Understand_Mental_Health_Problems

Understand Mental Health Problems Some mental health problems are described using words that are in everyday use; for example, ‘depression’ or ‘anxiety’. This can make them seem easier to understand, but can also mean people underestimate how serious they can be. Some of the most commonly diagnosed forms of mental health problem are described below. Depression Depression lowers your mood, and can make you feel hopeless, worthless, unmotivated and exhausted. It can affect sleep, appetite, libido and self-esteem. It can also interfere with daily activities and, sometimes, your physical health. This may set off a vicious cycle, because the worse you feel, the more depressed you are likely to get. Depression can be experienced at different levels e.g. mild or severe, and can be related to certain experiences; for example, postnatal depression occurs after childbirth. Depression is often associated with anxiety. Many of the children I work with often can feel depressed especially at certain periods such as Christmas or Birthdays if they have little or no contact with paternal family this causes feelings of being unwanted or unworthy. Anxiety Anxiety can mean constant and unrealistic worry about any aspect of daily life. It may cause restlessness, sleeping problems and possibly physical symptoms; for example, an increased heartbeat, stomach upset, muscle tension or feeling shaky. If the individual is highly anxious they may also develop related problems, such as panic attacks, a phobia or obsessive compulsive disorder. Many of the children I work with are Autistic and cannot always communicate their feelings this can lead to increased anxiety Obsessive-compulsive disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has two main parts: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts; ideas or urges that repeatedly appear in the mind; for example, thinking that they have been contaminated by dirt and germs, or worrying that they haven’t turned off the oven. Compulsions are repetitive activities that individuals feel they have to do. This could be something like repeatedly checking a door to make sure it is locked or washing the hands a set number of times. Many of the young people I work with are Autistic this can often combine OCD if the young person is not doing something or repeating a word this can lead to anxiety as they feel they cannot cope with the compulsion or obsession. Phobias A fear becomes a phobia when there is have an exaggerated or unrealistic sense of danger about a situation or object. These people will often begin to organise their life around avoiding the thing that they fear. The symptoms of phobias are similar to anxiety, and in severe forms they might experience panic attacks. Bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) Individuals who have bipolar disorder will experience swings in mood. During ‘manic’ episodes, they are likely to display overactive excited behaviour. At other times, they may go through long periods of being very depressed. There are different types of bipolar disorder which depend on how often these swings in mood occur and how severe they are. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a controversial diagnosis. Symptoms may include confused or jumbled thoughts, hearing voices and seeing and believing things that other people don’t share. People who have these symptoms might also become confused and withdrawn. There is debate about whether schizophrenia is actually one condition or more a collection of symptoms that are not clearly related. Personality disorders Generally speaking, personality doesn’t change very much. Yet it does develop as people go through different experiences in life, and as their circumstances change. Individuals who have a personality disorder, are likely to find it more difficult to change their patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving, and will have a more limited range of emotions, attitudes and behaviours with which to cope with everyday life. Eating disorders Eating disorders can be characterised by eating too much, or by eating too little. Individuals who have an eating disorder may deny themselves anything to eat, even when they are very hungry, or may eat constantly, or binge. The subject of food, and how much they weigh, is likely to be on their mind all the time. An eating disorder is likely to develop as a result of deeper issues in the person’s life and is possibly a way of disguising emotional pain. Anorexia, bulimia, bingeing and compulsive eating are some of the most common eating disorders. Self-harm Self-harm is a way of expressing very deep distress. People may not know why they self-harm, but it can be a means of communicating what you can’t put into words, or even into thoughts, and has been described as an ‘inner scream’. After self-harming, the individual may feel better able to cope with life again, for a while, but the cause of the distress is unlikely to have gone away. This is another mental health issue that I have dealt with when working with young people with Autism and mental health issues often when I have witnessed this it is extremely distressing to observe, the young people I work with may exhibit this behaviour when they are no longer in control of their feelings or emotions or it can also be away of gaining attention to express feelings of needing help but often having no way of putting this across verbally. Suicidal thoughts It is common to have suicidal thoughts when individuals are experiencing mental health problems – especially if they have a diagnosis of depression, borderline personality disorder or schizophrenia. The deeper the depression, the more likely it is that they will consider killing themselves. However, people can help themselves and get help from other people. A great many people think about suicide, but the majority do not go on to kill themselves. Once again I have heard young people make threats to kill themselves but in all cases I have dealt with, this was a way of gaining attention fortunately Panic attacks These are sudden, unexpected bouts of intense terror. If an individual experiences an attack they may find it hard to breathe, and feel their heart beating hard. They may have a choking sensation, chest pain, begin to tremble or feel faint. It’s easy to mistake these for the signs of a heart attack or other serious medical problem. Panic attacks can occur at any time, and this is what distinguishes them from a natural response to real danger. What causes mental health problems' There are many opinions about what causes mental health problems. This is part of a wider debate about whether personality is shaped by life experiences, or determined by genes. The following are some of the factors that may play a role in the development of mental health problems. Difficult family background Coming from a difficult background where you have experienced neglect, violence, and abuse or been overprotected can make people highly insecure and more vulnerable to mental health problems. Many of the young people I work with may have had a difficult background and can be left feeling very confused when entering care. It’s also quite common that families may choose to place the child in care as they cannot cope. These children often find the transition into care a traumatising event and need a lot of support and encouragement to help them. Stressful