Mental Health
- Posted by: karthik
- Category: Mental Health
Mental health refers to emotional, psychological and social well-being and it is important to understand that in no way, it is less important than our Physical health!
Simply speaking, Mental Health is all about how one thinks, feels, acts, feel and copes with the stresses of everyday life. At times, it could be much more than the simple worries or anxieties, and could be a situation when one is unable to concentrate, or is disturbed constantly by ruminating of thoughts in a unhelpful manner or is unable to maintain healthy relationship. Losing sleep or feeling withdrawn or angry is also not uncommon, where in the end, one feels isolated,
exhausted or mentally drained.
Suffering from anxiety or low mood such as above can be extremely debilitating and is usually endured in silence, because those around often misunderstand the condition. Things become even harder when people around may start giving unhelpful advices like, “quit worrying” ‘you only think of your own issues’, or “stay calm” causing further damage to the emotional heath.
If you are having any of the above symptoms, you are not alone!
There are hundreds of others, who were assisted by WINGS’s counsellors, who truly understands that your experience of anxiety is unique to you only, they will help you to gain a greater understanding of your circumstances, as this insight can be a powerful step of helping yourself and is immensely empowering. They will also assist you with app coping strategies to combat your debilitating conditions.
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MENTAL HEALTH
The word, ‘Mental health’ has become a very common topic today which refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being of a person.
People sometimes use the term “mental health” to mean the absence of a mental disorder. But it is much more than just that. It is all about how people think, feel, and behave or deal with stresses and challenges, how they maintain their relationships and recover from setbacks and hardships.
Causes
Genetic family history can increase the likelihood of mental health conditions, as certain genes and gene variants put a person at higher risk.
However, many other factors contribute to the development of these disorders. They may develop due to underlying, life-changing physical health problems, such as cancer, diabetes, and chronic pain or life incidents such as divorce, loss of a job etc.
Thus, besides biological factors, social and emotional factors both can play a role in shaping up the mental health of a person.
Common mental health disorders:
The most common types of mental illness are as follows:
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood disorders
- Schizophrenia
Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental illness.
People with these conditions have severe fear or anxiety, which relates to certain objects or situations. Most people with an anxiety disorder will try to avoid exposure to whatever triggers their anxiety.
Examples of anxiety disorders include:
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
GAD is disproportionate worry that disrupts everyday living. People might also experience physical symptoms, including
- restlessness
- fatigue
- tense muscles
- interrupted sleep
About of anxiety symptoms does not necessarily need a specific trigger in people with GAD.
They may experience excessive anxiety on encountering everyday situations that do not present a direct danger, such as chores or keeping appointments. A person with GAD may sometimes feel anxiety with no trigger at all. The symptoms of GAD can vary from one individual to another.
Symptoms may get better or worse at different times. Periods of high stress or physical illness, for example, often cause symptoms to worsen for a while.
Emotional and cognitive symptoms of GAD include:
- uncontrollable and persistent worries, fears, and concerns
- an inability to deal with uncertainty about the future
- intrusive thoughts
- excessive planning and troubleshooting
- difficulty making decisions
- fear of making the “wrong” decision
- problems concentrating
- an inability to relax
Physical symptoms include:
- tense or tight muscles
- aches and pains
- difficulty sleeping
- fatigue
- feeling restless, jumpy, or twitchy
- heart palpitations
- digestive problems, such as nausea or diarrhea
- being easily startled
- excessive sweating
- needing to urinate more frequently than usual
Behavioral symptoms include:
- being unable to relax or spend “quiet” time alone
- switching between tasks or not finishing tasks due to finding it difficult to concentrate
- spending excessive amounts of time completing simple tasks
- redoing tasks because they are not “perfect”
- avoiding situations that trigger anxiety, including socializing with others and speaking in public
- missing school or work due to fatigue, fear, or other symptoms
- requiring reassurance and approval from others
Panic disorders
People with a panic disorder experience regular panic attacks, which involve sudden, overwhelming terror or a sense of imminent disaster and death. During a panic attack, a person may experience overwhelming emotions, including helplessness and fear. Physical symptoms can include a fast heartbeat, rapid breathing, sweating, and shaking.
