Twenty percent of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness during their lifetime. Although most mental illnesses begin during adolescence and young adulthood, people of all ages, cultures, educational and income levels experience mental illnesses. In the course of a lifetime, most people experience feelings of isolation, loneliness, sadness, emotional distress or disconnection from things. These feelings are often short-term, normal reactions to difficult situations, such as the death of a loved one, loss of a job, romantic breakup or sudden change of circumstances. People learn to cope with these difficult feelings just as we learn to cope with other difficult situations.
However, mental illness, by definition, is quite different. It has a serious impact on a person's ability to function effectively over a long period of time. Depending on the illness, a person may have a serious disturbance in thinking, mood or behaviour. They may not be able to cope with the simplest aspects of everyday life and may need help in regaining balance in their lives.
Mental illnesses take the form of changes in thinking, mood or behaviour or some combination of all three. The person affected shows symptoms of significant distress and the inability to function as needed over an extended period of time. These symptoms can vary from mild to severe, depending on the type of mental illness, the individual, the family and the patient's environment.
The rate of students identifying as having a mental illness is dramatically increasingly in Ontario’s colleges and universities. At Humber, we have seen a 41% increase over the past two years in the number of students who have registered with Disability Services on the basis of a mental illness disability.
Mental illnesses are difficult to deal with in any setting, but certainly pose even greater difficulties when trying to reach educational goals and learn effectively in a classroom. There are various obstacles, in the classroom and beyond, for those with psychological disabilities in educational settings and some of these are outlined below.
Educational Barriers
Oftentimes, academic problems are not necessarily the main obstacle in postsecondary education for those with a mental illness. In fact, students with mental illnesses “…did not regard their academic problems as the major reason for their failure to achieve post-secondary educational goals. Indeed, what stood out in their memories were financial problems, their own psychological problems, and barriers due to external circumstances in their personal lives” (Mowbray & Megivern, 1999).
Stigma and Stereotypes
While those with other types of disabilities certainly experience discrimination, there is a different type of social stigma that goes along with mental illness. One website outlined that, “The media is responsible for many of the misconceptions which persist about people with mental illnesses. Newspapers, in particular, often stress a history of mental illness in the backgrounds of people who commit crimes of violence, television news programs frequently sensationalize crimes where persons with mental illnesses are involved, (and) comedians make fun of people with mental illnesses, using their disabilities as a source of humor”
(Retrieved from National Mental Health Association website on February 10, 2004).
Those with a mental illness are at certain unique disadvantages in the classroom when compared to their non-disabled peers. Some of these disadvantages are:
Students who are registered with Disability Services on the basis of a diagnosed mental illness may receive the following accommodations, in accordance with the student’s needs and preferences (this is not an exhaustive list): Test accommodations
Classroom accommodations
Other accommodations that are reasonable and appropriate to the student’s disability are authorized by the student’s Disability Consultant on an individual basis.
Adapted in part from – Psychiatric Disabilities in Postsecondary Education, Susan Mrazek, Ph.D. Candidate University of Hawaii. Retrieved from www.rrtc.hawaii.edu, April, 2011
Mood Disorders
Problems and misfortunes are a part of life. Everyone experiences unhappiness, and many people may become depressed temporarily when things don't go as they would like. Experiences of failure commonly result in temporary feelings of worthlessness and self-blame, while personal losses cause feelings of sadness, disappointment and emptiness. Such feelings are normal, and they usually pass after a short time. This is not the case with depressive illness.
What are the signs of depressive illness?
Depression becomes an illness, or clinical depression, when the feelings described above are severe, last for several weeks, and begin to interfere with one's work and social life. Depressive illness can change the way a person thinks and behaves, and how his/her body functions. Some of the signs to look for are:
If you or someone you know has been experiencing a number of these symptoms, we hope this pamphlet will help you understand what is happening and encourage you or your friend to seek professional help.
What causes depression?
There is no one cause of depression, neither is it fully understood. The following factors may make some people more prone than others to react to a loss or failure with a clinical depression:
There may also be a genetic link since people with a family history of depression are more likely to experience it.
How long does depression last?
The depressed feelings we all experience after a serious loss or disappointment may last for a short or a long time. How long depends on the person, the severity of the loss, and the support available to help the person to cope with it. Clinical depression may also last for short or long periods. It rarely becomes permanent. Without professional treatment, it may end naturally after several weeks or months. With treatment, it may end much more quickly.
Does depressive illness follow a pattern?
Unfortunately, once a person has had a clinical depression, he/she is more likely to suffer from depression again. For example, some people experience seasonal cycles of depression, particularly in winter. This is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). Five to ten percent of people who experience depression also experience states of exaggerated happiness or elation called mania. The occurrence of both depression and mania at different times is called bipolar affective disorder, while repeated experiences of depression alone is termed unipolar affective disorder.
How is depression treated?
Depression is the most treatable of mental illnesses. Most people who suffer from depression are helped by the treatment they get, which usually includes medication and/or psychological counselling. Support from family, friends and self-help groups can also make a big difference. Many people who are seriously depressed wait too long to seek treatment or they may not seek treatment at all. They may not realize that they have a treatable illness, or they may be concerned about getting help because of the negative attitudes held by society towards this type of illness.
What can friends and family do?
It can be difficult to be with and to help someone who is seriously depressed. Some people who are depressed keep to themselves, while others may not want to be alone. They may react strongly to the things you say or do. It is important that you let them know that it is okay to talk about their feelings and thoughts. Listen and offer support rather than trying to contradict them or talk them out of it. Let them know you care. Ask them how you can help, and offer to contact their family doctor or a mental health professional. Find out about local self-help groups and attend a meeting with them. Try to be patient and non-judgemental. Most of all, don't do it alone - get other people to provide help and support too.
From the Canadian Mental Health Association website: http://www.cmha.ca/ Retrieved April 2011
We all experience changes in mood. Times of sadness or disappointment are natural reactions to the difficulties that occur in our lives. The loss of a loved one, problems at work or a deteriorating relationship can cause us to feel depressed. Similarly, a great success or relief from a problem makes us feel happy and content. Our moods tend to be varied and shifting, but generally we feel as though we have some control over them. However, for people with mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder, that sense of control is missing and that causes distress. Anyone who has experienced depression or a manic episode can readily tell you the difference between those illnesses and their own normal feelings of sadness or happiness. Severe or prolonged depression is an illness that affects not only a person’s emotions, but also physical health, relationships and behaviour. At any given time, almost 3 million Canadians have serious depression. It is about twice as common in women. Bipolar disorder, also called manic depression, is an illness in which there are periods of serious depression, followed by episodes of markedly elevated or irritable moods or “highs” (in the absence of drugs or alcohol). These mood swings are not necessarily related to events in the person’s life. Bipolar disorder affects approximately 1% of the population; it typically starts in late adolescence or early adulthood and affects men and women equally.
Depression and bipolar disorder can be treated. There is good reason for hope. By learning more about these conditions, you can help remove the stigma that prevents many people from seeking help.
People with bipolar disorder, or manic depressive disorder, experience alternating mood swings, from emotional highs (mania) to lows (depression). The condition can range from mild to severe. It is not known what causes bipolar disorder. Research suggests that people with the condition have a genetic disposition. It tends to run in families. Drug abuse and stressful or traumatic events may contribute to or trigger episodes. Symptoms of mania include:
Symptoms of the depression phase are the same as in major depression, described above.
Treatment is Available
Depression and bipolar disorder are treatable. Learning to recognize the signs and triggers enables people to work with their doctors, other health professionals, family and friends to prevent recurrences from becoming severe. The great majority of depressed people respond to treatment and nearly all who seek treatment will get some relief from their symptoms. Both medication and some forms of counselling or psychotherapy have been demonstrated to be effective. Bipolar disorder is mainly treated with medication and psychotherapy. Medication helps to stabilize moods, while therapy helps people detect patterns and triggers and develop strategies for managing stress. Sometimes, electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, is used.
