Mental illness is a condition that affects your thinking, behaviour, mood, etc. It makes you miserable and affects your daily function like in school, college, university, work, etc. With the aspect of ‘positive psychology’ or ‘holism,’ mental health may be defined as a person's ability to enjoy life and make a balance between life activities and efforts to improve emotional strength. World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of wellness in which a person realizes his or her abilities, can overcome the normal stresses of life, can work productively and positively, and can make a contribution to his or her community.”
ANALYSIS OF MENTAL HEALTH
The first analysis of
mental health geographics began at the beginning of the 1970s. It involved only
the locational analysis and mapping of those geographic distributions of mental
illness problems. The second analysis was where a shift in the field of mental
health geographies took place. In the 1990s, there was a transition from
studying the geographic patterns and physical spaces associated with mental
health to focusing on the personal experiences of individuals dealing with
mental health issues within those spaces. This change meant researchers began
to interpret and understand how non-normative behaviours related to mental
health were influenced by people's spatial experiences. So, instead of just
looking at where mental health issues occur, researchers started examining how
those issues manifest within specific environments and how those environments shape
people's experiences.
Some people think that mental illness is
very rare but the epidemiological studies about mental illness showed that it
is very common, even though only a few U.S. families are not affected by it.
Scientists estimate either directly or indirectly one in every four people is
affected by mental illness.
FORMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS
There are many forms of mental illnesses,
including
Depression
Schizophrenia
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD), Autism
Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Eating Disorders
CRITICAL ALERTS FOR MENTAL ILLNESS
Distinct personality alterations.
Difficult managing daily tasks.
Overly ambitious and impractical plans.
Excessive anxieties.
Prolonged depression.
Changes of pattern in eating or sleeping
Thinks or talks about suicide or harming
oneself,
High or low extreme mood swings.
Abuse of alcohol or drugs.
Excessive anger or violent behaviour.
DIAGNOSIS
A qualified professional is needed with
specialized training in mental health assessment and diagnosis, rather than
general practitioners or other healthcare providers lacking specialized
expertise in this discipline. These professionals possess a vast array of knowledge
of mental health conditions acquired through specialized education and training
in their respective disciplines. We call them psychologists, psychiatrists.
They rely on the criteria specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; currently, the fourth edition),
published by the American Psychiatric Association, to diagnose a specific
mental illness. When dealing with a person who might have
mental illness evaluate what kind of symptoms he or she has, the duration of
symptoms persisted, and how his or her life is affected by those symptoms.
TREATMENT
To treat physician talks with a patient,
talks about his or her symptoms, how long they persist, and how they affect his
or her daily life. Physicians also take his or her physical examination to find
out whether the patient has other health problems or not as they might
associate with mental health like certain neurological or hormonal disturbances
linked with chronic heart disease might involve some symptoms like emotional
swings. Medications are recommended to patients that alleviate the symptoms but
they also have side effects like other health problems. A doctor must monitor patients' health and whether medications
produce excessive or undesirable side effects if so then a doctor should lower
the amount of dose or switch to other medications. A patient also must work
with his or her doctor and understand what medication they are taking, how it
affects and what are its side effects to keep in mind. Another form of
treatment is Psychotherapy, commonly referred to as "talk therapy,"
which involves individuals speaking with a trained therapist to recognize and
develop strategies to manage the factors contributing to their mental health
conditions, such as depression. Research has shown that psychotherapy is an
effective intervention for relieving symptoms in individuals with depression
and various psychiatric disorders. Typically, psychotherapy is utilized
concurrently with pharmaceutical treatments. There exists a wide array of
psychotherapy approaches, as people may respond differently to each type.
MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT:
1)Depresssion
Depression is a mood and behaviour disorder that involves persistent sadness. Whereas depression and grief have some similarities, they are distinct experiences. Grief arises from any kind of traumatic event or the loss of a loved one typically involves feelings of emotional pain accompanied by positive memories of the deceased. In contrast, depression is a persistent sadness and often involves self-loathing and diminished self-esteem.
Symptoms
The common symptoms of depression are feelings of continuous sadness, bother, annoy, anger, feelings of worthless and hopelessness, loss of interest in work and hobbies that once they enjoyed, fatigue, face difficulty in concentrating, making decisions, weight loss, difficulty sleeping, awakening or maybe oversleeping, cry a lot, thoughts of suicide. There is a term called “TUNNEL VISION” which may contribute to and worsen depressive symptoms. When you drive in the tunnel you can’t see your surroundings other than the light coming from the exist. People who are thinking of making an extreme choice might have tunnel vision. Being obsessed with their problems and can't see their surroundings. They keep thinking that there’s only one way to escape the misery of putting down everything they have. They believe that’s the only way to follow the light and get out.