Panic attacks often happen in specific situations that trigger heightened stress. But some people experience them repeatedly, with no clear triggers. In this case, the person may have panic disorder.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a panic attack involves at least four of the following symptoms:
- chest pain and discomfort
- chills or feeling hot
- dizziness and light-headedness
- a fear of dying
- a fear of losing control or “going crazy”
- heart palpitations, an irregular heartbeat, or a rapid heart rate
- numbness or tingling
- shaking, sweating, or trembling
- trouble breathing, which may feel like choking
- feeling detached from reality
- nausea and an upset stomach
People with panic attacks sometimes develop agoraphobia, which involves a fear of situations where help or an escape may be difficult to access.
The symptoms of a panic attack can resemble those of other medical conditions, including lung disorders, heart conditions, or thyroid problems.
Sometimes, a person having a panic attack seeks emergency medical care because they feel as if they are having a heart attack. Here, learn to tell the difference.
The symptoms typically arise in early adulthood, around the ages of 18–25 years, but panic disorder can develop in children. It is twice as likely to occur in females as males.
Genetic and biological factors may increase the likelihood of having panic disorder, but scientists have yet to identify a link with any specific gene or chemical.
The disorder may develop when a person with certain genetic features faces environmental stresses. These include major life changes, such as having a first baby or leaving home. A history of physical or sexual abuse may also increase the risk.
Panic disorder may develop when a person who has experienced several panic attacks becomes afraid of having another one. This fear can cause them to withdraw from friends and family and refrain from going outside or visiting places where a panic attack may occur.
Panic disorder can severely limit a person’s quality of life, but effective treatments are available.
Causes
Anxiety is a natural response to stress, but if anxiety levels become too high, this can lead to panic.
When the brain receives warnings of danger, it alerts the adrenal gland to release adrenaline, which is sometimes called epinephrine or the “fight or flight” hormone.
A rush of adrenaline can quicken the heartbeat and raise blood pressure and the rate of breathing. These are all characteristics of a panic attack.
The most common treatments for panic disorder are medications and psychotherapy.
Phobias
There are different types of phobia:
- Simple phobias: These might involve a disproportionate fear of specific objects, scenarios, or animals. A fear of spiders is a common example.
- Social phobia: Sometimes known as social anxiety, this is a fear of being subject to the judgment of others. People with social phobia often restrict their exposure to social environments.
- Agoraphobia: This term refers to a fear of situations in which getting away may be difficult, such as being in an elevator or moving train. Many people misunderstand this phobia as a fear of being outside.
Phobias are deeply personal, and doctors do not know every type. There could be thousands of phobias, and what might seem unusual to one person may be a severe problem that dominates daily life for another.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
People with OCD have obsessions and compulsions. In other words, they experience constant, stressful thoughts and a powerful urge to perform repetitive acts, such as hand washing, checking the door lock etc.
OCD is a mental health condition that involves an obsession or compulsion, distressing actions, and repetitive thoughts. It can be challenging for a person with OCD to carry out routine tasks.
A person with OCD typically:
- has thoughts, images, or urges that they feel unable to control
- does not want to have these intrusive thoughts and feelings
- experiences a significant amount of discomfort, possibly involving fear, disgust, doubt, or a conviction that things must be done in a certain way
- spends a lot of time focusing on these obsessions and engaging in compulsions, which interferes with personal, social, and professional activities
Types
OCD can affect different people in different ways. It may involve:
Concern with checking
A person with OCD may feel the need to check repeatedly for problems. This might include:
- checking taps, alarms, door locks, house lights, and appliances to prevent leaks, damage, or fire, for example
- checking their body for signs of illness
- confirming the authenticity of memories
- repeatedly checking communication, such as e-mails, for fear of having made a mistake or offending the recipient
Fears of contamination
Some people with OCD feel a continual, overwhelming need to wash. They may fear that objects that they touch are contaminated.
This can lead to:
- excessive toothbrushing or handwashing
- repeatedly cleaning the bathroom, kitchen, and other rooms
- avoiding crowds for fear of contracting germs
Some people experience a sense of contamination if they feel that someone has mistreated or criticized them. They may try to remove this feeling by washing.
Hoarding
This involves a person feeling unable to throw away used or useless possessions.
Intrusive thoughts
This involves feeling unable to prevent repetitious unwanted thoughts These may involve violence, including suicide or harming others.
The thoughts can cause intense distress, but the person is unlikely to act in a way that reflects this violence.
A person with this type of OCD may fear that he is a pedophile, even with no evidence to support this.
