Mental and Emotional Problems
Chapter 9
Lesson 1 – Mental Disorders
• Journal: Write as many words as you can
think of when you hear the term mental
disorder. Categorize the words as positive or
negative. What might this indicate about
attitude regarding mental disorders?
• What are Mental Disorders?
– An illness of the mind that can affect the thoughts,
feelings, and behavior of a person, preventing him
or her from leading a happy, healthful, and
productive life.
– Mental disorders require medical attention; many
involve imbalances in brain chemistry
• Types of Mental Disorders
– Two categories
• Organic – caused by physical illness or injury that
affects the brain
• Functional – psychological cause and does not involve
brain damage.
• An anxiety disorder is a condition in which real or
imagined fears are difficult to control
– A phobia is a strong and irrational fear of something
specific, such as high places, dogs, etc
– Pickles
– Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) traps the
affected person in a pattern of repeated thoughts or
behaviors
– Panic disorder involves sudden, unexpected feelings of
terror, or panic attacks
– Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition that may
develop after exposure to a terrifying event that
threatened or caused physical harm
• Mood Disorders
– An illness, often with an organic cause, that involves
mood extremes that interfere with everyday life
• Clinical depression – feelings of sadness, hopelessness,
and despair that last for more than a few weeks and
interfere with person’s ability to concentrate, sleep,
perform at school or work, or handle everyday challenges
• Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disorder) – marked by
extreme mood changes, energy levels, and behavior
• Other Mental Disorders
– Eating disorders
– Conduct disorder – pattern of behavior in which
the rights of others or basic social rules are
violated
– Schizophrenia – severe mental disorder in which
person loses contact with reality
• Other Mental Disorders
• Personality disorder – involves thoughts and behaviors
that make it difficult to get along with others
– Antisocial behavior is marked by irritable, aggressive,
impulsive, and violent behavior
– Passive-aggressive personality disorder is marked by
uncooperative attitude and behavior
Lesson 2 – Suicide Prevention
• Journal: Write down three danger signs you
might detect in someone who is thinking
about suicide. Why do you think these are
warning signs? What can family and friends
do to help a loved one who is exhibiting these
signs?
• Suicide Risk Factors
– Suicide is act of intentionally taking one’s own life
– More than 90% of people that commit suicide
suffer from depression or another mental
disorder, or are abusing alcohol or other drugs
– Other suicidal risk factors include physical or
sexual abuse, history of suicide attempts, or family
history of emotional disorders or suicide
• Strategies to Prevent Suicide
– When a teen talks about suicide – where it’s done in
a serious, casual, or even humorous manner, he/she
must be taken seriously!
– Untreated depression is the leading cause of suicide
– What to do with person contemplating suicide:
• Initiate meaningful conversation
• Show support and ask questions
• Try to persuade the person to seek help
– Cluster suicides – series of suicides occurring within
short period of time from same school/community
Lesson 3 – Getting help
• Journal: Why do you think some people may
find it difficult to seek help for mental and
emotional problems?
• Knowing When to Get Help
– Seek help if any of these feelings persist over a period
of days or weeks and begin to interfere with other
aspects of daily living:
• You feel trapped with no way out, or worry all the time
• Your feelings affect your sleep, eating, school work, job
performance, or relationships
• Your family or friends express concern about your behavior
• You are becoming involved with alcohol or other drugs
• You are becoming increasingly aggressive, violent, or reckless
• Signs that Professional Help is needed
– Symptoms that require intervention by a mental health
professional include:
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Frequent outbursts of anger
Overwhelming fear, anxiety, or anger at the world
Unexplained changes in sleeping or eating habits
Social withdrawal
– Mental disorders may get worse if untreated
– Things to remember:
• Asking for needed help is sign of strength, not weakness
• People with mental disorders often can’t get better on own
• Sometimes, sharing deepest thoughts with stranger is a relief
Lesson 4 – Understanding Death and
Grief
• Journal: What words come to mind when you
imagine dealing with the loss of someone or
something of great value?
• Different Kinds of Loss
– Many kinds of losses can result in emotional
distress. Some losses result from rejection, the
break-up of a relationship, a death, or a move
– A strong emotional attachment can make loss
deeply painful
• Expressions of Grief
– Coping is dealing successfully with difficult
changes in your life.
– A grief response is an individual’s total response to
a major loss
• The grieving process involves these stages of grief:
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Denial or numbness
Emotional release
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Remorse
Acceptance
hope
• Coping with Death
– Focus on good things, not bad. Avoid focusing on
what you could or should have done
– Mourning is the act of showing grief
– To help others going through the grieving process,
show empathy, take time to listen, share
memories and appreciation of person who is gone
– A counselor or therapist who specializes in grief
can help people through the grieving process
• Coping with Disaster and Crises
– Traumatic or sudden events, such as natural
disasters, can leave people feeling a range of
emotions
– Coping mechanisms can ease process of recovery:
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Spend time with other people
Get back to daily routines as soon as possible
Eat nutritious foods, exercise, get enough rest
Do something positive to help your community through
the event