Mental IllnessMental Illness

An UnderstandingAn Understanding

Dr. Shreyas Pendharkar

What is mental illness?What is mental illness?

A condition affecting A condition affecting brain brain that causes that causes severe disturbances in severe disturbances in thinking, feeling and thinking, feeling and relating. relating.

People with a mental People with a mental illness often have illness often have difficulty dealing with difficulty dealing with daily lifedaily life

What is mental illness?What is mental illness?

Mental illness is a Mental illness is a physical condition just physical condition just like blood pressure, like blood pressure, diabetes, asthma diabetes, asthma

But still society believes But still society believes that a person who is that a person who is mentally ill needs to mentally ill needs to show more willpower -show more willpower -

to be able to pull to be able to pull themselves out it. themselves out it.

… …....It is also like It is also like telling a person telling a person who has an who has an fractured leg to run fractured leg to run across the room.across the room.

Mental illnesses are not the result of a Mental illnesses are not the result of a personal weakness, lack of character, or personal weakness, lack of character, or

poor upbringing.poor upbringing.

These disorders can affect persons of any These disorders can affect persons of any age, race, sex, religion, or income.age, race, sex, religion, or income.

Why should I care?Why should I care?

Mental illness are common with almost 1 in Mental illness are common with almost 1 in every 5 persons have signs & symptoms of every 5 persons have signs & symptoms of mental illnessmental illnessBy year 2020 shall become second most By year 2020 shall become second most common cause of morbiditycommon cause of morbidityBecause understanding of mental health Because understanding of mental health issues brings awareness to the community issues brings awareness to the community and our surrounding environmentand our surrounding environment

Myths of Mental IllnessMyths of Mental Illness

Mental illness is caused by bad parenting.Mental illness is caused by bad parenting.Fact: Most diagnosed individuals come from Fact: Most diagnosed individuals come from supportive homes.supportive homes.

The mentally ill are violent and dangerous.The mentally ill are violent and dangerous.Fact: Most are victims of violence.Fact: Most are victims of violence.

People with a mental disorder are not smart.People with a mental disorder are not smart.Fact: Numerous studies have shown that many Fact: Numerous studies have shown that many have average or above average intelligence.have average or above average intelligence.

What causes What causes Mental Illness?Mental Illness?

Changes or Changes or abnormalities in abnormalities in the brain’s the brain’s chemistrychemistry

SchizophreniaSchizophrenia

DepressionDepression

ManiaMania(bipolar disorder)(bipolar disorder)

Anxiety DisordersAnxiety Disorders

TreatmentTreatment

With all of these illnesses, With all of these illnesses, treatment, with the right treatment, with the right combination of medications combination of medications and/or therapy, can help and/or therapy, can help stabilize the stabilize the moods that moods that interfere with interfere with a productive a productive life.life.

ConclusionConclusion

Overall, mental health is an Overall, mental health is an issue that effects issue that effects everyone. everyone.

And hopefully, throughout And hopefully, throughout the years, education will the years, education will curve the stigma of these curve the stigma of these brain disorders so that brain disorders so that hate, bias judgment and hate, bias judgment and discrimination will be discrimination will be gone.gone.