Problems of Well-BeingMENTAL HEALTH

By: Jess Dettman

MENTAL HEALTH: The successful performance of mental function,

resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability

to adapt to change to cope with adversity.

MENTAL ILLNESS: A term used to refer collectively to all mental

disorders.

MENTAL DISORDER: A behavioural or psychological syndrome or

pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress or disability, or with a significantly increased risk of suffering,

death, pain, disability or loss of freedom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiQitBSFdDw

Mental Health is a huge part in today’s society. There are many individuals who

are suffering from mental disorders and/or mental illnesses. Children,

Adolescents, Adults and the Elderly all experience some mental health issues at

some point in their life. Some mental health issues are more of a concern than others. There are many different mental

health illness and disorders in today’s society. Some of these disorders include; Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Bipolar and

many more.

EXAMPLES OF MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESSES/DISORDERS:

• Major Depression (MD)• Schizophrenia• Bipolar Disorder (BD)• Eating Disorders• Anxiety Disorders• Eating Disorders• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)• Addictions• Insomnia• Panic Disorder

Facts About Mental Health

Who it affects..• 20% of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in

their lifetime.• Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression

at some time in their lives.• Mental health indirectly affects all individuals through family,

friends or colleagues.

How Common is it?• Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian population.• Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and

women from adolescence to middle age.• Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds

and 16% among 25-44 year olds.

(Canadian Mental Health Association, 2014)

Facts About Mental HealthWhat causes it?• A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and

environmental factors causes mental illnesses. • Almost one half (49%) of those who feel they have suffered from

depression or anxiety have never gone to see a doctor about this problem.

• Mental illnesses can be treated effectively.

How does it impact youth?• It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a

mental illness or disorder – the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.

• Today, approximately 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth, age 12 to 19, have experienced a major depressive episode.

• Suicide is among the leading causes of death in 15-24 year old Canadians, second only to accidents; 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.

(Canadian Mental Health Association, 2014)

The Stigma• Just 50% of Canadians would tell friends or co-workers that

they have a family member with a mental illness, compared to 72% who would discuss a diagnosis of cancer and 68% who would talk about a family member having diabetes.

• 42% of Canadians are unsure whether they would socialize with a friend who has a mental illness.

• A majority of Canadians (55%) say they would be unlikely to enter a spousal relationship with someone who has a mental illness.

• 46% of Canadians think people use the term mental illness as an excuse for bad behaviour, and 27% say they would be fearful of being around someone who suffers from serious mental illness.

(Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2014)

Their Stories

“Katherine’s Story - Recovering from Depression”

Having achieved two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree public health, Katherine thought she “had the world by the tail.” Although she had experienced dark feelings and insecurities before, she never would have believed they would lead to full-blown depression. But by the time Katherine was 28, her depression had impacted her life in a major way. She had been hospitalized numerous times, lost her apartment, job and benefits, ultimately forcing her to file for bankruptcy and move in with her parents.I truly believed that any hope of having any semblance of a normal adult life was over and I would forever remain an adult-child dreaming of the life that could have been.

Story Continued on next slide…

Their StoriesBut at a hospital dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) day-program Katherine attended, life began to turn around. Through the program’s individual and group therapy (most helpful for people who have difficultly managing their emotions), Katherine learned new skills to manage and cope with her emotions and tolerate emotional distress. Eight years after her life fell apart, Katherine re-entered the job market and her life “took giant leap forward.”In Katherine’s words, Recovery is possible for most everyone because it is defined by the person doing it. There is no right or wrong way to recover - rather it is about living a life that has ups and downs, successes and failures, dreams and hopes - one that is fulfilling. It is about building or rebuilding a life in spite of being diagnosed with a mental illness. I never thought that I would be able to take the most disenfranchising event in my life, being diagnosed as seriously mental ill, and turn it into one of the most empowering.” (Tracy, N.D)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=033-6MY8OpM

ONE in FIVE people in Canada experiences a mental health problem or illness

The Importance of Mental Health• When we are in good mental health we are able

to live our lives to the fullest.

• MENTAL HEALTH helps strengthen and support our ability to:

- have strong and healthy relationships- make good life choices- maintain physical health and well-being- handle the natural ups and downs that

everyone has in life- discover and grow to our full potential

Probable Solutions

• There are many different mental health initiatives and help lines that are available to the public.

• Some of these include:• Mental Health Help Line - http

://www.mentalhealthhelpline.ca/• Kids Help Phone - http://

www.kidshelpphone.ca/teens/home/splash.aspx• Wes For Youth Online - https://www.google.ca/#

q=wes+for+youth+online• Bell Let’s Talk - http

://letstalk.bell.ca/en/our-initiatives/

Mental Health & Structural-Functionalist Perspective

“Structural-Functionalist Perspective views society as a system of interconnected parts that work in harmony to maintain a

state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole; focuses on how each part of society influences and is influenced by

other parts.”(Mooney, Holmes, Knox & Schacht, 2013).

• Mental health and the structural-functionalist perspective connect in many different ways. Structural-Functionalists use both the terms “functional” and “dysfunctional”. Crime is related to mental health and this is a part of the structural-functionalist perspective. It also connects because when rapid social change occurs it disrupts the norms in society, which is also how mental health works. When social change occurs it can affect ones mental health.

SOME OF US THINKHOLDING ON MAKES US

STRONG;

BUT SOMETIMES IT IS LETTING GO

- HERMANN HESSE

References• Mental Health: Mental Illness in Children. (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved April 2, 2014,

from http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-illness-children• Mental Disorders & Conditions - DSM. (n.d.). Psych Central.com. Retrieved April 2,

2014, from http://psychcentral.com/disorders/• Mental Illness Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - Can mental illness be prevented? -

MedicineNet. (n.d.). MedicineNet. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.medicinenet.com/mental_illness/page2.htm

• Shepell·fgi. (n.d.). Understanding Mental Illness. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.shepellfgi.com/understandingmentalillness/

• The Facts. (n.d.). Mental Health Strategy. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://strategy.mentalhealthcommission.ca/the-facts/

• Useful Psychology Information: Importance of Mental Health. (n.d.). Importance of Mental Health. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.ripsych.org/importance-of-mental-health

• Fast Facts about Mental Illness. (n.d). Canadian Mental Health Association. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.cmha.ca/media/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/#.UzN5nYWv9lw

• For Reporters. (n.d). CAMH: Mental Illness and Addiction Statistics. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/about_camh/newsroom/for_reporters/pages/addictionmentalhealthstatistics.aspx

• Mooney, L., Holmes, M., Knox, D., & Schacht, C. (2013). Understanding Social Problems (Custom Edition). Toronto, ON: Nelson