Mental and Emotional HealthLesson 1: Anxiety Disorders

Kinds of Mental and Emotional Disorders•Myth or Fact – Mental disorders are not

true illnesses… like heart disease or diabetes.

•Disorder – A disturbance in the normal function of a part of the body.

Anxiety Disorders

•Anxiety disorder – A disorder in which intense anxiety or fear keeps a person from functioning normally.

▫Phobia – An exaggerated fear of a specific situation or object.

Is this a phobia??? Concern over walking down a dark, deserted street in an unsafe neighborhood…

Types of Anxiety DisordersDISORDER SYMPTOMS

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Restlessness, tiredness, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, sleep disturbances

Panic Disorder Pounding heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, nausea, fear of losing control

Phobia An intense or exaggerated fear of a specific situation or object

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder A need to perform behaviors over and over again, such as handwashing, counting hoarding, or arranging possessions

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Withdrawal or depression after a distressing experience such as sexual abuse, a natural disaster, or an accident

Check out how any phobias there are…WOW!!!•The Phobia List

Mental and Emotional HealthLesson 2: Mood Disorders

Mood Disorders

•Mood Disorder – A disorder in which a person undergoes changes in mood that seem inappropriate or extreme.

•Examples:▫Bipolar Disorder

▫Major Depression

Bipolar Disorder

•(Manic-depressive disorder)

•A mental disorder marked by alternating periods of elation and depression

Bipolar Symptoms:▫Person may talk so rapidly that it is

impossible to follow what they are trying to say.

▫May have difficulty concentrating for long on any one thing.

▫Frequently show poor judgment.▫May overspend on a shopping spree.▫Manic episodes alternate with periods of

extreme depression.

Major Depression

•Major Depression – A serious mood disorder in which people lose interest in life and can no longer find enjoyment in anything.

Major Depression Symptoms:

• Irritability, anger or anxiety• Lack of energy; feeling tired all the time• Significant change in sleep patterns• Inability to concentrate• Putting blame on other people for their problems• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt• Indifference to things that used to bring pleasure• Pessimism• Physical problems like headaches or

stomachaches that can’t be explained• Thoughts of death or suicide

Schizophrenia•Schizophrenia – A severe mental disorder in

which people lose contact with reality.

•Symptoms: ▫Hallucinations, including hearing or seeing

things that are not there. ▫Not being able to tell the difference between

real events and ones that are imagined.▫Withdrawal from society, they tend to live in

their own world and develop a fear and mistrust of others.

Mental and Emotional ProblemsLesson 3: Suicide/Self-destructive behavior/Self-injury

Suicide

•Suicide – The intentional taking of one own life.

Causes of Teen Suicide•New responsibilities at home or in school.•Life changing events: family break-up, moving

to a new school, or the death of someone close, etc.

•Alcoholism or drug abuse by self or others at home.

•Physical or sexual abuse•Feeling disconnected or rejected (bullied) by

peers.▫What do all these things have in common?

They all cause STRESS!!!

Warning Signs of Suicide

•Sharing of plans to attempt suicide.•Dropping hints through their words or

actions.•Fascination with the topic of death.•Dramatic changes in the person’s

appearance.•Self-destructive behavior.•Withdrawal from friends, family and

regular activities.• A sudden change in mood.

Providing Support

•Something to remember:▫People who think about or attempt suicide

usually do not want to die, rather their actions are a plea for help.

▫How can you help? 1st – talk to the person 2nd – show interest in the person’s problems 3rd – don’t keep plans to hurt one’s self a

secret

Dealing with Depression

•If you ever find yourself thinking about suicide, remember:▫Suicide is never a solution to depression.

▫Feelings on depression do not go on forever.

▫You are not alone.

What is Self-Injury

•Also called self-harming•Deliberately harming your body

▫Such as cutting, burning, bruising or scratching

•Often done impulsively

Why do people self-injure

•Deal with emotional pain•Breaks feelings of numbness- release of

tension-feel something when feeling emotionally empty

•Be punished for perceived faults•Low self-esteem•Trauma•Perfectionism•Abuse

•Suffering can continue for long periods of time without telling anyone

•Self-injury is usually followed by guilt or shame and a return of the painful emotions

•Can also lead to more serious or fatal self-aggressive actions

Risk Factors•Females are more likely to self-injure than

males•Teenagers•Female/Male, any age, any race can all be at

risk•Having friends who self-injure•Life issues: neglected, sexual, physical or

emotionally abused•Mental health disorders: depression, anxiety,

PTSD, eating disorders•Alcohol or drug consumption

HotLine/ Resources211- only works on land lines. 1-800-543-7709 on cell phones.

http://www.211unitedway.org

National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)Both toll-free, 24-hour, confidential hotlines which connect you to a trained counselor at the nearest suicide crisis center.

