About Mental Illness

Stereotypically, mental illnesses are often associated with the bum huddled in the alley who talks to himself, the woman on television who has 16 personalities and the homicidal "mad man" featured in the movies.  Words such as "crazy," "schizo," "psychopath" and "maniac" are commonly used in everyday language.

People look at themselves and say, "This will never happen to me. I'm not crazy.  I come from a good family." or "Mental illness doesn't affect me. It's somebody else's problem."

The fact is, however, that one in four American families is affected by mental illness.  In any 6-month period, approximately 27 million adults in the United States suffer from one or more diagnosable mental disorders.  Available data indicate that at least 12 percent, or 7.5 million, of the nation's children suffer from emotional or other problems that warrant mental health treatment.  These statistics make mental illnesses everybody's problem.

The latest figures estimate that the total expenditures for mental health care in the United Sates are between $19.4 and $24.1 billion.  But perhaps the greatest cost paid by those individuals with mental illness is the emotional.  They are often shunned by society, unable to find jobs or appropriate housing, permanently labeled by their illnesses.

The stigma attached to mental illness comes from a fear of the unknown, a set of false beliefs that stem from a lack of awareness and understanding.  Information and education will help to raise that awareness, dispel some of the false beliefs and stereotypes and provide some facts about mental illnesses and the people who have them.

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Mental Health Facts

Common Misconceptions About Mental Illness

Warning Signs and Symptoms

Types of Mental Illnesses

Stigma: A Lack of Awareness and Understanding

 

Mental Health Facts

• Half (50%) of all Americans will experience a mental disorder at some point in their lives. (Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health.)

• Mental illness is the second leading cause of disability. (Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health.

• One in five children has a diagnosable emotional disorder and one in ten has a serious disorder.  Less than one-third get appropriate care. (Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health.)

• The incidence of suicide among 15-24 year olds has tripled since 1960. (Centers for Disease Control, 1997.)

• Among Americans age 18-54, 14.9 percent suffer from anxiety disorders, 7.1 percent suffer from mood disorders and 1.3 percent suffer from schizophrenia. (Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health.)

• Up to one half of all visits to primary care physicians are due to conditions caused or exacerbated by mental health problems. (National Mental Health Association, 1999.)

• Up to half of the people who are homeless have a severe mental illness that is untreated. (National Mental Health Association, 1999.)

• People with depression are more than four times as likely to have a heart attack than those without a history of depression (National Institute of Mental Health, 1998).

• Almost half of all Americans (45%) falsely believe that medicines given to those with serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, are given only to keep the patients calm and are not capable of making them better. (National Mental Health Association Poll, 1999).

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Common Misconceptions About Metal Illness

The following are five very common misconceptions that the general public has about mental illness:

• Myth: All people with mental illnesses are violent and dangerous to society.

Reality: People with mental illnesses pose no more of a crime threat than do other members of the general population. Individuals who have recovered from a mental illness and are returning to the community are more apt to be anxious, timid and passive, and more likely to be the victims of violent crime than the perpetrators.

One study, of 20,000 people who had been treated for a mental illness were monitored for 18 months after their release from hospitals, showed that only 33 were arrested for crimes involving violence. Upon closer examination of those 33, almost all of them had a criminal record prior to hospitalization. A person who has been treated for a mental illness, but does not have a previous criminal record is considered less likely to be arrested than the average citizen.

• Myth: People who have been treated for a mental illness are unstable and can go "wild" at any moment.
  
  Reality: Most people with mental illnesses are more likely to withdraw from social contact than aggressively confront others. The fear that they will go "wild" is unfounded and not a valid reason for denying the person employment opportunities, housing or friendships.
  
  Experts state that most relapses develop gradually, not instantaneously. If physicians, friends, family and the people with the mental illness themselves are aware of the early warning signs, relapses can usually be detected and handled properly before they become too serious.

• Myth: Individuals who have been treated for mental illnesses will make poor employees.
  
  Reality: Many people who have recovered from a mental illness make excellent employees, with many employers reporting that they are more punctual and have better attendance records than their co-workers. People who have been treated for mental illnesses are shown to be about equal in areas of motivation, quality of work and length of time at one job.
  
  However, it is important to understand that some people who have been treated for a mental illness are subject to relapses which may cause them to lose time from their jobs. But through programs which allow flexible schedules and work hours that can accommodate these possible interruptions, people with mental illnesses can be very productive employees. They just have to be given the chance.

• Myth: People who have recovered from mental illnesses are more suited for low-level jobs, but not positions of responsibility.

Reality: Just as other individuals' career potentials depend on their personal talents, skills, experience motivation, the same is true of people with mental illnesses. There have been many examples of famous people who have recovered from mental illnesses and gone on to hold positions of great acclaim and responsibility including Abraham Lincoln and novelist Virginia Wolf. It merely takes some encouragement for those who have recovered from mental illnesses to realize their full potential.

