8.2 - Mental Health

Question 1

What % of Australians experience some form of mental illness?

Answer 1

20%

Question 2

What age group has the highest % of mental illness

Answer 2

Young adults, 25%

Question 3

What is a mental disorder or mental illness?

Answer 3

A diagnosable illness that affects a person’s thinking, emotional state and behaviour.

Disrupts the person’s ability to work or carry out other daily activities and engage in satisfying personal relationships.

Question 4

Is being mentally healthy defined by not having a mental illness?

Answer 4

No, its about having a positive state of wellbeing

Question 5

Should the CS suggest a mental health diagnosis to the HS if they believe it to be true?

Answer 5

No, this is the role of mental health professionals who work with the HS

Question 6

What role can a CS play in helping with mental health of a HS?

Answer 6

Collaboratively exploring supports and professional help for symptoms or situations that are affecting help seekers.

Question 7

What are the 3 main types of mental health disorders faced by HS’s?

Answer 7

1) Depression
2) Psychosis
3) Anxiety Disorders

Question 8

What is clinical depression?

Answer 8

Long term numbness or lacking of emotion that leads to changes in behaviour, such as lack of sleep, loss of appetite, change in activities you like and thoughts of suicide

Question 9

What is the leading cause of disability in the world?

Answer 9

Depression

Question 10

How long on average does it take for someone to admit to someone they have depression?

Answer 10

10 years

Question 11

Should you say that “I know how you feel, I felt that way before” when someone tells you they are depressed?

Answer 11

No, it can make them feel guilty about not being able to overcome their struggles

Question 12

What is psychosis?

Answer 12

Mental state that results in difficulties determining what is real or not.

Includes, false beliefs (delusions), hearing things that others do not see or hear (hallucinations), incoherent speech (alogia)

Question 13

If someone believes that they are being watched by the people around them and think they might be harmed by them, this could be a type of…

Answer 13

Psychosis

Question 14

What is an anxiety disorder?

Answer 14

When anxiety is chronic and doesn’t ever leave you, impacting your thoughts, behaviours and daily life

Question 15

What is a panic attack?

Answer 15

An extreme form of panic that has taken over the person. They start to believe they might have a heart attack and this leads them to panic more which increases their heart rate again, further causing them to panic. A circle of panic.

An intense and extreme form of anxiety

Question 16

What is the difference between anxiety and a panic attack?

Answer 16

Question 17

Is telling someone to “calm down” helpful when calming someone down?

Answer 17

Never

Instead, try grounding

Question 18

What is grounding?

Answer 18

A type of coping strategy that is designed to ‘ground’ the help seeker in, or immediately connect them to the present moment.

A way of reducing distress or panic and focusing on the present.

Question 19

How might we “ground” a panicking help seeker?

Answer 19

Hearing the pain

Focusing confused thinking by focusing on the present moment

Question 20

When can grounding be used?

Answer 20

When a help seeker is highly distressed

When the help seeker is swamped by emotions of past events

When the help seeker is experiencing a panic attack

To reconnect the help seeker to their physical environment.

Question 21

Asking a HS “where are you at the moment, what can you see around you?” is an example of…

Answer 21

Grounding

Looking at things that are familiar to the HS to reduce distress from a crying or screaming individual

Question 22

Responding to someone with a panic attack by saying “Take your time, I’m here” is an example of…

Answer 22

Connection and grounding.

Question 23

What microskills can you use to make the HS feel calmer?

Answer 23

Voice tone (calm voice)

Active listening

Reflecting the help seeker’s overwhelming feelings

Asking them to describe something in their immediate environment

Focusing the help seeker onto things easily within their control. (e.g. what have you eaten today)

Exploring grounding/calming activities that the help seeker may be able to engage in when talking to you (stroking a cat, making a cup of tea etc.)

If they suggest it, engage in breathing activities with them.

Question 24

If someone tells you they have a mental illness (or someone they know), when should you offer a referral for them?

Answer 24

Not immediately, remember to spend time hearing their pain. Do not jump into it, even when they are ready for the next steps.

Consider whether professional help is already being accessed and work collaboratively with the HS

Question 25

If a HS doesn’t have a mental health diagnosis but you believe they have one, what should you do?

Answer 25

Do not jump into diagnosis, hear their distress and listen for how the symptoms impact their daily life.

When you are collaboratively discussing what actions the help seeker might take after the interaction, it will be helpful to check out professional supports that the help seeker may already have before you discuss any referrals