What Can I Do?
Many people do not seek help for depression or bipolar disorder, sometimes because their symptoms prevent them from recognizing the seriousness of their situation. It can also result from the stigma that surrounds both these conditions, making people feel like they are weak or at fault. It is important to know that depression and bipolar disorder are treatable. Friends and family can be supportive by learning all they can about the condition affecting their loved one. You can learn more from support groups and community health associations.
From the Canadian Mental Health Association website: http://www.cmha.ca/ Retrieved April 2011
One of Canada's most common illnesses is also the least understood.
Everyone feels anxious at times. Challenges such as workplace pressures, public speaking, highly demanding schedules or writing an exam can lead to a sense of worry, even fear. These sensations, however uncomfortable, are different from the ones associated with a anxiety disorder. People suffering from an anxiety disorder are subject to intense, prolonged feelings of fright and distress for no obvious reason. The condition turns their life into a continuous journey of unease and fear and can interfere with their relationships with family, friends and colleagues.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems. It is estimated that they affect approximately 1 in 10 people. They are more prevalent among women than among men, and they affect children as well as adults. Anxiety disorders are illnesses. They can be diagnosed; they can be treated.
But all too often, they are mistaken for mental weakness or instability, and the resulting social stigma can discourage people with anxiety disorders from seeking help. Understanding the facts about anxiety disorders is an important step. Realizing that they are medical disorders which can be treated will help to remove the stigma, and encourage people with anxiety disorders to explore the treatments available.
What exactly are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety disorders are a group of disorders which affect behaviour, thoughts, emotions and physical health. Research into their origins continues, but it is believed they are caused by a combination of biological factors and an individuals personal circumstances, much like other health problems, such as heart disease or diabetes. It is common for people to suffer from more than one anxiety disorder; and for an anxiety disorder to be accompanied by depression, eating disorders or substance abuse. Anxiety disorders can also coexist with physical disorders, in which case the physical condition should also be treated.
Some of the signs to look for are:
How can anxiety disorders be treated?
There are two main medical approaches to treating an anxiety disorder: (1) drug therapy and (2) cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Combining the two types of treatment can be effective.
Because most anxiety disorders have at least some biological component, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs are generally prescribed. It is important to inquire about possible side effects of any medication.
Therapeutic strategies can be effective in reducing symptoms in each of the anxiety disorders. The techniques used include cognitive restructuring, to help people turn their anxious thoughts, interpretations and predictions into thoughts which are more rational and less anxious. People with anxiety disorders may also benefit from controlled exposure to feared objects or situations.
Specific CBT techniques have been developed to help assist with particular anxiety disorders. People with panic disorder, for instance, can benefit from breathing retraining, which shows them how to slow their breathing and use meditation when they're feeling anxious.
Support groups and educational resources can also be included in treatment. Anxiety disorders place a great burden on the individuals affected, their families and friends. Learning all you can about the particular condition touching your life can help you develop tools for living with an anxiety disorder, or living with someone who has an anxiety disorder.
A proper diagnosis is key to putting a person with an anxiety disorder on the right treatment path. Many people go undiagnosed for 10 years or more. Since research suggests that many general health care practitioners are unaware of all the appropriate treatments for anxiety disorders, you might consider the option of a specialized anxiety disorder clinic. If such a facility is not available in your area, ask your doctor to look into specialized treatments.
From the Canadian Mental Health Association website: http://www.cmha.ca/ Retrieved April 2011
At first glance, schizophrenia may seem like a great puzzle. Its causes are still uncertain; its symptoms, variable. Striking most often in the 16 to 30 year age group, affecting an estimated one person in a hundred, it is youth's greatest disabler. But if it is a puzzle, it's one that is slowly being solved. New pieces are continually falling into place. Consider what we have learned about its symptoms.
