that life is unbearable,
hopeless, helpless, and desperate.
 Delusional
 Call for help
Suicide: Prevention
 Take action:
 Talk to the person
 Listen, don’t judge
 Get the person to express why they are feeling like
this
 Ask if:
 They have a plan
 You can do anything
 Offer resources
 Thank them for trusting you
Suicide: Prevention
 Talk to someone
 Don’t feel bad for seeking help
 You are not alone
 Thoughts of suicide are not uncommon
 Tell your feelings to someone you trust
 This may be a family member, friend or doctor
 Good resource:
 1-800-suicide – Vancouver Crisis Center
Questions?
Substance Abuse
 Definition
 Examples
 Recreational use ?
 Problems
 Physical problems
 Psychological
 Social
Physical Problems
 Nervous system
 Brain
 Liver
 Heart
 Lungs
 Infections
 Cancer
Addiction
 Can include drug and alcohol use that continues despite its adverse
effect on other aspects of life, such as social life or health
 Consequences
 Tolerance
 Psychological dependence
 Physical dependence
 Withdrawal
 Social life
 Health
Other Psychological Effects
Short Term
Long Term
 Euphoria
 Mood and psychotic
 Paranoia
disorders
 Examples : depression,
bipolar, anxiety,
schizophrenia
 Aggression
 Psychosis
Concurrent Disorders
 Substance abuse + mental health disorder
Mental disorder
+ Substance use
Short term relief
Harder to treat
Addiction
Concurrent Disorders
 Substance abuse + mental health disorder
 Cocaine and schizophrenia
 Marijuana and schizophrenia
 Alcohol and depression
 Different combinations require different
treatments.
 Best results when mental health and substance
abuse are addressed at the same time.
Schizophrenia
 Schizophrenia is a change in the way the brain
works.
 It can seriously affect the way you think, feel,
and relate to others.
 Occurs in cycles – can last for weeks-months
Happens in Cycles
Residual
Active
 Lose interest
 Isolation
 Confusion
 Trouble
concentrating
• Delusions
• Hallucinations
• Distortion in
thinking
Symptoms (what happens)
 Added
 Delusions
 Hallucinations
 Disorganized thought
 Disorganized mood
 Disorganized
Behaviour
 Problems
communicating
• Taken away
– Physical activity
– Motivation
– Interest in others
– Concern about
personal appearance
Treatment
 Early treatment is important
 Anti-psychotic medications
 Counselling
 Some people will recover completely
 Some require medication for entire life
 Important to stay on treatment
 CAN prevent or significantly decrease psychosis
Mental health and employment
 People with mental health disorders have a
harder time finding/keeping a job
 Gaps in work history, limited employment
experience, lack of confidence, fear/anxiety,
social stigma
 Support is available
 Routes to Work program through CMHA
Men and Mental health
 Neglected even though common
 “Weak” and “unmanly” to feel grief and
despair
 Lots of other sickness: migraines, back pain,
irritable bowel syndrome, might be because
of depression
Men and Mental health
 Dangerous that we ignore it
 Can lead to crime, violence
 Drug and alcohol “self medication”
 Sexually risky behavior
 Difficulties with relationships and work
Where you can find help
 In the center:
 Medical health liaison officers
 Medical staff
 In the community:






Your family doctor
Community Health Clinics
Canadian mental health association 613-745-7750
Self help groups
Suicide prevention line
Friends and family
Thanks! and more questions
Quiz
1) Depression can be cured
True
False
Quiz
2) If you think your friend is depressed, it’s best
to let him deal with it on his own
True
False
Quiz
3) Treatment of schizophrenia is effective at
preventing relapse and has no side effects
True
False
Quiz
4) Mental disorders can be triggered by drugs,
alcohol, or stressful events
True
False
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