Mental Health

This module has been put together to help increase the understanding of mental health issues which we may experience in the workplace and with customers.

When a patient or customer comes into the pharmacy …. Do you think…..

“What’s going on with them ….?

What’s their world like…?”

Aim of this Module

The state of our mental and emotional health affects the way we think, the way we feel and how we might react to situations.

Mental Health Module

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Obsessions & Compulsions

• Phobias

• Dementia

• Eating Problems

• Post Natal Illness

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Schizophrenia

• Personality Disorders

Examples of Mental Health Problems

• Depression lowers your mood, with intense feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and exhaustion. It is a common mental disorder which is very different to everyday feelings of feeling low or sad. It is a serious illness caused by changes in brain chemistry.

• Depression can happen to anyone, at any age, and it will affect how someone will be able to deal with everyday life.

• Other signs and symptoms include:

• Loss of self confidence and self-esteem

• Difficulty concentrating

• Not enjoying things that are usually pleasurable or interesting

• Avoiding others

• A change in eating habits

• Sleep problems

• Finding it hard to function at work/college/school

• Feeling anxious

• Many people experience depression, without asking for help , or being diagnosed. It has an affect on our emotional wellbeing and can cause may psychosomatic symptoms (where the problem is evident in our bodies, but is caused by our mental side).

Depression

For the 350 million people who suffer from depression worldwide, it can be hard to put into words just how taxing the illness can be. Depression is often characterized by sadness, but the physical and emotional repercussions extend far beyond that, often making daily life challenging to navigate. Studies show that depression can lead to a lack of motivation, poor job performance and impaired productivity. Take a look at some of the effects of depression below.

The Toll Depression Has On The Body And Mind

Forms of Depression

• Lethargy

• Trouble Sleeping

• Trouble Focusing

• Apathy

• Sadness

• Irritability

• Feeling of Worthlessness

• Detaching from friends

• Appetite and weight

• Low sex drive

• Pain

• Recklessness

• Alcohol abuse

• Drug abuse

• Suicidal tendencies

Signs of Depression

Anxiety is a heightened response to a real or preceived threat or danger.

We all experience anxiety in our everyday lives, however it can lead to mental health problems when our response to distress is exaggerated.

There can be specific events that trigger anxiety, or it might be a combination of many events together. For example, things like work deadlines, family commitments, or exams – do we feel safe, it might be more thought based things like how we think we look, or having high expectations.

As anxiety is linked with fear, or danger, the activation of anxiety triggers our bodies to speed up – to prepare us to respond in a heightened manner.

We might also hear ‘social anxiety’ where the ‘fear’ is being in social situations, or other specific anxieties.

Anxiety

There are many physical responses to anxiety, and it can also affect our emotional state as follows:

• Affects our sleeping

• Trouble concentrating

• Being more irritable

• Depression

• Reduced self-confidence

Anxiety

An anxiety disorder that involves distressing, repetitive thoughts. Systems and repetitive behaviours develop, to a state of being almost uncontrollable, in attempts to alleviate anxieties or obsessive thoughts.

For example, germs and disease may become an obsessional thought, which is followed by excessive hand-washing.

Compulsions become focussed around checking, cleaning, counting or dressing rituals, and can consume many hours of someone’s life.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

The OCD Cycle

Obsessions

Anxiety

Compulsions

Relief

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

This is a reaction to a very stressful and traumatic event, or an exceptionally shocking, threatening or catastrophic situation.

For example acts of violence, traumatic accidents or sudden destruction. Deliberate acts of violence are more likely to result in PTSD than natural accidents or events.

Common Problems include:-

• Nightmares and flashbacks

• Avoiding places or events

• Panic Attacks

• Sleep problems

• Depression and anger

Other Mental Health Issues

Dementia

There is debate whether dementia is a mental illness or a disease, as it occurs as a result of dying brain cells or damage to parts of the brain that deal with our thought processes.

Widespread damage to mental functioning which can include memory loss, language impairment, disorientation, a change in personality, self neglect and out of character behaviour.

Where our self-perception is overly influenced by weight or body shape. It can included self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse and over exercising. Generally, there are 2 main categories:

1. Anorexia nervosa – Where you might consider yourself to be fat, even though you might very slim, and have a very low BMI. This seriously affects their mood, and can lead to a number of physical problems including poor circulation and kidney disease.

