Lesson 2 Mental Disorders and Mental Illness

2

Mental Disorders and Mental Disorders and Mental IllnessMental Illness

L E S S O N

Journal Question

When was the last time you felt anxious or sad? What do you remember feeling and what happened that caused you to feel that way? What did you do in response to how you felt?

Mental Disorders

A mental disorder is an illness that affects the mind and reduces a person’s ability to function.

May include inappropriate or unusual

– behaviors,

– thoughts, and

– feelings.

Contributing factors are heredity, trauma, and damage to the brain from injury, accident, or illness.

Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Feelings of intense worry, fear, or anxiety that do not stem from a specific source or cause

Phobias

Intense fear and anxiety caused by a specific situation or object such as crowds, heights, and spiders

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Anxiety Disorders (continued)

Obsessions

Unwanted thought or image that takes control of the mind. Obsessions can include compulsive behaviors such as hand washing.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Intense anxiety, flashbacks, or nightmares stemming from a traumatic event or experience.

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Anxiety Disorders (continued)

• Panic attacks

• Rapid heart rate and breathing

• Pain or discomfort in the chest

• Fear of choking or suffocating

• Uncontrolled trembling or shaking

• Nausea, dizziness, or lightheadedness

• A fear of losing control or of dying

Eating Disorders

Complex mental disorders in which anxiety and emotions are expressed through behaviors related to food

– Bulimia

– Anorexia nervosa

– Muscle dysmorphia

Mood Disorders

Depression

A mood disorder in which a person feels extreme sadness or hopelessness.

Manic-Depressive Disorder

Overexcited, restless episode that can alternate with depression.

Recognizing Signs of Depression and Suicide Can Help You to Help Others

Self-Injury

Coping with emotions, stress, or trauma by cutting or burning the skin.

Self-injury can become a compulsive behavior.

May be associated with depression, eating disorders, or other mental disorders.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• It is the most common mental disorder among children and young adults.

• Involves a combination of factors:

• Hyperactivity

• Inattention

• Impulse control problems

• If untreated, it can result in risky and destructive behaviors as well as difficulty in school and work environments.