Mental Health FitnessAn overview

Mental Health Facts

• Can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race or income

• Each year, roughly ¼ Americans affected…Fewer than half will treat symptoms

• Causes: biological, psychological & social

5 things you should know1. Mental illness is common

2. Many people can recover and lead full lives

3. It is NOT a character weakness

4. Children can have mental illness

5. People with mental illness are not violent.

http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/mentalhealth/overview.cfm

Types of mental illness

Known types:• Depression• Generalized anxiety disorder• Bipolar Disease (depression and

mania)• Seasonal Affective Disorder

(depression during the dark winter months)

• Kleptomania (urge to steal things)• Hypochondriasis (persistent fear of

having a serious medical illness)

Types of mental illness

Lesser known:• Body dysmorphic disorder: Can’t stop

thinking about a flaw in your appearance• Disassociative disorder: A person

disassociates from themselves, such as multiple personalities

• Munchausen syndrome: Person pretends to be sick or deliberately causes injury or illness

to fulfill emotional needs.• Somatization disorder: Person is chronically

preoccupied with physical symptoms over many years, with no explanation except psychological

Mental Health AssessmentWhy? Some reasons:• Identify mental health problems• Determine if mental or physical problem• Determine substance abuse

How? Interview. Doctor may• Observe behavior (Neat? Shoes tied? Mood?)• Talk about yourself. • Question you about thinking, reasoning and

remembering• Inquire about suicidal thoughts

Next…Physical and lab tests may be done

Assessment (continued)

Physical exam:• Reflexes, balance, senses• Review past history and medications

Lab tests:• Blood or urine tests• If nervous system suspected, MRI,

EEG, CT may be done• Thyroid function tests, electrolyte

levels or toxic screening

Next…Written and verbal assessments

Assessment (continued)

Written or Verbal tests:• 20 to 30 questions, short answer• Can look at specific problems

(depression, anxiety)• Can assess how you think, reason and

remember• Can look at how you function

Next, How will you feel about these tests? What will results show us?

Assessment (continued)

Common reactions to mental health assessments:

• Resentment, anger or hostility• Fear• Worried or anxious

What the results can diagnose:• Mental health problems• Developmental problems• Substance abuse• Nervous system diseases• Other problems (thyroid disease, brain tumors)

Treatment options: Medical

• Medications

• Psychotherapy

• Electroconvulsive therapy (electric currents passed through the brain, causing brief seizure)

• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain)

Treatment options: Non medical

• Diet and nutrition

• Pastoral counseling

• Expressive therapies (art, dance/movement, music)

• Cultural healing arts (acupuncture, yoga)

• Relaxation & stress reduction techniques

• Support groups

Video tutorial: How drugs work

How do the anti-depressant drugs work? Click on the following link to find out.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MM00660

Video tutorial: Friends can help

Do you have a friend with mental illness? What should you do? Participate in this video interactive tutorial to find out.

http://whatadifference.samhsa.gov/

Important resources

• Free Mental Health Screening, once a year. Next date: 10/07/10

http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/ndsd/index.aspx

• Suicide Prevention number: 1-800-TALK

PowerPoint Resources

http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/mentalhealth/overview.cfm

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/default.htm

http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/ndsd/index.aspx

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealth.html

http://whatadifference.samhsa.gov/

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MM00660

http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/mentalhealth/overview.cfm

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/default.htm

http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/ndsd/index.aspx

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealth.html

http://whatadifference.samhsa.gov/

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MM00660