Mental health is the ability to interact with others around you in a positive way.
Good mental health encompasses a general sense of well-being and control over your life, the ability to participate in family life, and make balanced decisions about difficult or different situations.
Recovery from a mental illness can sometimes be hindered by stigma and discrimination
Suicide is now more common in Australia than road deaths
CAUSES OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Mental illness is often the culmination of several factors.
Genetics
Mental illness can tend to run in families.
It seems people don't inherit the actual disorder, but rather a tendency to get that disorder.
They might be therefore more susceptible to develop depression or anxiety when they have a particularly stressful experience.
It's due to the way their brain works, and a lot of that is given to you by your parents.
Having a mental illness in the family, however, does not mean that other members will develop an illness.
Drugs
Using alcohol, marijuana, speed, ecstasy and other drugs can make mental illness more likely (eg there is an association between marijuana and schizophrenia).
In fact, it is sometimes difficult to tell which comes first, because a lot of people use drugs after they get a mental illness as a way to escape their troubles
Losing someone you love
Depression is very often a reaction to the loss of someone or something important.
This might be the break up of a long term relationship, losing a family member, or something that you own.
Family troubles
When things go bad at home, it tends to upset our lives a lot.
A fight with parents, a separation, or trouble with brothers and sisters attacks our deepest feelings and can make us feel very uncomfortable.
Avoiding problems
This is a hard thing to appreciate at times, but the greatest cause of all mental illnesses is perhaps our desire to avoid problems and the pain that goes with them.
This might seem a little strange - that we create bigger problems through avoiding other problems- but it tends to be true.
The truth is that life was never meant to be easy, and we are meant to have problems to deal with most of the time.
Mental illness can occur when we, for some reason or another, don't want to deal with our troubles.
We might feel angry at someone but not want to tell them, or be hurt by someone and not want to show it.
Instead of being expressed in a positive way, all these emotions end up on the inside somewhere, where they fester and get bigger and usually make us feel worse!
Perhaps the best way to avoid a mental illness is to be honest with other people, and honest with yourself, about your problems and the way you feel.
Don't be scared to ask for help.
It is a hard world, but people such as your GP are there for you to talk to.
Doctors are great at listening and understanding where you are coming from.
They can give you real help, whenever you need it.
Taking on all your problems at once - sometimes feels as though everything is just too much to handle!!
Maybe you are taking too much on board at once.
Try to work through each problem separately, look at the small picture first.
What really needs to be done at this point in time?
Next time you feel overwhelmed or confused by a problem or issue, try the following steps:
- Identify exactly what the problem is. Writing it down often helps clear what is bothering you.
- Think of 2 or 3 ways to solve the problem. Note any ideas you may have..even if you think that they're not particularly good ones.
- Consider the pros and cons of each solution.
- Choose the best solution that best fits your needs.
- Plan the steps you will take to put the solution into action.
Unemployment
Prolonged periods of doing nothing, and the disappointment of not feeling useful can make even the strongest person feel down.
Sometimes a mental illness is caused by none of these things.
More often it is a combination of a whole pile of things that each on their own, would not tend to bother you.
But when they are put together the result is a lot of confusion and hurt.
Sometimes you feel that you can't cope.
AVOIDING MENTAL ILLNESS
Talk to your friends, family, your doctor or someone you can trust.
It sometimes helps to have someone you don't know on a personal level to listen to your problems.
- Find time for yourself - we live in a society that goes at a pretty frantic pace!
It really helps to take time out for yourself on a regular basis- to walk, to read, to play sport or listen to music.
Watching TV or playing video games don't count, as they don't help to keep you in touch with YOU.
- Avoid using drugs and alcohol - they have an effect on the brain which can bring you down.
Awareness of this and avoiding using, and situations where you are likely to be influenced to use, is a sensible way to avoid mental illness.
Just because others may not react in the same way as you do to certain substances does not mean you are missing out in any way.
It only means that you are unique as a human being.
- Get Connected!! - A study in America found that a sense of connectedness promotes us feeling happy and healthy.
That is, feeling connected and in tune with family, friends, at school, at work and in the community helps us to remain mentally balanced.
The hardest things about getting yourself out of a bad spell is first admitting that you have a problem, and then letting someone else know about it.
Once you have done these, you are a good part of the way there, but the road can still be long and tough.
Hang in there. There is always someone that can help.
A good place to go is to your doctor.
Your doctor has the ability to not only help you talk through your problem, but can prescribe medication such as an antidepressant, sedative or mood stabilizer that can help bring you back to a more normal state of mind.
This, as they are aware, will not be the complete answer to your problem, but can certainly help you keep your head above water while you work together to try to work out other issues.
You might like to work down this list if you are feeling down, stressed, out of touch or confused and don't know where to turn.
Other adult
MENTAL HEALTH AND OTHERS:
How Does Mental Illness Affect Families?
It may be difficult for other family members to understand what is happening when another family member is developing a mental illness.
Not only do they not understand what is going on, but they may not know what to do, how to provide support and where to seek help and information.
This can be very stressful on a family, and may be severe enough to cause disharmony and breakdown.
Siblings may resent the time and attention that parents often give to the unwell person.
This stigma on a family member may cause a family to be ashamed and become isolated and withdrawn.
They may feel rejected by neighbours and friends.
They may begin to blame themselves or each other for a family member being unwell.
Mental illness can cause a financial strain on the family.
The person who is unwell may be unable to work or manage their finances.
They may need a lot of support from others and costly medical treatment.
Families need to be given specific information so they can understand what is happening and begin to deal with it in the most effective way.
Your GP can help you and your family to cope.
Stigma
A stigma is defined as a mark or sign of shame, disgrace or disapproval, of being shunned or rejected by others.
The stigma associated with mental illness is often more disabling than the illness itself.
Some people reject or shun people with mental illness because they do not understand, and hence feel uncomfortable and afraid.
The stigma associated with mental illness makes it more difficult for people to seek help early and receive treatment and support.
It makes it harder for family and friends to learn about mental illness - which is an important first step.
WHEN THINKING ABOUT A PERSON WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, REMEMBER:
He/she is an individual who is likely to share similar hopes, dreams, likes and dislikes to you.
Mental illness is only part of who they are.
It should not be the focus of your conversation with them, or your thoughts about them.
Relating to a person with a mental illness should be just like relating to anyone else with an illness.
It takes courage to admit having problems and seeking help.
mental health
