2. What is Mental Illness?
• Mental illness refers to a wide range of
mental health conditions — disorders that
affect your mood, thinking and behaviour.
Examples of mental illness include
depression, anxiety disorders,
schizophrenia, eating disorders and
addictive behaviours (Mayoclinic.org,
2015)
3. What is Mental Illness
• Mental illness effects one in
four people
• Mental disorders can “cause a
wide variety of problems with
different symptoms. However
they can all be generally
characterized by abnormal
thoughts, emotions and
behaviours with others (Who.
Int, 2015).
• Some mental illnesses have a
greater effect on the persons
daily activity and relationships
with others (Who. Int, 2015).
4. Common mental illnesses
• Anxiety Disorder- People
with anxiety disorder respond to
certain objects or situations with
fear and dread, as well as with
physical signs of anxiety or panic,
such as a rapid heartbeat and
sweating (Webmd.com, 2015).
5. Common Mental Illnesses
• Mood Disorder- involve
persistent feelings of sadness or
periods of feeling overly happy, or
fluctuations from extreme
happiness to extreme sadness.
The most common mood
disorders are depression, bipolar
disorder and cyclothymic disorder
(Webmd.com, 2015).
6. Common Mental Illnesses
• Eating Disorders- Involves
extreme emotions, behaviours and
attitude involving weight and food.
There are a couple types like
Anorexia and Bulimia
(Webmd.com, 2015).
7. Common Mental Illnesses
• Post traumatic stress
disorder- PTSD is a condition
that can develop following a
traumatic and/or terrifying event,
such as a sexual or physical
assault, the unexpected death of a
loved one or a natural disaster
(Webmd.com, 2015).
8. Statistics on Mental Illness in
Canada
• 20% of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their
lifetime.
• Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at
some time in their lives.
• About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic
depression”).
• Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing
mild to severe impairment.
• Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and
16% among 25-44 year olds.
• Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and
women from adolescence to middle age.
• All cited from (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2015).
9. Youth with Mental Illness
• It is estimated that 10-20% of
Canadian youth are affected by a
mental illness or disorder – the single
most disabling group of disorders
worldwide.
• Today, approximately 5% of male
youth and 12% of female youth, age
12 to 19, have experienced a major
depressive episode.
• Suicide is among the leading causes
of death in 15-24 year old Canadians,
second only to accidents; 4,000 people
die prematurely each year by suicide.
• Schizophrenia is youth’s greatest
disabler as it strikes most often in the
16 to 30 year age group, affecting an
estimated one person in 100.
• All cited from (Canadian Mental Health Association,
2015).
11. Diagnosing Mental Illness
• A physical exam. Your doctor will try to rule out physical
problems that could cause your symptoms.
• Lab tests. These may include a check of your thyroid
function or a screening for alcohol and drugs, to
determine if it is an abuse problem.
• A psychological evaluation. A doctor or mental health
provider talks to you about your symptoms, thoughts,
feelings and behaviour patterns. You may be asked to fill
out a questionnaire to help answer these questions. The
doctors will use specific tests and questions to pin point
the right illness so you are not getting treated wrongly.
• All cited from (Mayoclinic.org, 2015).
12. Treatments
• Can be through
medications
• Community support
programs
• Treatment is not
always in a hospital
but rather it can be in
your home, where the
trauma took place etc.
13. Newly Developed treatments
• Transcranial Magnetic
Stimulation (TMS)
– This uses a magnetic
field to stimulate
neurons in the brain
– There is no medication
needed
– Has been most
effective on patients
with depression and
anxiety
• (Who. Int, 2015).
14. Theories: Maslow’s Basic Human
Needs Model
Without these basic Human
needs is when mental illness
hits us (Lavc.edu, 2015).
15. Sociological Theory
• Conflict theory
– Those dealing with mental illness have a hard
time talking to other groups
– Ethnic groups could make it hard for those
dealing with mental illness to try and branch
out of there comfort zone
16. References
• Canadian Mental Health Association,. (2015). Fast Facts about Mental Illness - Canadian Mental
Health Association. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from http://www.cmha.ca/media/fast-facts-
about-mental-illness/#.VR_m3PnF98E
• Lavc.edu,. (2015). 404 page not found - Los Angeles Valley College. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from
https://www.lavc.edu/.../5%20theories%20for%20mental%20health.ppt
• Mayoclinic.org,. (2015). Mental illness - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/basics/definition/con-
20033813
• Mayoclinic.org,. (2015). Mental illness Tests and diagnosis - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 4 April 2015,
from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/basics/tests-
diagnosis/con-20033813
• Webmd.com,. (2015). Mental Health: Types of Mental Illness. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-types-illness
• Who.int,. (2015). WHO | Mental disorders. Retrieved 4 April 2015, from
http://www.who.int/topics/mental_disorders/en