Symptoms of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia often starts slowly. When the symptoms first appear, usually in adolescence or early adulthood, they may seem more bewildering than serious. In the early stages, people with schizophrenia may find themselves losing the ability to relax, concentrate or sleep. They may start to shut long-time friends out of their lives. Work or school begins to suffer; so does their personal appearance. During this time, there may be one or more episodes where they talk in ways that may be difficult to understand and/or start having unusual perceptions.
Once it has taken hold, schizophrenia tends to appear in cycles of remission and relapse. When in remission, a person with schizophrenia may seem relatively unaffected and can more or less function in society. During relapse, however, it is a different story.
People with schizophrenia may experience one or all of these main conditions:
Delusions are false beliefs that have no basis in reality. People with schizophrenia may think, for example, that someone is spying on them, listening to their thoughts, or placing thoughts in their minds. Hallucinations most often consist of hearing voices that comment on behaviour, are insulting or give commands. Less often, people with schizophrenia may see or feel things that aren't there.
Disorganized thinking makes some people with schizophrenia feel mixed up. In conversation, they may jump randomly from one unrelated topic to another. Depression and anxiety frequently accompany these feelings.
The symptoms of schizophrenia vary greatly from person to person, from mild to severe. A specialist is needed to make the diagnosis, especially because there are no diagnostic tests.
Theories about the causes of schizophrenia
We know that schizophrenia is a biological disorder of the brain. The causes are not yet known, but there are several theories.
There is strong evidence of important inherited factors. Many researchers are looking for genetic causes of schizophrenia that runs in families. Success may become more likely as genes for complex illnesses are found. The characteristics of schizophrenia, along with its tendency to ebb and flow in cycles, makes it similar to auto-immune diseases.
New technology has provided some recent clues to the causes of schizophrenia. Computer images of brain activity show that the part of the brain that governs thought and higher mental functions behaves abnormally in persons with schizophrenia.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, has shown that the same area in the brain of some people with schizophrenia appears either to have deteriorated or not to have developed normally.
Computed Axial Tomography (popularly known as CAT scans) show that the fluid-filled spaces within the brains of people with schizophrenia tend to be larger than those in people without the illness. Even the treatments physicians use today are giving scientists much-needed pieces to the puzzle.
For example, some people with schizophrenia respond well when they are given medication that interferes with their body's production of the brain biochemical dopamine. This fact is leading researchers to speculate that either an over-production of dopamine or an over-sensitivity to it has something to do with the illness.
Treatments
A number of medications have been found that help bring biochemical imbalances in many people with schizophrenia closer to normal. These medications can help a great deal in lessening hallucinations and delusions, and in helping maintain coherent thoughts. But, they usually have serious side effects contributing to non-compliance with medication and relapse.
Psychotherapy for individuals, groups or families is possible, and can mean a lot to people with schizophrenia and their loved ones. Psychotherapy can offer understanding, reassurance, insights and suggestions for handling the emotional aspects of the disorder and providing less stressful living situations.
Families can be a big help. Working closely with health care professionals, family members can learn about the illness. Families can also provide useful information to the health care professionals. They can find ways to support people with schizophrenia and provide a nurturing environment that encourages communication.
To the future
With proper and improved medication, extensive community support (especially in housing) and skilled psychotherapy, many people with schizophrenia will be able to function in the community. With these resources to draw from, many people with schizophrenia could live independently, work, enjoy family and friends. The search for a cure continues with hope for success increasing every day.
From the Canadian Mental Health Association website: http://www.cmha.ca/ Retrieved April 2011
Psychosis is a serious but treatable medical condition that reflects a disturbance in brain functioning. A person with psychosis experiences some loss of contact with reality, characterized by changes in their way of thinking, believing, perceiving and/or behaving. For the person experiencing psychosis, the condition can be very disorienting and distressing. Without effective treatment, psychosis can overwhelm the lives of individuals and families.
Psychosis is a medical condition that affects the brain. It can be treated.
