BBC News School Report @ LCS
Mental Health What Can You Do?
By: Lena
What is mental health really? A lot of people think it is all just depression and anxiety, but it isn’t. It is actually just a person’s condition regarding their psychological and emotional wellbeing. Mental illnesses are a large part of some teenagers’ lives today, so it is important we know exactly what it is and how we can help people who suffer.
A lot of people believe that the only mental illnesses around are depression and anxiety, since they are the most common and talked about, however Schizophrenia, OCD, eating disorders and Bipolar Disorder are also more common than you may think.
Mental illnesses are a huge issue nowadays in schools, and can affect the way you think, feel and behave, but unfortunately a lot of sufferers feel alone and like they can’t be helped. It has been revealed that 57% of people expect the answer to the question ‘Are you ok?’ to be a lie. However, 34% of ‘fine’ Brits say they lied because they found it easier than telling the truth. The other 23% say they are ‘fine’ because they don’t think anyone is interested. It is important that we are more open to giving support to those who need it, and let them know that they are not alone in their struggle. As a result of people associating mental illness with anxiety and depression rather than any other disorders, people suffering from rarer illnesses can often feel alone and misunderstood as people don’t generally acknowledge these as issues that can be dealt with.
We need to have bigger hearts and respect that people might not want to talk straight away.
Why don’t people talk?
Teenagers often find it difficult to talk to parents or carers as they think their problem will not be taken seriously. A lot of parents believe their child just wants attention or an excuse for their bad behaviour. There’s also the issue of children and adolescents feeling as though they will be labelled if they open up, or there may be cultural issues where children don’t talk because they come from a background where mental health is not so openly discussed.
We can help people open up and talk about their problems by listening and understanding, and ensuring it is not a taboo subject. We should also respect that it may be hard to talk to someone, and that it may take a while before the whole story gets told and explained. We should also remember that because a key reason why people don’t talk is that they are scared of being judged, it is a good idea to be understanding of the issue. Ms Dean, the counsellor at LCS, says: “We need to have bigger hearts and respect that people might not want to talk straight away”.
Why does it happen?
Depression and eating disorders are often linked to low self-esteem, negative self-image and intense distress. Although scientists agree that depression is a brain disorder, the debate about the exact causes is still ongoing. Anxiety can be caused by excessive stress at work, home, school, or financial debt.
Schizophrenia is a long-term mental disorder which can cause people to withdraw from reality, or have feelings and see things that others might not. The exact causes of Schizophrenia are unknown, but researchers believe that it is a combination of brain chemistry, genetics and environment.
Bipolar Disorder, originally called Maniac Depression, affects a person’s mood, causing sudden and extreme changes in emotion, going from depression to mania. A person with Bipolar Disorder will often have episodes of mania (over activeness) and depression. Bipolar Disorder can be caused by a traumatic life event, medications, genetics or environment.
Symptoms:
Some signs to look out for:
• Feelings of extreme highs or lows.
• Excessive fears, worries and anxiety.
• Hallucinations.
• Suicidal thoughts or feelings.
• Eating more or less than usual.
Helpful Websites:
http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/