Mental Health

101The National Alumnae

Association of Spelman College (NAASC) – Boston

Chapter

6th Annual Blueprint Conference for Middleand High School Girls

Presented by:

Farrah A. Belizaire, BSClinical Research Recruitment Specialist at

Boston University Medical Center

Workshop Agenda Introduction / Icebreakers

What is mental health?- Types of Disorders- What does mental health look like?

It happens to “us” too

Myth vs. Fact

Group Activity

Improving your mental health

Mental Health 101

Mental Health 101

The Candy Game: Grab a treat, introduce yourself & answer 1 question

Snickers = Who is your favorite super hero and why?

Milky Way = If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

3 Musketeers = Tell us about a unique or quirky habit of yours

Reese’s = What’s the ideal dream job for you?

Introductions

Mental Health 101

What is your definition of mental health?

Mental Health 101

What is mental health?

“Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”

– World Health Organization (WHO)

Mental Health 101

What are some types of mental health disorders you’ve heard about?

Mental Health 101

What are some types of mental health disorders?

Depression Anxiety Disorder Schizophrenia Bipolar Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder*\ Mental breakdown

Depression is a medical illness that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.

It can get in the way of carrying out your normal daily activities.

Depression can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.

Mental Health 101

Depression

Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings

Irritability, restlessness

Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable

Fatigue and decreased energy

Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions

Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping

Overeating, or appetite loss

Mental Health 101

Depression: Symptoms

Anxiety Disorders affect about 40 million American adults age 18 years and older (about 18%) in a given year,1 causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty.

Mental Health 101

Anxiety Disorder

Mental Health 101

Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms

Constantly tense, worried, or on edge

Anxiety interfere with your work, school, or family responsibilities

Plagued by fears that you know are irrational, but can’t shake

Believe that something bad will happen if certain things aren’t done a certain way

Experience sudden, unexpected attacks of heart-pounding panic

Feel like danger and catastrophe are around every corner

Schizophrenia is a characterized by a breakdown of thought processes and by poor emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking

Mental Health 101

Schizophrenia

Mental Health 101

Schizophrenia: Symptoms

Social withdrawal

Depersonalization (intense anxiety and a feeling of being unreal)

Loss of appetite

Loss of hygiene

Delusions

Hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren't there)

The sense of being controlled by outside forces

Mental Health 101

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, is characterized by cycling mood changes—from extreme highs (mania) to extreme lows (depression).

Mental Health 101

Bipolar Disorder: SymptomsSymptoms of mania Symptoms of depression

• A long period of feeling "high," or overly happy/outgoing

• Agitation, feeling "jumpy" or "wired”.

• Having racing thoughts

• Being easily distracted

•Having an unrealistic belief in one's abilities

•Behaving impulsively and withhigh-risk behaviors, such as spending sprees and other impulsive decisions

• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed

• A long period of feeling worried or empty

• Feeling tired or "slowed down“

• Having problems concentrating, remembering, and making decisions

• Changing eating, sleeping, or other habits

• Thinking of death or suicide, or attempting suicide

PTSD is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity, overwhelming the individual's ability to cope

Mental Health 101

PTSD

Mental Health 101

PTSD: Symptoms

Re-experiencing the original trauma(s) through flashbacks or nightmares

Avoidance of things associated with the trauma

Difficulty falling or staying asleep

Being unable to remember important aspects of the trauma

Having a lack of interest in normal activities

Difficulty concentrating

Having an exaggerated response to things that startle you

Nervous or mental breakdowns aren’t medical term, however, nor does it indicate a specific mental illness. But that doesn't mean it's a normal or a healthy response to stress. A nervous breakdown may indicate an underlying mental health problem that needs attention, such as depression or anxiety.

Mental Breakdown

Mental Health 101

Loss of confidence and self-esteem

Inability to stop crying

Feelings of guilt, poor judgment

Disinterest in social life and work or alienation from previously close friends and family

Hearing voices

Paranoid thoughts, such as the thought people are trying to harm you

Having flashbacks to a prior traumatic event

Mental Breakdown: Symptoms

Mental Health 101

Mental Health 101

What do people with mental health issues look like?

Activity: What are some words that come to mind when you think of “mental health”?

Mental Health 101

It Happens to “Us” too…

Mental Health 101

One of the most famous breakdown may be what occurred with Mariah Carey, who was convinced that she was invisible, took a bath with her clothes on and was thrown into the psychiatric ward against her will after a mental meltdown. Her behavior also included screaming in an airport that her plane was going to crash and that Marilyn Monroe was speaking to her from her grave.

Mental Health 101

On May 7, 1996, comedian Martin Lawrence suffered a nervous breakdown. Lawrence was picked up by police for standing in the middle of a busy, mid-day Los Angeles intersection and screaming at cars. Although he said it was due to exhaustion and dehydration, his behavior was symptomatic of a mental breakdown

Mental Health 101

Rapper DMX is said to suffer from bipolar disorder and manic depression, induced by an abusive mother, placement in foster homes and drug/alcohol issues. He was placed in mental health facilities during his time in an Arizona jail.

Mental Health 101

According to fformer Celtics player Delonte West, Bipolar is like, when things are bad to you, they seem worse and when things are good, they seem great. When you're a professional athlete, you've got to be a robot sometimes. You've got to check your emotions at the door

Mental Health 101

Halle Berry publicly admitted attempting suicide after divorcing from baseball superstar David Justice, but stopped when she “had an image of her mother finding her.” Berry says her sense of self-worth was so low, she tried to suffocate herself with carbon monoxide in the garage of her house.

Mental Health 101

African Americans are more likely to experience social circumstances that increase their chances of developing a mental illness

It Happens to “Us” too…

Mental Health 101

45% of children in foster care are Black

~33% of Black working adults are without health insurance

40% of the U.S. homeless population is Black

> 25% of African American children are exposed to violence

It Happens to “Us” too…

Black women seek mental health care less than White women; and, when they do seek it, do so later in life and at later stages of their illness

- Lack of trust in the medical community

- Not knowing the symptoms of mental health problems

- Not knowing how/when to get help

It Happens to “Us” too…

Mental Health 101

Mental Health 101

“Often, African Americans turn to family, church and community to cope”

Question:Who do you talk to when you’re stressed?

It Happens to “Us” too…

Mental Health 101

Myth vs. Fact Seeking help is a sign of weakness You will embarrass your family Rates of mental illnesses in African

American communities are similar to those of the general population

Diverse groups are more likely to stop treatment early or are less likely to receive follow-up care

Get together in groups of 3 and 4 and act a scenario in which a person you know may be suffering from a mental health disorder. Describe what actions you would take to help them get the proper assistance.

Mental Health 101

Group Activity

Mental Health 101

Know Yourself & Build Self Confidence A healthy identity is critical for overall good mental health. What are you good at? What makes you unique? What is your ethnic background? What are your personal goals/ambitions.

Use Social Supports. Using social networks found in the family, neighborhood, church, mosque, temple and community is how Black women seek healing through others with similar experiences. Who do you talk to when you have a serious concern? Name them.

Recognize Symptoms. No two people experience mental disorders the same. Have you ever experienced any of the symptoms we’ve talked about today?

Develop an Attitude of Optimism. Those who think positively are more likely to practice positive coping strategies for stress and feelings of depression.

Improving your mental health

Mental Health 101

Thank you & don’t forget to grab a

worksheet!