Symmetry and orderliness
A person with this type of OCD may feel that he needs to arrange objects in a certain order to avoid discomfort or harm. They may repeatedly rearrange the books on a shelf, for example
Experts do not know what causes OCD, but there are various theories. Genetic, neurological, behavioral, cognitive, and environmental factors may all contribute.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PTSD can occur after a person experiences or witnesses a deeply stressful or traumatic event.
During this type of event, the person thinks that his life or other people’s lives are in danger. He may feel scared or that they have no control over what is happening.
These sensations of trauma and fear may then contribute to PTSD.
Discover how to recognize and treat PTSD.
People may also refer to mood disorders as affective disorders or depressive disorders.
People with these conditions have significant changes in mood, generally involving either mania, which is a period of high energy and elation, or depression. Examples of mood disorders include:
- Major depression: An individual with major depression experiences a constant low mood and loses interest in activities and events that he previously enjoyed. He can feel prolonged periods of sadness or extreme sadness.
- Bipolar disorder: A person with bipolar disorder experiences unusual changes in his mood, energy levels, levels of activity, and ability to continue with daily life. Periods of high mood are known as manic phases, while depressive phases bring on low mood.
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Reduced daylight triggers during the fall, winter, and early spring months trigger this type of major depression. It is most common in countries far from the equator. People may also refer to mood disorders as affective disorders or depressive disorders.
Mental health experts are still trying to determine whether schizophrenia, a highly complex condition, is a single disorder or a group of related illnesses. Signs of schizophrenia typically develop between the ages of 16 and 30 years, according to the NIMH. The individual will have thoughts that appear fragmented, and he may also find it hard to process information.
Schizophrenia symptoms include delusions, thought disorders, and hallucinations, the sufferer may experience withdrawal, lack of motivation, and an inappropriate mood.
B. Treatment for mental health disorder
Treatment for mental health disorder is highly individual, and what works for one person may not work for another. Treatments can include: Psychotherapy or talking therapy and or Medication.
Mental health can affect daily living, relationships, and physical health. The good news is: one need not feel bad all the time and most of the time, there can be help to reduce the symptoms. There are practices one can adopt to elevate his mood, become more resilient, and enjoy life more. But just as it requires effort to build and maintain physical health, so it is with mental health.
C. Mental Wellness
We have to work harder these days to ensure strong mental health, simply because there are so many ways that life takes a toll on our emotional well-being. It is proven that the mind and the body are intrinsically linked. When one improves his or her physical health, he would automatically experience greater mental and emotional
well-being.
- Stay connected with others. Try to make it a regular get-together with the people you are comfortable with. Communicating or sharing worries with others can help a person control his stress and anxieties.
- Engage in regular exercises, mindfulness practices. Modest amounts of physical activity can make a big difference to your mental and emotional health—and it’s something you can engage to boost your energy and outlook and help you regain a sense of control. Physical activity also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals that lift your mood and provide added energy. Regular exercise or activity can have a major impact on mental and emotional health problems
- Learn to relax – Partake in your favourite activities for no reason other than that they make you feel good. Go to a funny movie, take a walk on the beach, listen to music, read a good book, or talk to a friend. Doing things just because they are fun is no indulgence. Play is an emotional and mental health necessity.
- Try mindfulness practices – Yoga, mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation can assist you to help in stress management and bring your mind and body back into a state of balance.
- Practice appreciation and gratitude – Think about the things you’re grateful for. For this, one simply takes a moment to pay attention to what is good, positive, and beautiful as you go about his or her day.
- Find purpose and meaning in life – Everyone derives meaning and purpose in different ways that involve benefitting others, as well as yourself. You may think of it as a way to feel needed, feel good about yourself, a purpose that drives you on, or simply a reason to get out of bed in the morning. In biological terms, finding meaning and purpose is essential to brain health as it can help generate new cells and create new neural pathways in the brain. It can also strengthen your immune system, alleviate pain, relieve stress, and keep you motivated to pursue the other steps to improve mental and emotional health. However, you derive meaning and purpose in life, it’s important to do it every day.
When to seek professional help
Following these self-help steps can benefit a person. However, after making consistent efforts to improve the mental and emotional health, one may not still feel that he is not functioning optimally at home, work, or in in relationships, it may be time to seek professional help from a Therapist/Medical professional. In fact, input from a caring professional can often help motivate us to take better care of ourselves.