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MENTAL DISTRESS

21st September 2006
Page 62
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Page 62, 21st September 2006 — MENTAL DISTRESS
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

To help clear up the myths surrounding mental i Ilness and mental health, Mind has answered a few simple questions for us: What is the basic definition of mental distress?

People with a mental health problem can experience problems in the way they think, feel or behave. This can sign if icantly affect their relationships, their work and their quality of life. Having a mental health problem is difficult, not onlyfor the person concerned, but also for their family and friends.

When does someone feeling a bit down become something more serious— like clinical depression? We often use the expression 'I'm feeling depressed' when we're feeling sad or miserable about life. Usually these feelings pass in due course. But if such feelings are interfering with your life and don't go away after a couple of weeks, or if they come back over and over again fora few days at a time, it could be a sign that you are depressed in the medical sense of the term.

In its mildest form depression can mean just being in low spirits. It doesn't stop you leading your normal life, but makes everything harder to do and seem less worthwhile. At its most severe, major depression (clinical depression) can be life-threatening, because it can make people suicidal or simply give up the will to live.

There are also various specific forms of depression such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), linked to lack of sunlight, and manic depression (bipolar disorder),

Are there any particular triggersfor mental distress?

There are many opinions about what causes mental distress. It's part of a wider debate about what makes people the way they are whether our personalities are shaped by the life experiences we have gone through or is determined by our genetic make-up.

Can employers do anything to help? Employment is an area where people with mental health problems experience extensive discrimination and disadvantage. At the same time the workplace can be a source of damaging stress that causes mental ill health.

However, if a member of staff is showing signs of mental ill health, employers should: • Talk to them about it • Make sure the person knows about any support the organisation offers • Encourage them to seek professional help outside of the organisation (contact their GPs) • Consider the need for adjustments to support them • Not discriminate What are the most common forms of mental distress-and what are the symptoms?

Mental distress takes many forms. The terms used to diagnose these forms are sometimes words that are in everyday use, for example 'depression' or 'anxiety'. This can make them seem easier to understand, but their familiarity can lead to the severity of the conditions being underestimated. Some of the most commonly diagnosed forms of mental distress are described below.

Depression

Depression lowers your mood, and can make you feel hopeless, worthless, unmotivated and exhausted. It can affect sleep, appetite and self-esteem, and interfere with daily activities. It may even affect your physical health. This may set off a vicious circle, because the worse you feel, the more depressed you are likely to get. Depression often goes hand in hand with anxiety.

Anxiety

Anxiety can mean constant and unrealistic worry about any aspect of daily life. You may feel restless and have problems sleeping. You may also suffer from physical symptoms. Your heart may beat faster, your stomach may be upset, your muscles may tense up and you may feel shaky. Someone who is highly anxious may develop other related problems, such as panic attacks, a phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder (see below).

Panic attacks

These are sudden, unexpected bouts of intense fear. You may find it hard to breath, and feel your heart beating hard in your chest. You may have a choking sensation and a pain in the chest, begin to tremble or feel faint. It is easy to mistake these for the signs of a heart attack or other serious problem. Panic attacks can occur at any time, and this is what distinguishes them from a natural response to real danger.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (0CD)

Someone with an obsessivecompulsive disorder feels they have no control over certain thoughts or ideas that are highly disturbing to them, but which seem to force themselves into their consciousness. These thoughts, or obsessions, create unbearable anxiety, which can only be relieved by performing a particular ritual to neutralise them. This could be something like repeatedly opening and closing a door, washing your hands, or counting.

Phobias

A phobia is an unreasonable fear of a particular situation or object. It may cause major disruption to life because it imposes such restrictions on the way people live.

Manic depression (bipolar disorder)

Manic depression is a mood disorder. During manic episodes, people tend to be hyperactive, uninhibited, reckless, and full of grandiose schemes and scattered ideas. At other times, they may go through long periods of being very depressed. Not all sufferers experiences both these extremes.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is one of the most debilitating of all mental illnesses and can severely interfere with someone's ability to perform everyday tasks and activities. Symptoms may include hearing voices and seeing things that others can't. Someone with these problems may become confused and withdrawn.

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