Common Mental Disorders

Mental illness is more prevalent than many people imagine. A study in 2002 indicated that approximately 15% of children and youth in BC will experience a mental disorder.

People develop mental illness for a variety of reasons. For some it is a response to major life events such as moving, parents getting divorced, or abuse. It may also be linked to social/cultural pressures or low self-esteem. In other cases, genetic factors might be part of the cause of a mental illness.

Mental disorders affect individuals in different ways. Some people might experience an anxiety disorder or attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder while others, might live with depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.

Anxiety Disorder

Bipolar Disorder/Manic-Depressive Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Schizophrenia

Depression

Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness that a youth might experience.

Individuals who live with an anxiety disorder might feel excessive worry or fear that causes them to avoid certain situations or develop rituals to cope with these feelings. While feeling anxious is totally normal, a person with an anxiety disorder has unrealistic feelings that interfere with daily life such as school, work, or social events. For more information go to the Anxiety Disorders Association of BC website www.anxietybc.com.

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Bipolar Disorder/Manic-Depressive Disorder

Bipolar disorder can be a serious and debilitating illness and does require medical treatment to facilitate day-to-day management.

Bipolar occurs on a continuum and can vary in how it affects individuals and the severity in which it is experienced. The disorder is marked by periods of highs and lows. When someone is ‘high’ or manic they may be unfocussed, energetic, lack sleep, participate in dangerous or ‘out of character’ behavior, and may even experience psychosis. While, a ‘low’ or depression may be marked by sadness and withdrawal. Both ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ have a significant impact on an individuals daily functioning and social relationships.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD affects children, youth and adults.

It is a common developmental and behavioral disorder that is characterized by poor concentration, distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness that are inappropriate for age. Individuals with ADHD may be easily distracted by sights and sound, have short periods of concentration, feel restless and impulsive, and may be slow to complete tasks.

If you or someone you know worry about having ADHD speak to a teacher, doctor, or parent to start accessing support.

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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is not a split personality.

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder and is a serious illness of the brain. It can strike anyone and onset most commonly occurs between the ages of 15 and 25. It is also more common than many people might imagine. Schizophrenia affects about 1 in every 100 Canadians.

People with schizophrenia will display symptoms as they struggle to discern reality from their own perceptions. Some of the possible symptoms are: hallucinations, delusions, disorganized behavior, lack of energy, thought disorder, and depression. People living with schizophrenia might describe hearing voices, express paranoia, or have unrealistic beliefs. The symptoms that any person experiences will depend on the type of schizophrenia he/she has.

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Depression

Everyone experiences ‘the blues’. Sadness is an important part of living and experiencing the world. Sadness becomes depression when it lasts for more than a couple of weeks and begins to interfere with daily life.

Depression is common among youth and adults. Research by the Canadian Mental Health Association indicates that 7% of the population aged 12 or older, had experienced symptoms of depression.

How do you know if you are experiencing depression?

There are many signs/symptoms of depression:

• Changes in appetite
• Changes in sleep pattern
• Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling weak
• Aches and pains
• Loss of interest in activities and relationships
• Feeling worthless, hopeless, overwhelmed
• Low self-esteem
• Sadness, crying for no apparent reason
• Difficulty with decision-making
• Slowed thoughts and poor concentration
• Ruminating
• Possible thoughts of death or suicide, attempts to hurt oneself
• Withdrawal and avoidance
• Poor self-care, hygiene
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs

For more information about the signs/symptoms of depression and tools for screening depression go to www.heretohelp.bc.ca.

How can you cope with depression?

While it may seem like these feelings will be there forever, there are tools that people can use to help get through a depression. Three skills that can help someone feel less depressed are goal setting, realistic thinking, and problem solving.

Goal setting:
When someone is depressed they may avoid things that support a positive mood. This may exacerbate the feeling of being depressed. A simple way to challenge patterns of inactivity is to set small, achievable goals such as: making a date with a friend, doing laundry, or treating yourself to some self-care (haircut or a healthy meal). Be sure to be specific and to set your goals according to a schedule for completion.

Realistic Thinking:
When someone feels depressed he/she might think of problems or negative situations at the exclusion of anything else. Viewing the world in an unfair or unrealistic manner can lead to negative self-evaluation, negative biases about situations, and negative expectations for change in the future. To change this pattern of thinking a person needs to be able to identify negative thought patterns and learn to reframe them.

For example:

Situation: A friend cancels a night at the movies.
Negative Thought: He doesn’t want to be my friend anymore.

Fair/Realistic Thought: Something important must have come up and maybe the movies will happen on another night.

Problem-solving:
When people feel depressed their ability to solve problems decreases. This can be due to lack of energy, difficulties with concentrating, stress, and feelings of hopelessness. Whatever the reason, as problems begin to build someone might feel less and less able to deal with them. Using a step-by-step model to identify a problem and to set an action plan can be helpful. For example: make a list of specific problems (they may be as simple as getting to the grocery store) and pick one problem off the list; next, ask yourself how you have coped with this problem before and who you have to support you; lastly, select a plan of action that is achievable within a reasonable or short-term timeline.

Coping with depression can feel overwhelming. Everyone has their unique experience and responds to different tools for coping. If you are concerned about your own depression or someone else’s speak to a trusted adult, a physician or counselor.

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