What is mental illness?

Mental illness is a term used to describe illnesses that affect the mind. The opposite of 'mental illness' is 'mental health', something that most people enjoy on a daily basis.
Mental illnesses can alter how someone may think, feel and relate to other people and the world around them. This altered thinking can make people feel unhappy, afraid or anxious, or, sometimes, invincible and powerful. People with a mental illness may be unable to tell what reality is or what is fantasy, have trouble making sense of their own thoughts and feelings and have difficulty in coping with everyday life.
The words 'mental illness' cover many different groups of illnesses called psychiatric conditions. The different conditions can be better understood by sorting them under five major psychiatric conditions.

For more information about the mental illnesses that are covered by these major conditions, click here.

Why do people get it?

The single cause of 'why some people get a mental illness' is not yet known. Still, one in five people will experience some form of mental illness during their lifetime regardless of age, gender, culture, background, intelligence or race.

While medical science does not yet know the single reason that causes mental illness, research has shown that a combination of 'EXISTING FACTORS' and 'TRIGGERS' can cause mental illness and mental health problems to develop.

The known 'EXISTING FACTORS' are:

Family History

Mental illness can run in families. It can skip a generation or a separate family group, eg. an uncle's family. Mental illness also appears in families who have no history of mental illness.

Chemical Imbalance

For some people the chemicals that control the function of certain parts of the brain, called neurotransmitters, can get out of balance. The brain areas that these chemicals control can include emotion, logic and interpretation of the senses i.e. sight, sound, taste and feel.

Hormonal Changes

Changes in hormone levels usually occur at puberty, pregnancy and menopause. Some people have emotional changes during these times as hormones can affect the balance of brain chemicals.

Because hormonal changes happen during puberty, around 14-24 years of age, signs and signals of a person's mental illness can become more noticeable at this time. Although some emotional changes during puberty are to be expected, mental illness is not caused by emotional changes during puberty alone.

The known TRIGGERS are:

Trauma and Stress

Trauma and stress can be felt physically or emotionally. Stress can be pleasurable or unpleasant. Planning a trip or buying a new car can be welcome happy events yet stressful. A relationship break-up, or having to move out of home can be unwanted, sad events and stressful. Trauma can be caused by physical or emotional abuse, living through an alarming situation or living with constant pain. Trauma and stress can happen at home, school and work or within a person's environment. It can happen over a short or prolonged period of time. Any event in life that causes high levels of personal trauma and stress can cause emotional changes. For some people this can 'trigger' an episode of mental illness.

Drugs and Alcohol

Episodes of mental illness can sometimes happen during or after heavy use of some drugs and alcohol. Some people with an existing mental illness can make their symptoms worse by using some drugs or alcohol. Cannabis use by a person who has already had a psychosis, or who has a family history of mental illness, can cause a psychosis with increased symptoms over a longer period time (often one month or longer)

For more information about drugs and mental health see the mental illness and substance abuse disorders.

Environment

Environment can play a part in triggering mental illness in a person.
For example, living in an unstable, traumatic environment over time can
predispose even a previously well person to developing a mental illness.

How can you tell if you or a friend has a mental illness?

For most people with a mental illness, symptoms come in waves called 'episodes'.

Knowing about the symptoms, as well as the triggers and existing factors of a mental illness, can help you figure out if you or a friend is having a mental illness episode.

Each mental illness can have different symptoms. For more details about different mental illnesses eg. eating problems, bipolar and depression etc see diseases and conditions

General signals of mental health symptoms usually appear in combination with the existing factors and triggers. They can include acting or living in a way over a long period of time (more than 3-6 weeks) that is different to how a person normally is.

Common signals for young people that may be issues associated with mental illness are: mood swings, attempted suicide or self harm, substance abuse, self mutilation, eating problems, violence and bullying, deep sadness, isolation, anger, confusion about identity, loneliness, emotional abuse, poor self image, stress, physical abuse, feelings of worthlessness, family conflict, relationship problems, stress, feeling there is no future and confusion about sexuality.

Who treats mental illness and how?

Mental illnesses can be treated over time in a range of ways, usually a combination of medication, personal counselling, rehabilitation and support from friends and family.

Research has found that getting early and timely help for a person with mental illness can prevent or reduce the impact of that illness on that person's life. Treatment can be given in hospital and in the community. Most people with a mental illness never have go to a hospital for treatment.

Many professionals are involved in the treatment of mental illness. A person may need to see one, or a combination of all of them, depending on his or her diagnosis.

They are:

General practitioners
Your local doctor can be the first point of contact when diagnosing or treating mental illness. A doctor can prescribe medications and refer a person to a specialist or a community service for help.

Psychiatrists
A psychiatrist is a specialist medical doctor who has studied the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. They may conduct physical examinations and prescribe medication. A psychiatrist will oversee the treatment a person is given in hospital.

A psychologist has been trained in the assessment and treatment of illnesses of the mind that are not necessarily due to chemical imbalances. They may combine a range of counselling methods as treatment.

If a person is very ill, psychotic, severely depressed or suicidal they may need to be treated in the psychiatric section of a hospital. Hospitals provide close observation and special care including medication. People who are having trouble getting a medication balance right may also stay in hospital. People in a psychiatric hospital are encouraged to dress as they choose and are usually free to walk around the grounds, have visitors, and even go home on weekend leave.

The staff at a psychiatric hospital can include: psychiatric nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and trained people who have had their own experience with mental illness. After leaving the hospital a person may need to continue treatment such as medication, and regularly see a psychiatrists, psychologist or have contact with a local community mental health team.