Management
Some medications like tricyclic and tetracyclic
antidepressants can treat depression. Psychotherapy also helps to alleviate symptoms of depression where a person talks about
his or her negative thoughts to a psychologist and then the psychologist gives
him or her some homework to cope with negative thoughts.
2)Anxiety
Anxiety can be defined as excessive worry or fear about the future. Physical health issues, social fears financial issues, loneliness, relationship issues, pandemics, and world affairs. These are some factors that collectively affect you to the point where you feel anxious. Anxiety and fear are natural protectors they help and motivate you to run whenever you feel danger but create problems when your mental or emotional stress triggers you to give a fight and flight response in the absence of physical danger.
Management
Your anxiety can be reduced when you start gathering
information about that threat, fear, or concern. Stay connected with your most
loving humans through phone calls, emails, messages, etc also helps to reduce
anxiety. Establish your daily care routine by taking a soothing bath, listening
to calm and melodious music, sleeping more, eating a nutritious diet, and
exercising regularly. Train your mind to accept that there is good and bad at
the same moment but to create stress stress-free life always focus on if one
thing has a bad site the goodness about other things is coming. To release
stress meditation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises are very important.
3)
Some research indicates that children can indeed be affected by mental illnesses, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which is classified as a behavioural disorder typically observed in childhood and adolescence, affecting individuals between the ages of 9 and 17. However, it can also persist into adulthood.
Symptoms and Causes
Some symptoms commonly associated with ADHD are difficulties in sustaining attention, completing tasks, and organizing activities, as well as a tendency to avoid tasks requiring sustained mental effort and to be unresponsive when addressed. The exact cause of ADHD is unknown but it was research that it might link with childhood. Potential contributing factors include prenatal exposure to maternal alcohol or tobacco consumption, which may impact fetal brain development. Additionally, deficiencies in essential nutrients such as iron, as well as abnormalities in neurotransmitter function, particularly dopamine, are thought to play a role, as dopamine's involvement in processes related to alertness and attention. Furthermore, there appears to be a genetic component, as ADHD tends to run in families.
Management
Medications of various types and behavioural
interventions are used to treat ADHD. The most commonly used medications are
methylphenidate (Ritalin), d-amphetamine, and other amphetamines. At a synapse,
these drugs act as stimulants that affect the level of the neurotransmitter
dopamine. Nine out of 10 children improve while taking one ofthese drugs. Physicians prescribed them as these drugs
are considered quite safe. With moderate doses side effects are decreased
appetite and insomnia. These side effects generally occur early in treatment
and often decrease with time. Other forms of treatment include Interventions
used to treat ADHD including several forms of psychotherapy, such as social
skills training, cognitive-behavioural therapy, support groups, and parent and
educator skills training. Just one form of treatment like medication is not
enough but a combined form of medication and psychotherapy is more effective in
improving social skills, parent-child relationships, reading improvement, and
some aggressive symptoms.
INAUGURATION OF INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES
(IMHBS) IN PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN
The provincial government of Pakistan has
made a momentous achievement by launching the first newly established Institute
of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences (IMHBS) in Peshawar.
It is the first institute of mental health
care in the region and aims to provide responsive mental health care services.
In a formal ceremony, the inauguration of the institute took place, presided
over by Caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan. It also offers an
extensive variety of professional development and academic programs. These
programs encompass diplomas and degrees at various levels, including
bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees, to supply health providers with
the knowledge and skills needed for providing mental health services. The
institute provides various facilities, such as a psychiatric unit, emergency unit,
outpatient department (OPD), intensive care unit (ICU), rehabilitation center,
family counselling services, and other specialized areas. Although Outpatient
Department (OPD) services have already begun, the other services will be
implemented gradually in stages.
CONCLUSION
Conclusively, mental illness is a condition which affects individual mood, behavior and overall quality of life and hinder one;s ability to lead a fulfilling life.Epidemiological studies have shown its high prevalence in spaces. The diagnosis and treatment are done by specialized experts like psychologists and psychiatrists. There are numerous forms of mental illness like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and schizophrenia each possessing its challenges and symptoms. Treatment includes medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. The inauguration of the Institute of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences is the biggest achievement of the government of Pakistan to provide overall awareness of mental health and to improve overall quality of life.
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