A Deep Dive Into Mental Health and Mental Illness

People experience different types of mental health issues, and they can occur at the same time. Mental illnesses can occur in short bursts, or extended episodes, then subside. Mental illnesses can also be ongoing, chronic conditions. There are more than 200 types of mental illness. Some of the main types of mental illness and disorders, but we will cover a handful of them in this deep dive.

Anxiety Disorders

People with anxiety disorders respond to certain objects or situations with fear, dread or terror. Sensory stimulus such as a smell or sound can trigger these negative responses as well. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, panic disorders, and phobias.

Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder

ADHD is one of the most common childhood mental disorders. It can continue through adolescence and adulthood. People diagnosed with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors, or be overly active to the point of self detriment.

The Facts

Mental Illness and Adults…

• About 1 in 5 people aged 18 or older have a mental illness.

• About 1 in 25 people aged 18 or older have a serious mental illness. “Serious mental illness” is defined as individuals experiencing a mental illness or disorder with serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.

Mental Illness and Children and Teens…

• 1 in 5 – children, have had a seriously debilitating mental disorder.

• Half of all chronic mental illness begins by age 14 and three-quarters begin by age 24.

The Social and Economic Impact of Mental Illness…

• Suicide, often associated with symptoms of mental illness, is the 10th leading cause of death the U.S. and the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 15-34.

• Serious mental illness costs the United States $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year.

Stigma

Stigma can be understood in terms of three components: stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.

Stigmas surround mental illness. The only way to avoid them is to first understand them. They include having fixed ideas and judgments about mental illness and/or fearing and avoiding what is misunderstood. Stigma can appear as attitudes (thoughts and prejudices) and/or behaviors (bullying, avoidance, violence, etc.). There are significant consequences of feeling stigmatized. They can include limiting a person’s ability to attain and keep a job or safe place to live, reducing a person’s desire to seek treatment and support, fears of not being accepted by family, friends or the larger community, and avoiding relationships or social activities. The prejudice and discrimination felt by those with mental health issues might lead to believing these negative stereotypes, resulting in feelings of shame and guilt. We must be compassionate and thoughtful when talking about mental illness, using accurate and sensitive words.

Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental illness out there, and it takes a lot of different forms. Experiencing some level of anxiety is a normal part of being human, but for people who have an anxiety disorder the worry or fear do not go away, and worsen over time. Some people experience generalized anxiety, where the negative thoughts and feelings are present in a variety of circumstances, while others experience social anxiety, anxiety in crowds, and sexual anxiety, just to name a few. Anxiety can cause intense and prolonged feelings of fear and distress that occur out of proportion to the threat or danger at hand. Thankfully, anxiety is treatable.

Each person is unique, and should explore their options and select for themselves the most effective coping mechanisms. That being said, many people have found successful treatment for anxiety through things like psychotherapy (often Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy), support groups, medication, spiritual and indigenous approaches to healing, and stress management and relaxation techniques.

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) frequently begins in childhood. People who live with ADHD can have trouble paying attention, might not be able to determine the “appropriate” amount of physical activity for a given situation, act before thinking, and find themselves daydreaming. They also find it hard to focus, organize, and finish tasks. ADHD is treatable.

Each person is unique, and should explore their options and select for themselves the most effective coping mechanisms for dealing with ADHD. That being said, many people have found successful treatment for ADHD through various types of psychotherapy, medication, behavioral interventions, education and training, mindfulness, and spiritual and indigenous practices. Usually folks with ADHD have better outcomes when they combine more than one type of treatment.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder causes unusual changes in mood and behavior. While everyone has natural highs and lows, with bipolar disorder the highs and lows are extreme, impacting individuals’ ability to function in their day-to-day lives. Intense shifts in mood, energy levels, sleeping and eating, and the ability to think clearly are all signs of Bipolar Disorder. Mania or hypomania (extreme highs) in addition to depression are key components of being diagnosed with the disorder. In between episodes, people with Bipolar Disorder can be completely symptom-free. Like all mental illnesses, Bipolar Disorder shows up differently for each person. For example, some people could be in either a manic and/or depressive state almost all the time, whereas for others it could be years between episodes. Bipolar Disorder is treatable.

Each person is unique, and should explore their options and select for themselves the most effective coping mechanisms for dealing with bipolar disorder. That being said, many people have found successful treatment for bipolar through things like psychotherapy, medication, exercise, spiritual and indigenous approaches to healing, and/or self-care techniques such as sticking to concrete daily routines or keeping a journal to track symptoms.

Almost half of people who are diagnosed with BPD will

not meet the criteria for diagnosis just two years later.

Ten years later, 88% of people who were diagnosed

with BPD no longer meet the criteria for a diagnosis

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) causes dramatic changes in someone’s moods, behaviors and relationships. Often, people with BPD have a strong desire to be close with someone, but also have an inability to trust that person, so their relationships can be a constant push and pull of “please stay here with me” and “get away from me.” Because people with BPD have a hard time regulating their emotions, they can take impulsive actions driven by extreme shifts in mood. Anger morphs into depression, which evolves into elation, all within just a few hours. Borderline personality disorder is treatable.

Each person is unique, and should explore their options and select for themselves the most effective coping mechanisms for dealing with BPD. That being said, many people have found successful treatment for borderline through a combination of things including psychotherapy (especially Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or DBT), medication, trauma-sensitive work, spiritual and indigenous practices, and family and partner support. Sometimes extreme stress, leading to a lack of impulse control, can require a person with BPD to take care of themselves by checking into the hospital for safety and support.

