Understanding Mental Illness

Question 1

What is mental illness?

Answer 1

Mental illness is any disease, or condition that influences an individual’s moods, as well as the way s/he thinks, behaves, and/or relates to others and his/her surroundings;

A mental illness can be defined as a health condition that changes a person’s thinking, feelings, or behavior (or all three) and that causes the person distress and difficulty in functioning

Question 2

What does mental illness include?

Answer 2

1. Depression
2. Anxiety disorders
3. Bipolar disorder
4. Schizophrenia
5. Eating disorders
6. Addictive behaviors

Question 3

List the contributing factors to mental illness

Answer 3

1. Genetics:
2. Biological
3. Psychological trauma
4. Social and environmental stressors:
5. Personal factors

Question 4

Explain how personal factors contribute to mental illness

Answer 4

Illicit drug use can trigger a manic episode (bipolar disorder) or an episode of psychosis. Drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and amphetamines can cause paranoia.

Question 5

How does one’s biology cause mental illness?

Answer 5

Some mental illnesses develop as a result of an abnormal balance in the brain’s chemicals called neuro-transmitters.
Factors such as brain damage due to a car accident or substance abuse can cause the brain chemicals to be out of balance, or not to work properly. Messages may get through the brain incorrectly leading to symptoms of mental illness

Question 6

Explain how genetics may contribute to mental illness

Answer 6

Individuals whose parent/s has/have suffered from a mental illness maybe be susceptible, which implies that the parent/s may transmit the mental illness to their children through genes.
It is important to note that when a parent has suffered from a mental illness it is not conclusive that their offspring will suffer from a mental illness but rather that the offspring, more than likely, have a trigger to the mental illness, as it could be hereditary

Question 7

How does psychological trauma contribute to mental illness?

Answer 7

Some mental illnesses may be triggered by traumatic events or ongoing stressors such social isolation, severe emotional, physical, or sexual abuse; a significant early loss of a loved one, accidents, as well as being exposed to crime.
Traumatic experiences such as living in a war zone can increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Question 8

How can social and environmental stressor cause mental illness?

Answer 8

Stressors such as severe poverty, sudden social changes, death or divorce, a broken family life, drastic job change, or schools, and substance abuse, may trigger a disorder in a person, who may be at risk of developing a mental illness.