Mental Disorders Are More Common Than You'd Think!

Mental disorders are common. In fact, statistics show that the likelihood that you will experience some sort of mental illness in your lifetime is over 45%.

Such illness include depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and many others. Sometimes, it seems that we feel extreme compassion for someone who finds out they have a debilitating physical disease such as cancer, heart failure, diabetes, or stroke, and yet we often misunderstand that mental illness can be just as debilitating, life changing, and out of our control.

The causes of mental illness are complex. They are usually the result of problems in brain functioning, genetic vulnerability, trauma, chronic thinking patterns, or other emotionally difficult experiences. People with mental illnesses cannot just will themselves to get better. Blaming the person or others for the illness is harmful. When others respond with compassion, it can help the person feel more comfortable. When you are diagnosed with a mental illness, it’s easy to wonder if you caused it yourself. Close family members may also blame themselves. No one is immune from mental health problems. It is not a moral weakness or a flaw in your character. Just like a physical illness, people can experience a mental illness anytime. Jeffrey R. Holland said, “These afflictions are some of the realities of mortal life, and there should be no more shame in acknowledging them than in acknowledging a battle with high blood pressure or the sudden appearance of a malignant tumor.”

Many people are frightened by mental illness and do not know what to say or how to respond to an individual with such a disorder. It may seem easy to turn away from those who are afflicted and their families, but this only increases their suffering and isolation. Take the time to listen, include them in our activities, be there for them in times of crisis, and treat them as we would want to be treated helps lift their burden and shows our love for them.

There are simple helps that all of us can do for those who are experiencing mental health problems:

• Treat the person with understanding and compassion. Realize that a mental illness cannot be overcome by willpower alone. It does not indicate that a person lacks faith, character, or personal worth.
• Do not take problems that are a result of the illness personally. People with mental illness may feel frustrated and upset because of the illness. 
• Consult with the person, family members, and others who know the person well to identify limitations as well as strengths.    
• Do not argue with delusional ideas or pursue topics that increase agitation. Be aware that stress can make the illness worse.

While it may seem too simple, sometimes words of comfort, support, and love can be life-changing for someone who doesn't feel needed. Sometimes those suffering with depression and suicidal thoughts don’t even need words. They just need someone to sit with them. They need someone to be there for them. They need to feel loved and valued. We all need more words of encouragement and less words of judgment.

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This article is brought to you by Cindy Quinn, LMSW. To learn more about Cindy and our other wonderful counselors, check out the counseling information page on our website HERE.

If you need help or are seeking services, please don't hesitate in contact our office at 208.523.5319 or email questions@rhscares.com.

Schizophrenia

This week, in our Discovering Mental Health series, we will be looking at Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a thought disorder that is often accompanied by delusions and/or hallucinations. It is typically diagnosed in the early 20's but it can happen later in life as well. Schizophrenia is a lifelong disorder requiring consistent treatment. 

The Merriam-Webster website defines schizophrenia as a very serious mental illness in which someone cannot think or behavior normally and often experiences delusions; a psychotic disorder characterized by loss of contact with the environment, by noticeable deterioration in the level of functioning in everyday life, and by disintegration of personality expressed as disorder of feeling, thought (as delusion), perception (as hallucinations), and behavior. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior.

Schizophrenia was first defined as a discrete mental illness in the late 1880s by Dr. Emile Kraepelin. It was in/about 1911 that Swiss psychiatrist, Eugen Blueler coined the term "schizophrenia" with Greek roots meaning "split mind." Schizophrenia is not linked to split personality or multiple personality disorder, despite the frequent misconception. "Split mind" refers to the fragmented thinking or disruption of the typical balance of emotions and thinking often experienced by those with the disorder.

In the past, with the DSM IV-TR, schizophrenia was diagnosed with a sub-type such as disorganized, catatonic, paranoid, residual or undifferentiated. The DSM V does not include those sub-types anymore. 

There are many symptoms that accompany schizophrenia. They could be positive or negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, difficulty in thought process and movement issues. Negative symptoms include lack of motivation, flat affect, difficult socially. The common symptoms of schizophrenia can include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, thinking and/or behavior. The most common symptoms are hallucinations and delusional thinking. People who are diagnosed with schizophrenia can struggle in all aspects of their life depending on how severe the disorder is. 

Schizophrenia has many different treatments. While there is no cure for the disease, there are ways to treat the symptoms that arise from having schizophrenia. There are many medications that can be used to treat the symptoms and can help control some of the symptoms. Anti-psychotics are used to help decrease the psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations like seeing things or hearing voices. They can also help decrease the break with reality. As with any medications, there can be side effects so providers and doctors should ALWAYS be consulted before making any changes. Medications can be given orally or even as an injection to reduce the circumstances of forgetting or refusing to take medications.

Another treatment for schizophrenia is psycho-social treatments. This includes programs such as CBRS or different types of psychotherapy. In these treatments, skills are taught to help those who struggle find ways to cope with their symptoms and behaviors and learn ways to better function in their everyday lives. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been found to be helpful as well as self-help groups, family therapies/education, rehabilitation, and co-occurring substance abuse classes.

Schizophrenia affects about 3 million people world wide. It is a very difficult disease but is definitely treatable and manageable. Schizophrenia is probably one of the major mental illness that is highly discriminated against. People with schizophrenia can live full, active and fulfilling lives. If you struggle with these symptoms and need assistance in getting help, please feel free to contact us and we are here to help!

www.rhscares.com              208-523-5319           questions@rhscares.com 

This video is a short, less than one minute clip of mental illness discrimination and how to raise awareness. Check out Upworthy for the great video!

http://www.upworthy.com/a-preview-from-a-terrifying-horror-film-that-will-not-scare-you-even-a-little-bit?c=ufb1

The above information was found in the following sources. 

National Institute of Mental Health

Schizophrenia.com

The Mayo Clinic

National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI)