About Mental Illness
So what is mental illness ?
Mental health is something we all have, we are continually trying to maintain a state of good mental health. We do this in various ways; through sport, relaxation, taking time out, and being with friends.
Mental ill health may cause a person to experience problems in the way they think, feel and behave. It can significantly affect their own lives, and the lives of the people around them. It can be extremely distressing for everyone involved.
Early diagnosis and intervention is crucial, help can come in many forms, including; medication, conversational therapy, community care support and self help networks. There is no specific cause of mental illness, triggers can be different for everyone. However, some identified common causes include; a genetic disposition, a difficult family background, bio-chemical factors or even stressful life events.
Mental ill health covers a wide range of problems, some of those problems are briefly explained in this website.
What Causes Mental Health Problems?
It would be easy if there was just one root cause of mental health problems but life isn’t that simple. There seems to be a number of factors that can contribute in varying degrees.
You’ve probably heard people saying that it’s all about faulty brain chemicals. Psychiatric drugs, like antidepressants, tend to work by altering these chemicals. Undoubtedly many people benefit from psychiatric drugs, but to say mental health is only about chemistry would be too simplistic. Our past experiences, genetics, surroundings and the way we live our lives can also play a part. It’s hardly surprising that if, for example, you’re living on a low income, are in poor housing, have debts, or have experienced a devastating event, that you are more likely to experience problems. We also know that people can sometimes relate mental health problems to some form of trauma, often in childhood. Sometimes things that happen to us can have a lasting effect and continue to impact on our health and well-being for years to come. Too much stress can also leave us open to developing a problem.
When things get bad you should try and take a step back and think what you could change to reduce the amount of pressure, stress or strain you are under. The diagnosis of mental health problems isn’t an exact science. There is no test, for example, for depression or schizophrenia - doctors make a diagnosis based on the symptoms described. It isn’t always clear which diagnosis might be the most appropriate and it’s not unusual for people who experience difficulties over a long period to have several different diagnoses.
It’s important to remember that having a mental health problem needn’t be a long-term thing; with the right help and support, recovery rates are very encouraging – most people will get well again and it is important not to lose hope.
For more detailed information on all the various forms of mental illness, their origins and symptoms and the current treatments available this hyperlink to the Royal College of Psychiatrists Website is very comprehensive and informative.
Mental Wellbeing and Mental Distress - how to help
The following website page from the Scottish Association for Mental Health contains useful notes on mental wellbeing and a link to a leaflet you can download about mental distress and how to help someone who may be experiencing distress. Access hyperlink.
The sources of help contained within the leaflet do not all apply to people in Jersey. You need to look at the useful links page on this website for local sources of help.