Other Mental Health Issues

2. Bulimia Nervosa – Struggling to stick to a healthy diet, they tend to eat a lot (binge), leading to guilt, followed by starving or purging (being sick). Again, this can lead to many physical problems including intestinal damage.

Severe Mental Illness

These are more complex and included the following:

Psychosis – where there has been a loss of touch with reality, and there will be changed in their perceptions and beliefs.

Bipolar Disorder – a form of maniac depression, with severe mood changes.

Schizophrenia – does not mean a split personality; symptoms include difficulties with feelings, behaviours, motivation and speech, leading to disorganised thoughts sometimes with hallucinations or delusions.

Other Mental Health Issues

• Childhood trauma, abuse, violence or neglect that manifests itself in life.

• Social isolation, loneliness or decriminalisation

• Loss or bereavement (of a loved one, or losing a job/status)

• Stress

• Housing

• Unemployment

• Being a ‘carer’ for someone

• Certain health conditions or physical illnesses

• Adult trauma – e.g. PTSD

• Some genetic factors or predispositions

• Society/external pressures

Why do we get mental health problems?

• Talk about mental health openly, without judgement

• Self-help includes social contact, peer support, a sense of purpose

• Learn about mental wellbeing

• Encouraging and maintaining boundaries and routines

• Complimentary therapies – hypnotherapy, acupuncture, massage

• Counselling and Psychotherapy

• Alternative therapies such as Art Therapy

• Medical Help from a GP

• Medication – for non complex mental health, medication does not cure mental health issues, however it does allow some individuals to access psychological therapies and commence a road to recovery…….

What can we do to help/treat/manage?

What is mental wellbeing?

Mental wellbeing describes your mental state – how you are feeling and how well you can cope with day-to-day life. Our mental wellbeing can change, from day to day, month to month or year to year.

If you have good mental wellbeing (or good mental health), you are able to:

Feel relatively confident in yourself

Feel and express a range of emotions

Feel engaged with the world around you

Live and work productively

Cope with the stresses of daily life and manage times of change and uncertainty.

Mental Wellbeing

• Talk about the way you feel

Your friends or family may be able to offer you practical help or advice and give you another perspective. Even if they can’t help, often just talking something through and feeling that there is someone to listen and understand you can make you feel much better.

• Build healthy relationships with people

Building and maintaining constructive relationships with people is an important part of staying mentally well. If you spend time around positive and supportive people, you are more likely to have a better self-image, be more confident and feel able to face difficulty times.

Staying mentally well

• Look after your physical health

Sleep – If you have trouble sleeping, this can have a serious impact on your mental wellbeing. Negative feelings are likely to be exaggerated and you might find you are more irritable and less confident.

Diet – Eating healthily has a positive impact on your physical and mental health. Eating a well-balanced diet at regular meal-times with plenty of water and vegetables will help you to feel more healthy and happy. Stopping or reducing your alcohol intake, and avoiding tobacco and recreational drugs can also help.

Physical Activity – Being active can help reduce depression and anxiety and boost your self-confidence. It also releases endorphins – ‘feel good’ hormones that can help improve your mood. It doesn’t matter whether you prefer gardening, gentle waking or something more active.

Staying mentally well

• Do something you enjoy – Make time to do things you like, whether it is cooking, seeing your friends or doing DIY. Some people find doing something creative helps express themselves positively and deal with any difficult emotions in a positive way.

• Learning something new, or taking up a new hobby can also boost confidence and help occupy your mind positively.

• Do something for someone else – Helps you improve your self-confidence, meet new people and makes you feel that you are making a positive contribution.

• Set yourself a challenge that you can realistically achieve. This doesn’t have to be anything big but should have meaning for you. You will feel satisfied and proud of yourself when you achieve your goal, and feel more positive about yourself.

Staying mentally well

• Relax – This may mean going away for the weekend, spending an evening doing something you like, or even just taking a five minute break to look out of the window. Learning a relaxation technique, such as breathing exercises, yoga or meditation can also help.

• Identify mood triggers – Keeping track of your mood diary and work out what affects your mental wellbeing and recognise changes in your mood.

• Look after yourself during difficult times – If you are experience a difficult time or are unwell, it’s important to look after yourself and try and get through. Be careful not to put too much pressure on yourself, you may need to take a break from your usual responsibilities.

• Learn to accept yourself – If you value yourself, you are more likely to have positive relationships with other people and find it easier to cope with difficult times in your life.

Staying mentally well

• Thank you for completing the training module.

• Now proceed to the MCQ Assessment