Why So Blue?
Just like there are signs of changing seasons, as we ease into fall, there are signs of someone with mental illness. Mental health problems are rampant, and it is obvious the mental health system is gravely broken. What can we do to help those with signs and symptoms of mental illness? Are there red flags with mental illness?
Last week, Aaron Alexis, a lone gunman armed initially with a shotgun, fatally shot twelve people and injured three others in a mass shooting at the headquarters of the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., Another senseless shooting that can be attributed to mental illness. Innocent lives were lost because no one recognized the signs, symptoms, and behavior of mental illness.
Earlier this year, the American Psychiatric Association unveiled the fifth edition of its handbook of diagnoses, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manuals of Mental Disorders (D.S.M.-5). Fourteen years in the making, the D.S.M.-5 manual provides common language and standard criteria for classifying mental disorders. The handbook is a guide to assist medical professionals in identifying and helping their patients with psychiatric assessment.
What is mental illness? Mental illnesses disrupt a person’s thinking, feelings, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functions. Mental diseases affect tens of millions of people each year, only a fraction of whom receive treatment. Mental illness disorders include but are not limited to the following: schizophrenia, bipolar illness, severe or significant depression (different from regular depression), panic disorder/anxiety, and ADHD.
According to Washington, D. C., law enforcement officials and others described Aaron Alexis as a paranoid man who heard voices, believed he was being followed, and couldn’t sleep. He was undergoing treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to mental illness, making it hard to admit to dealing with one. If one doesn’t admit to mental health illness, one will typically not seek professional help. Some people start losing control with time, which badly affects their personal and professional lives. Life is full of challenging times that can affect our emotional and mental well-being. A death in the family, job loss, the end of a relationship, or a midlife crisis can trigger mental illness, even if never diagnosed with mental illness.
According to a new U.K. study, women are 40 percent more likely to develop mental illness than men. The study also says that women are almost 75 percent more likely than men to have depression. Additionally, women are 60 percent more likely than guys to report an anxiety problem.
Red Flags for Mental Illness:
- Sudden, Unexplained Mood Changes
- Unable to Handle Minor Problems and Daily Activities
- Loss of Interest in Hobbies and Social Withdrawal
- Unexplained Physical Changes
- Loss of Confidence
- Strange or Over-Elaborate Ideas
- Problems Thinking Clearly
- Self-medicating with Alcohol or Drugs to cover emotional pain
- Poor Sleeping Habits
- Poor Personal Hygiene
- Unable to Maintain job
- Talk of Suicide
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a nationwide advocacy group representing families and people affected by mental illness. http://www.nami.org/
We can help those around us who suffer and need help by letting them know we can help them get the help they need. There are medications, along with proper diet and exercise, to help.
Good Stuff! Unfortunately, many in the African American and other people of color deem seeking psychological treatment as a sign of weakness. It is getting better today because some of us are seeking the needed treatment. It is a disease like diabetes and other diseases that may impact us. Pray that people get the necessary treatments to live better lives.
April, thank you for your comment about stigma in the African American community to seek help. My prayer is that perhaps one person reading this information feels equipped to seek help themselves or for their loved one.