Safe Place: 1-888-290-7233Project Safe Place provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for young people in crisis through a network of qualified agencies, trained volunteers and businesses in 32 states. Call the hotline to find out if the program operates in your state, or look online.

National Alliance of the Mentally Ill: 1-800-950-6264Toll-free, confidential hotline operating Mon.-Fri., 10 am- 6 pm (EST). Trained volunteers provide information, referrals, and support to anyone with questions about mental illness.

The Trevor Project: 866-4-U-TREVORThe Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. The Trevor Helpline is available as a resource to parents, family members and friends of young people as well. Visit www.TheTrevorProject.org for more information and resources for young people, including “Dear Trevor,” an online Q&A forum for non-time sensitive questions.

Self-Injury & Suicide Prevention

ISD 728 Safe Schools Tip Line763-633-SAFE or 763-633-7233

• A "Safe Schools Tip Line" was introduced in District 728 schools to promote safety in our schools and communities. The tip line was introduced during the 2005-2006 school year and continues to provide another level of safety. It does   not replace the importance of reporting concerns to teachers, principals and other school staff or parents.

Mental and Emotional HealthLesson 5: Eating Disorders

•Eating Disorder – An extreme and damaging eating behavior that can lead to sickness and even death.

•24 million people have an eating disorder in the U.S.

•These disorders have nothing to do with food but are brought on by mental/emotional problems.

What are Eating Disorders?

•Binge Eating Disorder – Compulsive Overeating.

•A compulsion is something you feel you cannot control and binge eaters can’t control their desire to eat.

Binge Eating Disorder

•They eat even when they aren’t hungry.

•Because of the excessive amounts of food they eat, most compulsive eaters have serious weight problems and are considered obese.

•Obesity – Weighing more than 20% higher than what is appropriate for their height, age, and body frame.

•Anorexia Nervosa – An eating disorder characterized by self-starvation leading to extreme weight loss.

•Most common in females 14 – 18 years old, but can also occur in males.

•People who have Anorexia often have low self-esteem and poor body image.

Anorexia Nervosa

•They starve themselves to gain control of their life.

• If left untreated a person with Anorexia could die from starvation, heart failure, kidney failure, or other medical complications.

•The depression that is associated with it can also lead to thoughts of suicide.

•Bulimia Nervosa – A condition in which a person eats large amounts of food and then secretly purges

•Purge – Getting rid of or removing something

Bulimia Nervosa

•How people purge Forcefully vomiting Taking Laxatives Exercising excessively to burn off the calories

they have taken in

•Health Risks associated with Bulimia:

▫Stomach acids from frequent vomiting can eat away tooth enamel and injure the mouth and throat.

▫Hormone imbalance from frequent vomiting along with dehydration, damage to the kidneys and liver, and loss of important minerals.

•Counselors•Primary care doctor•Nutritionists

▫When an eating disorder involves serious medical problems or severe depression, a hospital or special treatment facility may be recommended.

Help for People with Eating Disorders

Mental and Emotional ProblemsLesson 6: Help for Mental and Emotional Disorders

What to Do if You Need Help

•Problems or issues that should not be ignored:▫Feelings of sadness or anger for two weeks

or longer▫Wanting to spend all your time alone▫If your feelings are affecting your sleep,

eating habits, schoolwork or relationships▫Feeling out of control or nervous all the

time

If you feel you need help:

•Talk to a parent or guardian, the school nurse, the school counselor, a teacher, coach or another trusted adult?

▫Who else might you be able to talk to in these situations?

Kinds of Help

•Therapy – An approach that teaches you different ways of thinking or behaving.

Therapy Settings

•Individual Therapy – The individual and the therapist meet alone for the session.

•Group Therapy – The therapist meets with several people who all have the same or similar problems.

•Family Therapy – Counseling that seeks to improve troubled family relationships. Often times the goal is to help families communicate better.

Drug Treatment Therapy

•In the last two decades drug therapy has come a long way. These medications help chemical imbalances in the brain.

▫Not all medications work for every person. Many times patients need to experiment and find the right medication for them and their disorder.

Mental Health Providers

•Psychologist – A mental health professional who is trained and licensed by the state to perform therapy.

▫Psychologists have a doctoral degree and often specialize in a specific area.

•Clinical Social Worker – A licensed, certified mental health professional with a master’s degree in social work.

•Psychiatrist – A medical doctor with a specialty in the treatment of mental health problems.