Mental illness – This book covers the entire syllabus of ” Community Health Nursing” prescribed by the Universities of Bangladesh- for Basic and diploma nursing students. We tried to accommodate the latest information and topics.
This book is an examination-friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination questions. At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourish. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.
Mental illness
Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions /disorders that affect mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. Many people have mental health concerns from time to time. But a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect ability to function.
Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in thinking, emotion or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.
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Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions /disorders that affect mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.
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Causes of mental illness:
- Childhood abuse, trauma, or neglect.
- Social isolation or loneliness.
- Experiencing discrimination and stigma.
- The death of close someone.
- Severe or long-term stress.
- Unemployment or losing job.
- Social disadvantage, poverty or debt.
- Homelessness or poor housing.
- Caring for a family member or friend.
- A long-term physical health condition.
- Drug and alcohol misuse.
- Domestic violence or other abuse as an adult.
- Significant trauma as an adult, such as military combat, being involved in a serious accident or being the victim of a violent crime.
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- Physical causes for example, a head injury or a condition such as epilepsy can have an impact on behaviour and mood (it is important to rule out causes such as this before seeking further treatment for a mental health problem).
- Genetic factors researchers are currently investigating whether there might be a genetic cause of various mental health problems but there is no clear proof yet.
Risk factors of mental illness:
Certain factors may increase risk of developing mental health problems, including:
- Having a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling, with a mental illness
- Stressful life situations, such as financial problems, a loved one’s death or a divorce
- An ongoing (chronic) medical condition, such as diabetes
- Brain damage as a result of a serious injury (traumatic brain injury), such as a violent blow to the head
- Traumatic experiences, such as military combat or being assaulted
- Use of alcohol or recreational drugs
- Being abused or neglected as a child
- Having few friends or few healthy relationships
- A previous mental illness
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Signs and symptoms of mental illness include:
- Feeling sad or down
- Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate
- Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt
- Extreme mood changes of highs and lows
- Withdrawal from friends and activities
- Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations
- Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
- Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Major changes in eating habits
- Sex drive changes
- Excessive anger, hostility or violence
- Suicidal thinking
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Complications sometimes linked to mental illness include:
- Unhappiness and decreased enjoyment of life
- Family conflicts
- Relationship difficulties
- Social isolation
- Problems with tobacco, alcohol and other drugs
- Missed work or school, or other problems related to work or school
- Legal and financial problems
- Poverty and homelessness
- Self-harm and harm to others, including suicide or homicide
- Weakened immune system, so your body has a hard time resisting infections
- Heart disease and other medical conditions
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Management of mental illness:
Treatment team:
Treatment team may include:
- Family or primary care doctor
- Nurse practitioner
- Physician assistant
- Psychiatrist, a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats mental illnesses
- Psychotherapist, such as a psychologist or a licensed counselor
- Pharmacist
- Social worker
- Family members
Psychotherapy
- Brain-stimulation treatments
- Hospital and residential treatment programs
- Substance abuse treatment
- Participating in your own care
Lifestyle and home remedies
- Stick to maintain treatment plan.
- Avoid alcohol and drug use.
- Stay active.
- Don’t make important decisions when your symptoms are severe.
- Determine priorities.
- Learn to adopt a positive attitude.
Medications
Some of the most commonly used classes of prescription psychiatric medications include
1. Antidepressants. Antidepressants are used treat depression, anxiety and sometimes other conditions. They can help improve symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness, lack of energy. difficulty concentrating and lack of interest in activities. Antidepressants are not addictive and do not cause dependency.
2. Anti-anxiety medications. These drugs are used to treat anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder. They may also help reduce agitation and insomnia. Long-term anti-anxiety drugs typically are antidepressants that also work for anxiety. Fast-acting anti-anxiety drugs help with short-term relief, and they also have the potential to cause dependency, so ideally they’d be used short term.
3. Mood-stabilizing medications. Mood stabilizers are most commonly used to treat bipolar disorders, which involves alternating episodes of mania and depression. Sometimes mood stabilizers are used with antidepressants to treat depression.
4. Antipsychotic medications. Antipsychotic drugs are typically used to treat psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia. Antipsychotic medications may also be used to treat bipolar disorders or used with antidepressants to treat depression.
Coping and support
- Learn about your mental illness.
- Join a support group.
- Stay connected with friends and family.
- Keep a journal.
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Prevention of mental illness:
- Exercise regularly
- Cut back on social media time
- Build strong relationships
- Minimize your daily choices
- Reduce stress
- Maintain your treatment plan
- Stay away from toxic people
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Manage chronic conditions
- Read prescription medication side effects carefully
- Reduce alcohol and drug use
- Get off nicotine
- Plan for unavoidable known triggers
- Develop a support network.
- Be active
- Eat well
- Get enough sleep
- Avoid substance abuse
- Seek professional help
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