life events These may be traumatic events, such as the death of someone close, or longer-term struggles, such as being the victim of some form of harassment or oppression. In recent years, research has shown that being made redundant or spending significant periods out of work can also have an impact on your mental health. Children in care have often had to deal with a lot of trauma and stress from their backgrounds and there is no fast fix to this other than providing the correct level of care and support Biochemistry Your body chemistry can affect your mind. For example, if you are frightened, it triggers the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response to produce a hormone called adrenalin. If physical activity doesn’t use up all the adrenalin, the body remains tense and the mind stays over-active. I also work with a young person with ADHD and often if he is feeling excited or active he struggles to cope with this and may begin to demonstrate this inappropriately to get an outlet. Genes There are genes that cause physical illnesses, so there may be genes that play a role in the development of mental health problems. Research suggests that genes might make certain people more vulnerable to mental health problems than others. For example, if you have a parent with schizophrenia you are more likely to develop it yourself. However, most people with schizophrenia do not have a parent with this diagnosis, so it seems unlikely that a gene can be said to cause a mental health problem. Physical health problems If the brain is physically damaged by a head injury or a condition such as epilepsy this can have an impact on behaviour and mood, and lead to symptoms associated with some mental health problems. Long-term physical illnesses have also been shown to put people at greater risk of depression and anxiety. Social problems Social factors such as poverty, domestic violence, isolation, poor housing and addiction have been associated with mental health problems. It is not always clear whether these factors trigger the problems, or whether having a mental health problem can lead to social problems you might not otherwise experience. How are they diagnosed' In order to make a diagnosis, psychiatrists (mental health doctors) look for groupings of certain symptoms which have been present for a defined period of time; for example, to diagnose depression they look for symptoms such as low mood and a lack of interest or pleasure in usual activities for a period of more than two weeks. Because diagnoses are based on grouping symptoms together, there is a lot of overlap between different conditions; for example, a change in sleeping pattern is a feature of both depression and anxiety. Therefore, if the individual experiencing mental health problems, this can mean that you receive more than one diagnosis over a period of time. Making a diagnosis helps a doctor assess what treatment is needed and predict how the condition is likely to develop. But there are different ways of understanding mental health problems. Labelling When some people receive a diagnosis, they might feel relieved and be glad that they can put a name to what is wrong. However, if a diagnosis becomes a label, it can be very damaging. For example, instead of being seen as a parent, writer, mechanic or student who has schizophrenia, you may be seen as ‘a schizophrenic’, as though this diagnosis is all that you are. What treatments are available' The two most common forms of treatment offered though the NHS are talking treatments and medication. Treatments aim to relieve and help the individual cope with distressing symptoms. There are clinical guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) which medical professionals are encouraged to follow. These guidelines are based on published evidence, expert contributions and real life experiences. They often recommend different treatment options based on the severity of a condition; for example, NICE does not recommend the use of antidepressants for mild depression, but they are recommended where depression is judged to be severe. Many of the young people I care for are often referred to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) Medication The most common type of treatment given by GPs and psychiatrists is prescription medication. These drugs don’t ‘cure’ mental health problems, but aim to ease the most distressing symptoms. Depending on the diagnosis, there are a variety of drugs commonly used: • minor tranquillisers or sleeping pills – to help someone calm down or sleep • antidepressants – to lift depression • antipsychotics – to control disturbing thoughts • mood stabilisers – to control extremes of mood Many people find these drugs helpful, as they can lessen symptoms and allow them to function or take part in their normal activities. However, drugs can have side effects that may make people feel worse rather than better. They can also be addictive, difficult to withdraw from or cause physical damage if taken in too high a dose. Therefore, they need to be used with caution, ideally in the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time. Talking treatments Talking (psychological) treatments can help you to overcome emotional difficulties and free yourself from self-destructive ways of feeling, thinking and behaving. Some of the more common types are: • Counselling – an opportunity to talk about what is troubling you and be heard • Psychotherapy – aims to help people understand why they feel the way they do • Cognitive behavioural therapy – aims to challenge negative thinking and behaviours • Group therapy – aims to help people deal with problems they may have in relating and communicating with other people and develop self-awareness • Relationship or family therapy – aims to help people work with their partner or family to understand and deal with problems they are facing. The Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) CMHTs support people with mental health problems living in the community, and also their carers. The team may include a community psychiatric nurse (CPN), a psychologist, an occupational therapist, a counsellor and a community support worker, as well as a social worker. One member of the team will be appointed as the individuals care coordinator, to keep in regular contact with them. Hospital treatment Hospital in-patient facilities exist for people with severe mental health problems, or people who are experiencing a crisis. The majority of hospital admissions are voluntary, but if the individual assessed is judged to be at risk of harming themselves or others they can be detained under a section of the Mental Health Act Crisis intervention In a growing number of areas, there is special crisis intervention, or rapid response teams. These are able to support someone through a major crisis at home or in a residential crisis centre, without going into hospital. Summary Part of my job role is supporting the young people I work with all aspects of their mental health care. I do this through supporting the young people providing good emotional support and offering my support and advice when necessary. I am not a specialist in mental health care but I liaise closely with medical professionals to ensure that I am providing the right support. And with trust, time, respect and attention many of the young people may find ways of managing or coping with their mental health issues.