Download Signs of Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention

Signs of Mental Illness and
Suicide Prevention
5/24/2017
What is mental illness?
Mental illness refers to a wide range of
mental health conditions — disorders that
affect your mood, thinking and behavior.
Mayo Clinic
http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-MADS01104/Mental-illness?q=mental+illness
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Examples of
mental health conditions:
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Depression and Bi-Polar Disorder
Anxiety Disorders
Psychotic Disorders (i.e. Schizophrenia)
Personality Disorders
Eating Disorders
Substance Abuse Disorders
What causes these conditions?
It can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of a
mental health condition. Things that could
contribute to the presence of these
conditions:
• Family patterns
• Biological factors
• Life experiences (i.e. trauma, social
stressors)
• Brain chemistry
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Other factors that are associated
with mental health conditions:
• Relatives with mental illness
• Pre-birth exposure to viruses or poor
nutrition
• Stressful life experiences
• Chronic medical conditions
• Child abuse
• Relationship issues
• Substance use/abuse
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Physical signs and symptoms of
mental health conditions:
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Fatigue
Weight loss or weight gain
Back, head or chest pain
Rapid heart rate
Dizziness
Digestive problems
Sweating
Hyperactivity, restlessness and the
inability to stay on task
Emotional or mental signs
and symptoms:
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Feeling sad or hopeless
Worrying too much
Being confused
Unable to control anger
Feeling fearful
Unable to enjoy activities you once
enjoyed
• Withdrawing from people
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When to seek help:
Anyone can occasionally experience
sadness, fatigue or other symptoms
that could indicate a
mental health condition.
If symptoms are severe enough to keep you
from enjoying life, affect your ability to do
your job, or changes your daily routine,
you could benefit from talking with a
qualified mental health professional.
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How to seek help:
Call CenterPoint’s toll-free,
24-hour Customer Services number at
1-888-581-9988
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What is a mental health crisis?
A person can experience severe mental
distress and may consider harming self
or others. This is a mental health crisis.
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Suicide
Every year, millions of Americans are
directly affected by the more than
37,000 suicides and hundreds of
thousands of suicide attempts made by
friends or loved ones.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline.org
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Learn/WarningSigns
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At Risk for Suicide
• Mental health conditions, especially
mood disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety
disorders and some personality disorders
• Substance abuse
• Major physical illness
• Previous suicide attempts
• Easy access to the means for suicide
• Peer pressure – suicide pacts or clusters
• Lack of social support; isolation
• Family history of suicide or suicide
attempts
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Warning Signs of Suicide
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Talking about death
Giving away belongings
Increased drug or alcohol use
Talking about hopelessness and no reason
to live
Talking about being a burden to others
Reckless behavior
Extreme mood swings
Withdrawal
What to do in a Crisis:
If you or someone you know is
experiencing a mental health crisis and
is considering harming self or others,
please call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest
hospital emergency department.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit CenterPoint’s website, www.cphs.org, or call us at
336-714-9100;
Attend additional Community Education Meetings;
Post your question on the CenterPoint Facebook page;
For general information, contact Penny Casto, Consumer and
Community Operations Manager, 336-778-3545 or email
[email protected];
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