PROBLEMS OF WELL-BEING

MENTAL ILLNESS

MENTAL HEALTH

The World Health Organization defines health

as “a state of physical, mental and social well-

being and not merely the absences of disease

or infirmity.”.

Mental illness affects one in five Canadians and

has an overwhelming influence on society

(WHO, 2014).

A mental illness can make you sad and can cause issues in your daily life, such as at work or in relationships. In most cases, symptoms can be managed with a combination of medications and counseling

Mental illness is a result of a

variety of mental health

conditions or disorders that

interrupts your mood and

behavior

ILLNESS & DISEASE

10 COMMON MYTHS

1. Mental illnesses are not real illnesses

2. Mental illnesses will never affect me

3. Mental illnesses are just an excuse for poor behaviour

4. Bad parenting causes mental illness

5. People with mental illnesses are violent and dangerous

MYTHS

6. People don’t recover from mental illnesses

7. People who experience mental illnesses are weak and cant

handle stress

8. People who experience mental illnesses cant work

9. Kids cant have a mental illness

10. Depression is a common factor in the aging process

MANY FORMS OF ILLNESS

Stress & Anxiety disorders

Depression & Bipolar disorder

Eating disorders

Mood disorders

Substance use disorder

WHAT IS THE

CAUSE?

Mental health issues have a variety of contributing factors.

It is not always easy to identify things that trigger poor mental health.

Related Factors:

Stress, abuse, trauma, neglect, poverty, loneliness, social isolation,

discrimination

MENTAL ILLNESS FACTS

70% of mental health problems have their onset during childhood or adolescence.

Young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group.

Men have higher rates of addiction than women, while women have higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders

Canadians in the lowest income group are 3 to 4 times more likely than those in the highest income group to report fair to poor mental health.

Studies in various Canadian cities indicate that between 23% and 67% of homeless people report having a mental illness.

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While mental illnesses constitute more than 15% of the burden of disease in Canada, these illnesses receive less than 6% of health care dollars.

Almost a third of Canadians who seek mental health care report that their needs are unmet or partially met. The rate is even higher for children and youth.

60% of family physicians rank access to psychiatrists in Ontario as fair to poor.

COMBATING MENTAL ILLNESS

Companies & Establishments should incorporate programs that

bring awareness and offer education and therapeutic strategies

for employees.

Aside from the lack of knowledge about mental health, society

has created a stigma, which contributes to denial for some, who

don’t want to be “labeled”.

Depression is a serious condition that is more often ignored and

untreated. It has been the “silent killer” for many people, famous

or not.

It can be embarrassing for some to admit so they choose to hide it

and suffer alone. The symptoms of the illnesses themselves can

make it hard to seek help.

MORE

AWARENESS

Schools should incorporate cognitive-behavioral therapy into the

curriculum. This would teach youth how to understand their thoughts,

feelings and behavior and how it is all intertwined.

If it is something that is out in the open, and everyone was educated on

how to recognize early signs and symptoms it could be managed at early

stages and more prevention could take place.

A healthy life style for the mind and body can increase good mental health

THE CONFLICT THEORY

The conflict sociology theory emphasizes that inequality in the

quality of health and of the healthcare access.

Society’s inequities along social class, race and ethnicity, and

gender are reproduced through health and health care.

People from disadvantaged social backgrounds are more likely to

become ill, and once they do become ill, inadequate health care

makes it more difficult for them to become well.

REFERENCES

CAMH, (2014). Statistics on Mental Illness and Addictions.

Retrieved from: www.camh.ca

Mooney, L., Holmes, M., Knox, D., & Schacht, C. (2013).

Understanding Social Problems. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd.

Weitz, R. (2013). The sociology of health, illness, and health care:

A critical approach (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Wadsworth.

World Health Organization, (2014). Mental Health in WHO

Regions. Retrieved from: www.who.int/topics/mental_health/en/