Depression

Young adults aged 18–25 are 60% more likely to have

depression than people aged 50 or older

Depression causes severe, negative changes in the way you think and feel, making it difficult to manage day-to-day tasks and activities such as working, sleeping, and/or eating. Many people with depression feel numb, sad, alone, and/or like life has no meaning. Some people will only have one depressive episode in their lifetime, but for many people depression recurs and episodes can last up to several years if untreated. Episodes of depression may occur with or following stressful events, physical illnesses, trauma, loss, major transitions and financial stress. They can also happen for no discernible “reason.” It can be constant, or it can come and go with time, events, or seasons. Depression is treatable.

Each person is unique, and should explore their options and select for themselves the most effective coping mechanisms for dealing with depression. Many people have found successful treatment for depression through things like support groups, medication, psychotherapy, exercise, spiritual and indigenous approaches to healing, and herbal supplements.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a group of conditions that cause serious emotional and physical problems, involving extreme food and weight issues. There are many types of eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, etc.), and while they vary greatly in what they look like, they all point to an unhealthy, and sometimes dangerous relationship to food. Eating disorders are treatable.

Each person is unique, and should explore their options and select for themselves the most effective coping mechanisms for dealing with an eating disorder. That being said, many people have found successful treatment for ED through things like psychotherapy, support groups, medication to treat depression or anxiety if co-occurring, nutritional counseling, family-based treatment, and/or spiritual and indigenous approaches to healing.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a specific form of anxiety characterized by repetitive, unwanted intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and irrational, excessive urges to do certain actions (compulsions). For some people, the compulsive behavior comes from trying to reduce anxiety or obsessions. Genetics tend to play an important role; if you, your parent or a sibling have OCD, there is almost a 25% chance that another family member will have it.

OCD can look different for different people; for some, it involves cleaning self and spaces compulsively; for others, the OCD might present in the form of counting, tapping, or something numeric, or a myriad of other forms.

Each person is unique, and should explore the options and select for themselves the most effective coping mechanisms for dealing with OCD. That being said, many people have found successful treatment for OCD through things like psychotherapy (specifically a form of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy called Exposure and Response Prevention delivered one-on-one or in group settings), medication, exercise, and/or spiritual and indigenous approaches to healing.

PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a response to a traumatic event or series of events. Something that is traumatic for one person might not be traumatic for another, but what matters is how that experience stays with the person. It can include flashbacks to the traumatic event, uncontrollable movements and thoughts, anxiety and hyper vigilance, physical and emotional triggers, among other symptoms.

PTSD is most commonly found among survivors of sexual violence, as well as war veterans, survivors of abuse or natural disasters, and witnesses to violence. Not all traumatic experiences lead to PTSD and there are many factors that affect the severity, such as the number of other traumatic experiences in a person’s life, their reaction to the event, and the kind of support they received after.

It is extremely important to take your feelings seriously and learn to treat and manage symptoms. There are a lot of approaches to working with PTSD, including psychotherapy (an approach specifically designed to work with trauma is EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), medication, sharing in community, support groups, somatic interventions around triggers, and spiritual and indigenous approaches to healing.

Addiction

About a third of all people experiencing mental

illnesses and about half of people living with severe

mental illnesses also experience substance abuse.

About a third of all alcohol abusers and more than half

of all drug abusers report experiencing a mental

illness

Substance abuse refers to the harmful use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and drugs. Substance use can lead to addiction and dependence, creating a condition in which the body requires a drug in order to function without physical and psychological reactions to its absence. Persistent and repeated substance use typically leads to a strong desire to take the drug, difficulty in controlling its use, and persisting in its use despite harmful consequences.

People can experience addiction to substances, as well has behaviors such as gambling, sex, or engaging in extreme situations. Addiction can quickly take over a person’s life and can become more important than the need to eat or sleep, replacing things that the person used to enjoy. There is a strong correlation between substance abuse/addiction and mental illness, often referred to as a Dual Diagnosis. More than half of the people with addiction issues also experience mental health issues, as they affect the same parts of the brain.

Treatment approaches vary, and choosing the appropriate type depends on the severity and addiction itself. Treatment can include support groups, harm reduction and safer use, psychotherapy, medication, spiritual and indigenous practices, and holistic approaches.

Suicide

White males accounted for 7 out of every 10 suicides in

2014. The rate of suicide is highest in middle age

white men in particular

Suicidality can be experienced by anyone. Approximately 90% of individuals who die by suicide experience a mental illness, making it an issue closely tied to what we do here at Mental Healthy. There are infinite reasons why someone might feel like killing themselves is the only option. Factors that may put a person at risk of suicide include: substance abuse, chronic medical illness, oppression due to an identity (such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.), history of trauma, isolation, sleep deprivation and age (under 24 or above 65 are at a higher risk).

To reduce the danger of suicide, psychotherapy and medication can be used to help recognize unhealthy patterns of thinking and teach coping skills to deal with problems. Seeking treatment for underlying depression and anxiety through doctors or health professionals is essential, as is building social and peer support networks. The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone, and help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

If you are concerned about someone, talk with them and ask them directly if they are thinking about suicide and if they have a plan to end their life. If this is the case, connect with a crisis service and stay with the person, listening without judgement and telling them they are important and you care about them.