What is a mental illness?

A MENTAL ILLNESS IS

• A medical condition disrupting a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning.

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• Common. One in four people will develop a mental illness in their lifetime.

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• Treatable. Most mental illnesses can be treated effectively with medication, therapy, diet, exercise, and support. Recovery is possible.

A MENTAL ILLNESS IS NOT

• Imaginary. Mental illnesses are very real and very common.

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• Something to “get over.” Mental illnesses cannot be willed away.

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• A character flaw. Mental illnesses are medical conditions that do not define us.

AN ILLNESS CAN BE CAUSED BY

• Trauma. Sometimes traumatic events can play a role in triggering a mental illness.

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• Chemical imbalance. Chemical or biochemical changes in the brain can be factors.

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• Genetics. Some mental illnesses get passed along from one generation to the next.

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• Environment. Exposure to toxins, illnesses, drugs, or alcohol can affect the developing brain in utero.

Anxiety Disorders

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A common group of mental illnesses that can often cause people to feel frightened, distressed, or uneasy.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADD/ADHD)

• Adults

• Children

A condition characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

Bipolar Disorder

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An illness that typically includes extreme shifts in mood, energy, and functioning that include mania and depression.

Depression

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An illness that affects one’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, physical health, activity, and sleep patterns. Left untreated, it can lead to suicide.

Eating Disorders

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There are three main types: Anorexia Nervosa (severe food restriction), Bulimia Nervosa (binging and purging), and Binge Eating (binging without purging).

Mood disorders

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A group of conditions where a disturbance in the person's mood is the main underlying feature

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

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An anxiety disorder where the person experiences intrusive irrational thoughts that appear repeatedly in their mind.

Postpartum Depression

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Each new mother is unique and it’s important to know that there is no one cause for postpartum depression. 1 in 7 mothers who give birth each year struggle with symptoms of depression.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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Brought on by traumatic events, this disorder can be long-lasting and may include re-experiencing, avoidance, arousal, and numbing.

Schizophrenia

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A mental illness where a person experiences psychotic symptoms (hallucinations and delusions), emotional flatness, and trouble with thinking processes.