Mental Illness: What is it and What Support is Available?
As we continue our discussion on mental health and mental illness, I want to address two things: the importance of seeking help if you need it, and how to help someone when you're asked. First, though, I think it’s important to understand a little more about mental illness in general.
What is Mental Illness
Mental illness is observed as an irrational behavior displayed by a person who appears to be out of control and in need of professional help.Scientifically, however, we are still in the early stages of understanding what is meant by mental health let, alone mental illness. Only a few decades ago, treatments for mental illness, such as institutionalization and electroshock therapy, were the norm. Hopefully, we can advance our knowledge more in the next 40 years than we did in the last and develop treatments that target specific causes of mental illness more effectively to help improve overall mental health.
Diagnoses
While there is no strict formula to diagnose causes of mental illness, research indicates that a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors are at the root. The biggest strides in grasping mental illness have come in the biological arena with the understanding of neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that help brain circuits communicate. If the chemicals are not operating normally, mental illness is often a result. Other biological factors can include family genetic history, brain injury, exposure to traumatic situations, prenatal damage, and substance abuse.
Acceptance and Support
If you have a mental illness and you know this with all your being, don’t try to force yourself out of it because it will only create more chaos. Accept the mental illness. Use the strengths you have to keep going in the best way you can. Pretending you don’t have a mental illness will only make things worse. By accepting the illness and what it means for your life, you can find the best ways to live with more happiness. This doesn’t mean you can’t change anything—it means some things are out of your control.
How to Help Yourself
The quality of your support system will help you feel encouraged and far less alone on your journey to recovery. Addictions can be isolating as people may not understand your struggles or experiences, but you can nurture a strong support system no matter how alone you feel. Even one high-quality friend or therapist can make all the difference in supporting your healthy lifestyle.Check out hotlines and support groups in your area, and even peer support advocates who are willing and able to be there as you challenge yourself. Learning to ask for help will be one of the most critical skills you will need to master in order to navigate future challenges, so make the practice of asking for help a part of your early recovery. You can cope with mental illness if you’re given the right tools and shown how to live day-to-day with your condition.Suicide is NEVER the answer. If you need someone to talk to now, call 1-800-273-8255, or visit your nearest emergency room immediately.
A Note to The Healthy
Sometimes people belittle or make things worse for a mentally ill person without meaning to because they don't understand what they're dealing with.
Mental Illness and Word Choice
Comforting someone with a mental illness is not wrong, but minimizing or explaining to someone how their behavior is irrational may only leave that person feeling worse. Here is a list of things from the mental health resource, Psycom.net, you should never say to someone who is mentally ill:
Stop acting crazy. Don’t be insane. You are seriously unhinged.
Just don’t worry about it. Calm down!, Don’t sweat the small stuff.
This makes me want to kill myself. I wish I were dead. This makes me want to commit suicide.
Therapy is for people who are weak. I just don’t see the point of therapy. Can’t people just solve things on their own?
Things will be better in the morning. Tomorrow is another day. Cheer up.
How to Help Someone with A Mental Illness
Often, people with mental health issues don't even realize they are ill. That's why it's important to develop a better understanding of how to approach, manage, and with training, help a mentally ill person feel safe. Several organizations have resources to help people suffering from mental illness, and they teach families how to help, too. The following resource is the best place to start:
At the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), you will find valuable information on mental health and illness. Check your local area for NAMI support groups, too.
Examples of Denial
Once people realize they are mentally ill, they don't necessarily come to terms with it quickly. Sometimes, they deny they are ill and might not get the help they need because of it. According to the Mayo Clinic, denial is a coping mechanism that gives people time to adjust to distressing situations—but saying someone is in denial can interfere with treatment or a person's ability to tackle their mental health challenges.Examples of unhealthy denial, according to the Mayo Clinic, are listed below. While denial is not a mental illness, the behaviors listed indicate different types of emotional distress that could lead to or be symptomatic of one.
A college student witnesses a violent shooting but claims not to be affected by it.
The partner of an older man in the end stage of life refuses to discuss health care directives and wills with him, insisting that he's getting better.
Someone periodically misses morning work meetings after drinking excessively the night before, but insists there's no problem because the work is still getting done.
A couple is ringing up so much credit card debt that they toss the bills aside because they can't bear to open them.
If you know a person who is able to recognize they are ill, you can visit the following website with them and investigate local options as well.
Things to Remember
If you want to know more about mental illness and learn how to help, visit the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI).
If you are not a licensed mental health care professional, don't diagnose. Seek help.
Some people are not aware they have a mental illness until someone helps them.
Once a person realizes they are mentally ill, they don't necessarily come to terms with it quickly.
If you see someone acting irrationally to the point they need help beyond their or your means, call a professional to intervene.
If you'd like to catch up on this blog series about mental health, start from the beginning here: