Written by California Department of Mental Health
Thursday, 12 February 2009 06:28
Most people who experience difficulties and who can benefit from therapy or counseling
do not suffer from a "severe mental illness." However, some 15 to 20% of the population
may experience a diagnosable severe mental disorder at some point in their lives. Very
few seek professional help. The problem: myths and confusion about what mental
illnesses really are, how to recognize them and what kinds of treatments are available.
As with many other diseases, mental disorders can be brought about by heredity or
other biological factors or by environmental influences. Scientists now believe that
severe mental disorders are linked to functional abnormalities of the brain. Yet people
continue to stigmatize those with mental illnesses and do not acknowledge the biological
causes. Serious mental illnesses have a profound effect not only on individuals
experiencing these disorders, but on their families, friends and co-workers.
Following are brief descriptions or the most commonly mentioned severe mental
disorders. A range of treatments, including medication, hospitalization, psychotherapy
and social services may be used to treat these disorders. Family members and friends
may benefit from therapy and/or support groups as well. Local branches of the Mental
Health Association and the Alliance for the Mentally Ill can provide listings of support
group available in the community.
Schizophrenia
It is believed that approximately one in every one hundred people in the United States
today has schizophrenia, which may be caused by a biochemical disorder of the brain.
Schizophrenia may be characterized by an inability to differentiate between reality and
non-reality. The illness often manifests itself in early adulthood between the ages of 16 -
25. Some of the more obvious symptoms include delusions (false beliefs, despite
obvious proof to the contrary), hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not
present), thought disorders (revealed by disconnected speech or, in severe cases,
incoherence), loss of self-identity, withdrawal from the outside world and abnormal
psychomotor activity (rocking, pacing or immobility).
Choice of treatment and medications varies, but accurate diagnosis by a qualified
psychiatrist or clinical psychologist is essential. "Split personality" is not a symptom
ofschizophrenia but rather is manifested in a mental illness known as dissociative
identity disorder.
Mood Disorders
Periods of sadness may be normal reactions to life. When mood symptoms become
disabling, a mood disorder may be present. Mood disorders are characterized by
periods of severe depression and/or periods of abnormally high energy and poor
judgment. Depression is a word commonly used to describe temporary "down" moods or
sad feelings, but for 10 million people in the U.S., it means something much more
serious.
For these individuals, clinical depression is a severe illness, preventing them from
maintaining normal life activities. The depression lingers on, often resulting in feelings of
complete despair, worthlessness and suicidal behavior.
Depression takes many different forms, each of which varies from person to person. In
general, though, clinical depression is referred to as either major depression (the sad
kind), or manic-depression/bipolar behavior (periods or intense sadness often
alternating with inappropriate mania elation).
Symptoms of the manic phase of bipolar disorder may include excessive sleeplessness,
increased desire to talk, distractibility, irritability, hyperactivity, hyper-sexuality, inflated
self-esteem or poor judgment.
Symptoms of a depressive phase may include changes in sleep patterns, changes in
appetite, feelings of sadness or worthlessness, difficulties with concentration, giving
away money and possessions and thoughts of or attempts at suicide.
Fortunately, effective treatment through medication psychotherapy or both, is available
for more than 80% of those with depressive illnesses.
Anxiety Disorders
Although anxiety is a normal, necessary part of life, when it becomes too severe for a
person to control, it is considered an anxiety disorder. It is the most common of the
severe mental disorders, affecting some 10 to 15% of the adult population. The
following are some of the chief anxiety disorders.
- General anxiety disorders are marked by excessive worry, jumpiness, irritability,
tension, sweating, heart pounding or racing. The person is apprehensive, on
edge and has problems sleeping. If such symptoms persist for a month or more
he or she should seek help. - People with panic disorder are subject to attacks of panic with no obvious cause.
They become extremely frightened and may think they are going to die. They may
suffer heart palpitations, dizziness, chest pains and a sense of unreality. The
disorder may be limited to a few weeks or months, recur several times or persist
over a long period of time. Although the attack itself generally lasts only a few
minutes, anticipating the feeling of helplessness or loss of control that
accompanies the panic can make the person reluctant to be alone or to leave
home. - When these situations recur frequently and normal activities become increasingly
restricted, the individual is usually diagnosed as having agoraphobia. The person
with agoraphobia usually avoids situations in which he/she believes escape would
be difficult or impossible - crowds, tunnels, stores, bridges, elevators and public
transportation, for example. - Other types of phobias include specific phobias, the persistent and irrational fear
of a specific object, activity or situation and social phobias, the irrational fear of
humiliating or embarrassing oneself in public. - Obsessive/compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition in which a person feels
compelled to perform pointless rituals, or is troubled by recurrent peculiar worries. - Another anxiety disorder is post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a reaction to a
psychologically traumatic event that is outside the range of usual human
experience, such as wartime combat, automobile accidents, physical and sexual
abuse, rape, earthquakes and other disasters. Symptoms include re-experiencing
the event, non-responsiveness to others, little interest in outside activities,
sleeplessness, memory problems and loss of concentration.
Other Severe Disorders
Personality Disorders
The individual with a personality disorder demonstrates a general failure to adjust to
socially acceptable behavior and is incapable of establishing adequate social
relationships and is often troubled by a poor self image. Characteristics of these
disorders are rigid and deeply rooted patterns in relating, perceiving and thinking.
Personality disorders may become apparent in adolescence, or earlier, and may be less
obvious in middle and old age. This is especially true of the individual with an anti-social
personality, who is in continuous social or legal trouble and who does not seem to profit
from parental or societal punishment.
Individuals with paranoid personality behave toward others with unwarranted suspicion.
They may believe that others have taken advantage of them, even when evidence to
the contrary is presented.
Eating Disorders
The most common eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia. People who
suffer from Anorexia Nervosa refuse to eat, leading to weight loss of at least 15% of
body weight. They do not maintain minimum weight for age and height, but no
diagnosed physical illness accounts for the weight loss. These people usually suffer
from low self-esteem and irrationally believe they are fat no matter how thin they
become. They have an intense fear of obesity. Without treatment, some may die from
complications of malnutrition.
Individuals with Bulimia binge on food and then try to get rid of the unwanted calories by
inducing vomit, taking laxatives, severely restricting their diet or by excessive exercise.
They usually are aware that their eating habits are abnormal, but often they fear not
being able to stop eating voluntarily.
Written by :
CDMH
The Guidance Center
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