A person with psychosis may:
Sometimes psychosis emerges gradually over time, so that in the early stages symptoms might be dismissed or ignored. Other times, symptoms appear suddenly and are very obvious to the individual and those around them. Symptoms vary from person to person and can change over time. The initial experience of psychotic symptoms is known as the 'first episode' of psychosis. It is important to pay attention to possible symptoms and seek help early.
What's it like to have psychosis?
"It was like I was having a million thoughts all at once and yet I was so disorganized, nothing was getting done. I was frightened and anxious because I felt someone was trying to harm me. Increasingly, I spent most of my time alone in my room doing nothing. I didn't want to be bothered with friends or family. The television started having special messages meant only for me and I was hearing voices commenting on what I was doing. Looking back, I realize things just weren't making sense anymore. At the time though, it seemed normal and I didn't mention what was happening with me to anyone. Since getting treatment, I understand that I was experiencing a health problem called psychosis."
Who's most likely to experience psychosis?
Psychosis can happen to anyone. Symptoms of psychosis most often begin between 16 and 30 years of age. Both males and females can be affected. Males tend to experience symptoms a few years earlier than females. Persons with a family history of serious mental illness are at increased risk of developing psychosis.
What causes psychosis?
When psychosis occurs for the first time it is difficult to know the cause. Psychosis is associated with a number of medical conditions including schizophrenia, depression, bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder and substance abuse, among others. Because the first episode of psychosis can signal a variety of conditions, it is important to seek a thorough medical assessment.
How is psychosis treated?
Low doses of anti-psychotic medications are a key component of treatment, along with education and support for the individual and their family. Treatment strategies are aimed at allowing the individual to maintain their daily routines as much as possible. There have been tremendous advances in the treatment of psychosis during recent years, reducing the need for hospital stays and promoting faster, fuller recovery.
Typically, psychosis does not disappear on its own. Instead, if left untreated, the condition can worsen and severely disrupt the lives of individuals and families.
What should you do?
If you, or someone close to you, is experiencing symptoms of psychosis:
Don't wait. Look for help. Many persons with psychosis wait a long time before seeking treatment. But recovery is more difficult when effective treatment is delayed.
Talk to your family doctor. They can refer you to a specialist for a full assessment. At present, early psychosis intervention is the focus of much interest in the mental health community. Many medical and mental health professionals are themselves learning about the best approaches to treatment. Some cities in Canada already have centres designed specifically for the treatment of early psychosis.
Ask questions. Be persistent. It is important to consult with a medical professional who is familiar with early psychosis.
Educate yourself. Get the facts. There is a great deal of information available about early psychosis and recent developments in treatment. An excellent starting point is the web site developed by the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC) in Melbourne, Australia: www.eppic.org.au. Most public libraries provide free access to the internet.
Psychosis...
If you suspect psychosis, don't ignore it.
Treatment is most effective when it is started early. With proper treatment, most people recover fully from the first episode of psychosis. For many, the first episode is also the last.
Psychosis can happen to anyone. Early detection and effective treatment can promote full recovery.
From - National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), a division of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Nov.2010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001935
Determining whether there may be a mental health difficulty Students do not always express problems directly or ask for help. Sometimes they feel embarrassed or are concerned about the consequences of telling someone or they hope the problem will go away, or they are unaware that they have a problem.
It may be useful to consider some of the following questions:
Approaching the student
If the answers to any of the above questions are yes, the following guidance may be useful:
When a student does not want to talk
However, it can be extremely stressful and time consuming helping a student, which is why it is important to remember to look after yourself and seek appropriate support and help from others.
A mental illness is an illness. One perspective is that mental illnesses should be identified as neurobiological disorders. We do not believe that a physical illness such as diabetes, cancer or multiple sclerosis can be corrected with talk or personal will. Mental illness needs to be addressed with specific treatments (e.g., medication, therapy). What we often experience in our encounters with people with mental illness are the social complications of the illness.
Current Size: 100%
A variety of in-class psycho-educational presentations and workshops to the Humber community.