Download - Mental health fitness
Mental Health FitnessAn overview
Mental Health Facts
• Can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race or income
• Each year, roughly ¼ Americans affected…Fewer than half will treat symptoms
• Causes: biological, psychological & social
5 things you should know1. Mental illness is common
2. Many people can recover and lead full lives
3. It is NOT a character weakness
4. Children can have mental illness
5. People with mental illness are not violent.
http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/mentalhealth/overview.cfm
Types of mental illness
Known types:• Depression• Generalized anxiety disorder• Bipolar Disease (depression and
mania)• Seasonal Affective Disorder
(depression during the dark winter months)
• Kleptomania (urge to steal things)• Hypochondriasis (persistent fear of
having a serious medical illness)
Types of mental illness
Lesser known:• Body dysmorphic disorder: Can’t stop
thinking about a flaw in your appearance• Disassociative disorder: A person
disassociates from themselves, such as multiple personalities
• Munchausen syndrome: Person pretends to be sick or deliberately causes injury or illness
to fulfill emotional needs.• Somatization disorder: Person is chronically
preoccupied with physical symptoms over many years, with no explanation except psychological
Mental Health AssessmentWhy? Some reasons:• Identify mental health problems• Determine if mental or physical problem• Determine substance abuse
How? Interview. Doctor may• Observe behavior (Neat? Shoes tied? Mood?)• Talk about yourself. • Question you about thinking, reasoning and
remembering• Inquire about suicidal thoughts
Next…Physical and lab tests may be done
Assessment (continued)
Physical exam:• Reflexes, balance, senses• Review past history and medications
Lab tests:• Blood or urine tests• If nervous system suspected, MRI,
EEG, CT may be done• Thyroid function tests, electrolyte
levels or toxic screening
Next…Written and verbal assessments
Assessment (continued)
Written or Verbal tests:• 20 to 30 questions, short answer• Can look at specific problems
(depression, anxiety)• Can assess how you think, reason and
remember• Can look at how you function
Next, How will you feel about these tests? What will results show us?
Assessment (continued)
Common reactions to mental health assessments:
• Resentment, anger or hostility• Fear• Worried or anxious
What the results can diagnose:• Mental health problems• Developmental problems• Substance abuse• Nervous system diseases• Other problems (thyroid disease, brain tumors)
Treatment options: Medical
• Medications
• Psychotherapy
• Electroconvulsive therapy (electric currents passed through the brain, causing brief seizure)
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain)
Treatment options: Non medical
• Diet and nutrition
• Pastoral counseling
• Expressive therapies (art, dance/movement, music)
• Cultural healing arts (acupuncture, yoga)
• Relaxation & stress reduction techniques
• Support groups
Video tutorial: How drugs work
How do the anti-depressant drugs work? Click on the following link to find out.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MM00660
Video tutorial: Friends can help
Do you have a friend with mental illness? What should you do? Participate in this video interactive tutorial to find out.
http://whatadifference.samhsa.gov/
Important resources
• Free Mental Health Screening, once a year. Next date: 10/08/09
http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/ndsd/index.aspx
• Suicide Prevention number: 1-800-TALK
PowerPoint Resources
http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/mentalhealth/overview.cfm
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/default.htm
http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/ndsd/index.aspx
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealth.html
http://whatadifference.samhsa.gov/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MM00660
http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/mentalhealth/overview.cfm
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/default.htm
http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/ndsd/index.aspx
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealth.html
http://whatadifference.samhsa.gov/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MM00660