Dr. Kern's Mental Health Tip
Recognizing and Responding to Mental Illness
What is Mental Illness?
A serious mental illness is a condition that affects the brain and disrupts a person’s thinking, mood, ability to interact with others, and ability to cope with the demands of life. Mental health professionals typically consider the severity of a mental illness, based on the degree to which a person is suffering and feeling badly, subjective distress; and/or the degree to which a person’s daily functioning or ability to carry out normal life activities is impaired.
While all of the causes are not known, research suggests that inherited biological factors and triggering environmental factors are often manifested in mental illness. For instance, environmental stress and poverty are well known to have negative impact upon mental and physical health. It is also important to understand the link between mental illness and physical illness. Mental disorders can have a major biological component, such as brain chemical imbalances. On the other hand, physical illnesses are often accompanied by emotional symptoms, such as depression resulting from heart disease or asthma, which is exacerbated by an anxiety or stress reaction.
Mental illness can impact anyone, regardless of gender, race, social class, age, or religious affiliation. There is research that suggests that the onset or beginning signs of serious mental illness usually occur either early in life (childhood through early adulthood) or during late adulthood.
Addressing Mental Illness: Empowering Oneself to Feel Better and Healthier
Overcoming the Stigma:
Unfortunately, there is often a stigma attached to mental illness, which interferes with persons seeking help for themselves or for their loved ones. For instance: Some people fear being labeled, “crazy”; Some cultures consider it unacceptable to discuss personal problems with a stranger; and Some persons believe it is a sign of weakness to acknowledge emotional distress and to seek professional help.
Fortunately, as the understanding of the importance of our mental health to our total health increased, the stigma has decreased. Also, public awareness of the availability and the effectiveness of treatment have helped with encouraging persons to seek treatment. It is also increasingly becoming recognized that to seek professional help when experiencing emotional distress is a positive sign of taking responsibility for oneself and caring for oneself and loved ones.
Treatment of Mental Illness: Treatment of mental disorders can be highly effective and is available in several forms, as follows:
Medications can be very effective at addressing brain chemical imbalances that can reduce symptoms of illness and distress. For instance, certain psychotropic medications help persons reduce hallucinations in psychotic disorders; antidepressants help persons feel less down or depressed and better able to focus or become motivated to resume daily tasks. The following professionals are qualified to provide such medications:
Psychiatrists (Board Certified), M.D.
Primary Care Physicians may prescribe antidepressants and anti-anxiety
medications when symptoms are not severe
Psychotherapy “Talk therapy” is available in a wide variety of approaches, including
cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal therapy, psychoanalysis, and hypnosis. Also, psychotherapy may be provided across a variety of modalities, such as individual, group, or couples therapy. There are also other forms of psychotherapy that place less emphasis on talking, such as art therapy. The following professionals are qualified to provide psychotherapy:
- Licensed Psychologists, Ph.D.
- Licensed Social Workers, LICSW or LCSW
- Licensed Professional Counselors (Includes Registered Nurses with this specialized training), LPC
Biofeedback and Clinical Psychophysiological and Neuropsychological Therapies: These therapies entail understanding of the interaction between the brain and the body and the utilization of techniques to manage our physiological reactions (i.e. heart rate, blood pressure; muscular tension, etc.). Professionals, who provide such therapies, are typically psychologists and psychiatrists with specialized training, above and beyond the basic minimum required training to become licensed.
Resources:
This article was composed with information provided from organizations in the list below. To obtain additional information or to seek treatment, the following websites may be helpful:
