Chapter 5

Mental and Emotional Problems

Lesson 1

• Anxiety and depression are treatable mental health problems.

• Occasional anxiety is a normal reaction to short-term stressors.

• Anxiety – feeling uneasy or worried about what may happen.

• Once the stressor is over so is the anxiety.• Depression is a serious condition that is

treatable and it can disrupt daily activities.

Lesson 1 Continued

• Depression is one of the most common mental health concerns among teens.

• Depression – prolonged feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, and sadness.

• Types of depression:– Major – intense and can last for weeks or months– Mild – less severe but can last for years– Adjustment – reaction to a specific life event

Lesson 1 Continued

• Warning signs of depression:– Sad or irritable mood– Loss of interests– Change in appetite and body weight– Difficulty sleeping– Physical signs of nervousness– Loss of energy– Inappropriate guilt and feelings of worthlessness– Difficulty concentrating– Thoughts of death or suicide

Lesson 1 Continued

• Depression can be caused by:– Physical reasons– Psychological reasons– Social reasons

• People who are depressed may experience apathy – lack of strong feeling, interest, or concern.

• A depression treatment plan may include:– Medication– Making changes to environment– counseling

Lesson 2

• Mental disorders are medical conditions that require diagnosis and treatment.

• Mental disorder – illness of the mind that can affect the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of a person.

• Many do not seek treatment because of the stigma that is associated with mental disorders.

• Stigma – mark of shame or disapproval

Lesson 2 Continued

• Mental disorders can be identified by their symptoms.

• Anxiety disorder is one of the most common among children and teens.

• Anxiety disorder – real or imagined fears are difficult to control.

Lesson 2 Continued

• Anxiety disorders:– Phobia – strong, irrational fear of something specific– OCD – persistent thoughts, fears, or urges leading to

uncontrollable repetitive behaviors– Panic disorder – attacks of sudden unexplained terror– Post Traumatic Stress – a condition that may develop

after exposure to a terrifying event– Generalized Anxiety disorder – exaggerated worry and

tension for no reason

Lesson 2 Continued

• People with impulse control disorders cannot resist the urge to hurt themselves or others.

• Impulse Control Disorders:– Kleptomania – theft of objects– Cutting – cutting on parts of the body– Pyromania – setting fires– Excessive gambling – despite heavy losses– Compulsive shopping – buying things not needed

Lesson 2 Continued

• Eating disorders: (mental disorders)– Anorexia nervosa – don’t eat– Bulimia nervosa – eat but purge themselves

• Mood disorder – involves mood extremes that interfere with everyday living.– Bipolar disorder – extreme mood changes, energy

levels, and behavior (aka manic-depressive)• Conduct disorder – patterns of behavior in which

the rights of others or basic social rules are violated

Lesson 2 Continued

• Schizophrenia – mental disorder in which a person loses contact with reality.

• Personality disorders – these people are unable to regulate their emotions.

Lesson 3

• Professional intervention and support from friends and family can often help prevent suicide.

• Alienation – feeling isolated and separated from everyone else.

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death for teens ages 15 to 19.

Lesson 3 Continued

• Suicide risk factors:– Depression or another mental disorder– Alcohol and other drugs– Stressful situation or loss– Previous suicide attempts– Access to guns

• Cluster suicides – series of suicides occurring within a short period of time and involving several people in the same community

Lesson 3 Continued

• Any discussion about suicide requires immediate attention.

• The warning signs of suicide should be taken seriously.• Warning signs of suicide:– Talking about suicide or death– Withdrawing– Changes in personality– Giving away personal belongings– Substance abuse– Violent actions

Lesson 3 Continued

• How can you help someone contemplating suicide:– Initiate a meaningful conversation– Show support and ask questions– Try to persuade the person to seek help

Lesson 4

• The first step in getting help for mental illness is realizing that help is needed.

• Seek help if:– Feeling trapped or worried all of the time– Feelings affect all parts of your life negatively– Become involved with alcohol and other drugs– Become increasingly aggressive, violent, or

reckless

Lesson 4 Continued

• Where to go for help:– Parent– Guardian– Teacher– Counselor– Nurse– Clergy– Crisis hotlines

Statistics• One suicide occurs every 17 minutes• · 83.9 commit suicide every day• · A young person (15-24 years of age) dies every 2 minutes.• · Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people (15-25).• · Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college-age

students• · Eighth leading cause of death for males and 19th for females• · 750,000suicide attempts each year• · 100 to 200 attempts for every completed suicide.• · Youth (15-24), 9.9 per 100,000• · Higher completion rate with white males compared to Black males 5.3

per 100,000 compared to white males-- 11.9• · U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin believes that suicide is a

serious public health issue. • · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes that an estimated

$34.6 billion in combined medical and work-loss expenses. For each suicide prevented, the US could save an average of $1,182,559 in medical costs ($3,875) and lost productivity ($1,178,684).

• Warning Signs: 75% of those who die by suicide do exhibit some warning signs. – Appearing depressed or sad most of the time

(untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide). Manage depression is a key.

– Talking about death and suicide.– Feeling hopeless-- not seeing an option– Feeling helpless--can't do the work– Strong Anger or rage--maybe lost a good friend.– Abusing drugs and alcohol.– Losing interest in activities.– Giving away prized possessions.– Writing or drawing about death and dying

Lesson 4 Continued

• Mental health professionals:– Counselor - handles personal and educational matters– School psychologist – specializes in assessment of learning,

emotional, and behavioral problems of school children– Psychiatrist – diagnoses and treats mental disorders– Neurologist – specializes in physical disorders of the brain– Clinical psychologist – diagnoses and treats emotional and

behavioral disorders with counseling– Psychiatric social worker – provides guidance and

treatment for emotional problems in a hospital, mental health clinic, or family service agency

Lesson 4 Continued

• Several methods are used to treat mental problems:– Psychotherapy – dialogue between patient and mental health

professional– Behavior therapy – focuses on changing unwanted behaviors

through rewards and reinforcements– Cognitive therapy – treatment method designed to identify and

correct distorted thinking patterns– Family therapy – focuses on helping the family function in more

positive and constructive ways– Group therapy – treating a group of people who have similar

problems– Drug therapy – use of certain medications to treat or reduce the

symptoms