what mental illness feels like
TRANSCRIPT
#B4Stage4May is Mental Health Month
Content for this presentation is provided by Mental Health America and the
National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Presented by NAMI PA, Main Line, an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness,
located in the greater Philadelphia area
Please view the final slide for NAMI PA, Main Line contact information and a list of all links embedded within this presentation.
MENTAL HEALTH MONTH #mentalillnessfeelslike
Mental Health Month Mental Health Month is a time for education about mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and other treatable
medical conditions that affect a person’s thinking, feelings, moods, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning.
WHY SHARE HOW IT FEELS?#mentalillnessfeelslike
People experience the symptoms of mental illnesses differently, and sharing how it really feels—throughout all the Stages of an illness — can help others to understand if what they are going through may be a symptom of a mental health problem. Telling people how life with a mental illness feels helps: build support from friends and family, reduce stigma and discrimination, and is crucial to recovery.
#mentalillnessfeelslikeMENTAL HEALTH MONTH 2016 GOALSCall attention to the importance of addressing mental health symptoms early: identify potential underlying diseases and plan an appropriate course of action on a path towards overall health before the crisis point, or Stage 4 in the illness.
Learn more: Community leaders should learn the facts about mental illness for public dialogue about mental healthcare, especially in an election year.
Share online tools to Screen and Review Mental Health: Screening Tools for Adults Children’s Mental Health Checklist
WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY HAS A MENTAL HEALTH CONCERN:
Discuss it with a doctor, who may refer the person to a mental health professional. Information is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at www.nami.org or its HelpLine at 1-800-950-6264.
NAMI also provides free education classes and support groups. In Southeastern PA, the greater Philadelphia area, visit www.NAMIpaMainLine.org for local resources.
Visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness website for detailed information about the full range of mental illness diagnoses.
MAJOR MENTAL ILLNESSES INCLUDE:
DepressionNote: Fortunately, most people with depression can be helped by psychotherapy and/or medication: http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression/Treatment
Symptoms: Changes in sleep Changes in appetite
Some people may experience a decrease in appetite and noticeable weight loss;other people may eat more, sometimes resulting in weight gain
Poor concentration or ability to make decisions Loss of energy Lack of interest in usual activities. Low self-esteem; dwelling on losses or failures Feelings of hopelessness or guilt—including thoughts of suicide
DEPRESSION#mentalillnessfeelslike
MAJOR MENTAL ILLNESSES INCLUDE:
Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in America; they affect around 20 percent of the population at any given time.
Anxiety disorders include: Panic disorders Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Phobias Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Social Anxiety Disorder
Some people with other mental illnesses, such as depression or schizophrenia, may have symptoms of severe anxiety.
Fortunately there are many good treatments for anxiety disorders. http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders/Treatment
ANXIETY#mentalillnessfeelslike
MAJOR MENTAL ILLNESSES INCLUDE:
Bipolar DisorderProper treatment helps most people living with bipolar disorder control their mood swings and other symptoms.http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Bipolar-Disorder/Treatment Symptoms:
Alternating, recurring cycles of depression (lows) and mania (highs).During a low cycle, symptoms mirror depression (see slide 6).
Symptoms of manias include: Difficulties with sleep High level of energy and activity Irritability Risk-taking; often with poor judgment
BIPOLAR DISORDER#mentalillnessfeelslike
MAJOR MENTAL ILLNESSES INCLUDE:
Schizophrenia Schizophrenia involves a combination of symptoms falling into three categories: positive, negative and cognitive. Positive Symptoms, also known as "psychotic symptoms," involve
a loss of contact with reality. Negative systems "take away" a person's usual ways of interacting
with other people. Cognitive symptoms affect thinking, reasoning, memory and
perception.
Schizophrenia, symptoms continued
Positive Symptoms Delusions—a person believes ideas that are clearly false (e.g.
people are reading their thoughts) Hallucinations—images or voices that others cannot see or hearNegative Symptoms Emotional flatness Inability to start or follow through with activities Lack of content in speech Inability to experience pleasure
MAJOR MENTAL ILLNESS INCLUDE:
MAJOR MENTAL ILLNESSES CONTINUEDSchizophrenia, symptoms continued Cognitive Symptoms
Difficulty in organizing thoughts Difficulty in remembering Inability to recognize their illness (anosognosia)
Fortunately, the symptoms of schizophrenia can be reduced with medication, psychosocial rehabilitation, and family support http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Schizophrenia/Treatment
PSYCHOSIS#mentalillnessfeelslike
SPEAK UP:#B4STAGE4
Whether you are in Stage 1 and just learning about those early symptoms, or are dealing with what it means to be in Stage 4, sharing how it feels can be part of your recovery.
B4Stage4 means, in part, talking about what mental illnesses feel like, and then acting on that information. It means:
giving voice to feelings and fears, and to hopes and dreams. It means empowering people as agents of their own recovery
changing the trajectories of our own lives for the better helping those we love change the trajectories of their lives.
We need to speak up early—before Stage 4— and in real, relatable terms so that people do not feel isolated and alone.
RECOVERY IS NOT A CURE; IT IS A JOURNEY TO RECLAIMING YOUR
POWER
SPREAD AWARENESS #B4STAGE4#mentalillnessfeelslike
Help others who may be struggling to explain what they are going through to figure out if they are showing signs of a mental illness.
Speak up about your own experiences. Break down the discrimination and stigma surrounding mental
illnesses. Show others that they are not alone in their feelings and their
symptoms.
Share what living with mental illness feels like for you in words, images or video by tagging your social media posts
with #mentalillnessfeelslike.
Created April 2016
Presented by NAMI PA, Main Line an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans
affected by mental illness. Visit NAMI online at www.nami.org
Visit www.NAMIpaMainLine.org for resources, including support and education resources for the Greater Philadelphia
area. [email protected]
267-251-6240Links and resources embedded within the presentation:
http://www.nami.org/factsheets/mentalillness_factsheet.pdfhttp://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/national-depression-screening-day.aspx
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/childrens-depression-checklisthttp://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness
http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression/Treatmenthttp://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Bipolar-Disorder/Treatment
• http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=149098
http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders/Treatmenthttp://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Schizophrenia/Treatment
All information is current as of publication date; please let us know if you encounter broken hyperlinks.