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Warning Signs and Symptoms

The following are signs that you or your loved one may want to speak to a medical or mental health professional:

• In adults:

  • Confused thinking

  • Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability)

  • Feelings of extreme highs and lows

  • Excessive fears, worries and anxieties

  • Social withdrawal

  • Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits

  • Strong feelings of anger

  • Delusions or hallucinations

  • Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities

  • Suicidal thoughts

  • Denial of obvious problems

  • Numerous unexplained physical ailments

  • Substance abuse
     

• In older children and pre-adolescents:

  • Substance abuse

  • Inability to cope with problems and daily activities

  • Change in sleeping and/or eating habits

  • Excessive complaints of physical ailments

  • Defiance of authority, truancy, theft, and/or vandalism

  • Intense fear of weight gain

  • Prolonged negative mood, often accompanied by poor appetite or thoughts of death

  • Frequent outbursts of anger

   

• In younger children:

  • Changes in school performance

  • Poor grades despite strong efforts

  • Excessive worry or anxiety (i.e. refusing to go to bed or school)

  • Hyperactivity

  • Persistent nightmares

  • Persistent disobedience or aggression

  • Frequent temper tantrums

Therapy can be beneficial for both the individual with mental illness and other family members.  A mental health professional can suggest ways to cope and better understand your loved one’s illness.  When looking for a therapist, be patient and talk to a few professionals so you can choose the person that is right for you and your family.  It may take time until you are comfortable, but in the long run you will be glad you sought help.

If you think you may have a mental or emotional problem, it is important to remember there is hope and help. 

 

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Types of Mental Illnesses

The first step to understanding a person with a mental illness is to realize that mental illnesses are indeed illnesses and that the disturbing behavior may be more painful to the individual than to anyone else.  It should also be recognized that problematic behavior without an apparent cause may be the effect of an emotional illness rather than a character fault. Mental illness does not discriminate, it can effect people of any age, ethnicity, or socioeconomic class.

There are several examples of problematic behavior which, if exhibited over an extended period of time, could indicate that a person may be in emotional trouble.  These behaviors include: belligerence, excessive moodiness, exaggerated worry, suspicion and mistrust of others, selfishness and greed, helplessness and dependency, poor emotional control and hypochondria.  There are many different types of mental illnesses, including:

Depression and Bipolar Disorder

Depression is a mental illness which can seriously disrupt a person's moods for long periods of time. Symptoms include changes in appetite and sleeping patterns, fatigue and loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, inability to concentrate and a preoccupation with death.  Depression can affect people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, and if left untreated, can often lead to suicide.

Bipolar Disorder, or manic depression, is a mental illness characterized by mood swings from periods of extreme elation to severe depression.  Sometimes difficult to diagnose, the disorder is often difficult to recognize and symptoms may be attributed to other illness, substance abuse, or poor school performance.  Also, because the symptoms of mania may sometimes feel good to the individual, he or she may deny that there is a problem.  Manic symptoms include excessive energy and activity, extreme irritability, unrealistic belief in one's powers and abilities, and often substance abuse. There are typically periods of normal mood between the two extremes of mania and depression.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic mental illness which, if left untreated, prohibits a person from functioning normally in a family, workplace or community.  Symptoms include: hallucinations, delusions (a false belief that cannot be corrected by reason), and disordered thinking.  A person suffering from schizophrenia may speak incoherently or hardly speak at all, express inappropriate emotional responses, have a blunted or flat mood with little or no emotional response, or experience prolonged periods of elation or depression.  Schizophrenia is not a multiple personality disorder or split personality disorder, as commonly thought, and the majority of those who suffer from schizophrenia are not violent.  Individuals with Schizophrenia often have difficulty distinguishing reality from imagination, and express inappropriate types or levels of emotion in social situations.

Anxiety Disorders

There are three major types of anxiety disorders: phobias, panic disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders.  People with phobias feel extreme terror or dread when confronted with a specific situation (being in a crowded place or speaking in public) or object (bridges, animals or small places).  Phobias can keep a person from leading a normal life because the individual makes adjustments in daily activities in order to avoid the situations or objects.

Panic disorders are characterized by sudden, intense feelings of terror or dread for no apparent reason.  During a panic attack, a person's heart rate will increase, his breathing will become rapid, he will sweat and become dizzy.

People who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder will attempt to cope with anxiety by associating it with repeated, unwanted thoughts or ritualistic behaviors that get out of hand, such as constantly washing their hands or collecting trash.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder also falls under this category of mental illness.  This disorder develops because an individual witnesses or experiences a terrifying or otherwise traumatic event such as human-caused disasters, being victim of a violent crime, or military combat.  Symptoms are particularly debilitating and include having nightmares, experiencing flashbacks of the event, and other emotional disturbances.

Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia are serious, life-threatening illnesses.  Anorexia is self-starvation that results from a distorted body image, which then causes an aversion to food.  Bulimia is a cycle of bingeing (consuming large quantities of food) and purging (either by self-induced vomiting or abuse of laxatives).  People who have anorexia and bulimia have a preoccupation with food and an irrational fear of being overweight.  Ninety percent of all anorexic and bulimic patients are female and the illness typically develops during adolescence or early adulthood.  The long-term effects on the body include malnutrition; dry hair, skin and nails; dental problems; ulcers; low blood pressure; insomnia or chronic fatigue; infertility, seizures; kidney, liver, and pancreas failure; heart attack; and death.  The illness effects every system in the body.

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, or ADD and ADHD, are most often diagnosed in children, but symptoms can continue into adulthood.  Symptoms often include inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and/or over activity.  Children who suffer from ADD express behavioral, emotional, and learning problems during adolescence and often continue to experience symptoms in their adult years.  Adults with these types of mental illnesses are often forgetful, chronically bored, easily distracted, disorganized, restless, chronically late, and anxious.  They sometimes have trouble with employment, relationships, and substance abuse.  These symptoms can be variable and situational, or constant.

Personality Disorders

Personality is the set of characteristics, traits, behavior styles, and patterns that create our individuality.  Our attitudes, feelings, thoughts, and perceptions are all part of our personality.  People with healthy personalities have little difficulty forming and maintaining relationships with family, friends, and co-workers.  Those with personality disorders have great difficulty interacting with others and tend to be inflexible and unable to cope when presented with the demands and changes of life.  Personality disorders have been categorized into three clusters.  Cluster "A" describes those that exhibit odd or eccentric behaviors.  Cluster "B" describes those that present dramatic, erratic, and emotional behaviors.  Cluster "C" describes those that exhibit anxious, fearful behaviors.  There are many personality disorders that fall under each of these categories.

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Stigma: A Lack of Awareness and Understanding

Unquestionably, there is a stigma attached to anyone who has a mental illness.  This stigma, or prejudice, sets the individual apart from others, immediately exposing a past that should have no reflection on the present.  The stigma surrounding those who have had or currently have a mental illness can result in awkward pauses in a conversation, uneasiness on the part of others, guarded references, and often in open discrimination.

The discrimination against people who have been treated for mental illnesses takes many forms.  A woman was not admitted to a university because she supposedly did not meet the admissions standards, but was given no explanation.  A man applied for subsidized housing, but was told there were no apartments available.  Later he found out that two units were rented to other people just two weeks after he was rejected.  Another woman had worked six months as a receptionist, but when she explained to her employer that she was losing time from work because of a new medication for a mental illness, she was fired.

Because of this discrimination, individuals who have recovered from a mental illness often rely on "cover-up" to keep their past a secret when applying for jobs.  If they are asked if they have ever had a nervous breakdown, they answer "no."  If a prospective employer asks why there was a gap in their employment, they respond, "I traveled."  If they are having problems with a new medication, they explain that it is for diabetes or thyroid problems.  It was only recently that questions about an individual's history of nervous breakdowns were eliminated from required applications for federal government jobs.

The stigma surrounding mental illnesses can also take a less obvious form.  The most prevalent and yet difficult area to correct is everyday language, both verbal and written.  Although the majority of stigmatizing terminology is blatant, there is also an abundance of subtleties.  Such words include: "loony," "out of his mind," "nuts," "schizo," "demented," "crazy" and "insane."

Even using the blanket term "mentally ill" to describe people with mental illnesses can be stigmatizing, classifying them as members of an undesirable group, denying them their right to be considered as individuals and implying that they will always be "mentally ill."

The media offer the best hope of eradicating stigma and promoting a broader public understanding and education about mental illnesses, but are often the worst offenders in the use of stigmatizing language and the accentuation of negative misconceptions.

Television talk shows often feature one-sided, negative coverage about the possible harmful side-effects of some forms of treatment for mental illnesses, yet do not present the public with the opposing view by showing the successful treatments that have helped thousands of people lead normal lives.  Syndicated comics poke fun at people with mental illnesses, using their disabilities as a source for sick humor.  National advertisers present stigmatizing images of people with mental illnesses as promotional gimmicks in commercials for everything from food and automobiles, to family games and children's toys.

The most important thing for representatives of the media and the general public to remember is that people with mental illnesses are just like the rest of the population.  They are individuals who should be judged on their own merits rather than by the illness with which they are afflicted and the stigma attached to it.

One of the biggest obstacles which people with mental illnesses must overcome on their road to recovery is the one placed there by those who continue to perpetuate the stigma by holding on to false beliefs and stereotypes.  Other obstacles are the individual weaknesses of the person trying to recover, difficulties affording treatment, and difficulties adhering to a strict regimen of medication and other treatments.  By becoming more aware of mental illnesses, you can give a person who has recovered from a mental illness the chance to continue leading a normal life and return to the community as a productive member with the self-confidence to live up to the individual potential.

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