Mental Health

 

Mental health is a crucial dimension of overall health and an essential resource for living. It influences how we feel, perceive, think, communicate and understand. Without good mental health, people can be unable to fulfil their full potential or play a active part in everyday life. Mental health issues can address many areas, from enhancing our emotional well-being, treating and preventing severe mental illness to the prevention of suicide.
Provincial and territorial governments have primary jurisdiction for the planning and delivery of mental health services in Canada. The federal government, primarily through Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, collaborates with the provinces and territories in a variety of ways to develop responsive, coordinated and efficient mental health service systems.
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada support mental health research, develop programs and policies designed to promote and support the needs of people with mental health problems and disorders.

What Information is Available?

In this section, you will find information about the promotion of mental health, evaluation of mental health programs and services in Canada and the mental health issues, problems and disorders encountered by Canadians.
The Public Health Agency of Canada's Mental Health Web site provides a range of online materials related to:

• Mental Health Promotion
• Mental Health Problems and Disorders
• Mental Health Service Systems

Related Resources

• Canadian Mental Health Association
• Mental Health - Coping With Stress - It's Your Health
• Responding to Stressful Events - Coping with the Stress of Terrorism and Armed Conflict (2002)
• Depression in Pregnancy
• Mental and Behavioural Health Issues
• Mental Health - Anxiety Disorders - It's Your Health
• Mental Health - Depression - It's Your Health
• Mental Health - Mental Illness - It's Your Health
• Suicide Prevention - It's Your Health
• Mental Health Promotion
• Prime Minister launches national Mental Health Commission
• Suicide Prevention in First Nations

Current Thinking Regarding Bipolar Disorder Treatment

 

  By Chris Borg

 

If you are someone who is suffering from bipolar disorder, then you probably already know how important it is that you obtain regular bipolar disorder treatment in order to keep the condition under control. There are many people who suffer from this affliction and the truth is that some of these individuals have no one to talk to when they feel really sad.
One of the treatment requirements is to get professional help as soon as possible. Just talking a health care practitioner will start the healing process. In between office visits, you should always have a good friend or someone you can talk to. Someone who can listen to you, understand you and offer you guidance. A parent can often fill this role, especially if they have also been touched by bipolar disorder.
Some of the time, the bipolar disorder will appear as a result of a very great fear. People tend to harbor deep feelings about worldly events, so if something is troubling you, it is possible that you begin to fear all things related to this event which in turn manifests itself as depression. The opposite is also true in that you may go on a heightened binge such as excessive buying or other irrational activity in order to escape from an inevitable event.
Bipolar disorder has been shown to be transmitted genetically. So if your parent had it, there is a good chance that you will develop it in your lifetime. This is probably due to the fact that the root cause of this affliction seems to be due to neurotransmitter imbalance. As this is part of everyone's makeup, it points to the genetic link just mentioned.
There are multiple factors that will make your condition better. Getting involved in some good social activity, or more than one activity will help immensely. Just having people to talk to, will keep your mind occupied and away from thoughts that might hurt you. Talk with your parents and other relatives as often as possible. The social side of life is a very important bipolar disorder treatment for those suffering with this disorder.
Find a good doctor to work with. They might offer a prescription to help the mood swings, once the diagnosis has been set. The medications will stabilize the three most common neurotransmitters that have been implicated with bipolar disorder. They are dopamine, seratonin and nor-epinephrine. In time, your bipolar disorder treatment will allow you to regain a normal life. The key to the whole regimen is acknowledging the disorder and getting help. Do it today for a better tomorrow!

Chris is a practicing pharmacist who writes on health care topics. You can see Chris's latest website on Manic Depressive Free and learn all about the symptoms, treatment and related information such as Manic Depressive Treatment and much more.

Discover 6 Amazing Ways to Recognize Depression

 

By Dr Jitesh Arora

 

Depression is a mental illness that is spoken about in hushed tones all over the world. This is hardly the right approach towards diagnosing and treating the illness. If you are worried that you yourself or someone you love is depressed, learning about ways to recognize depression is a very good idea. This article will help you discover 6 amazing ways to recognize depression.
1. Sudden change in weight
A lot of depressed people have reportedly lost interest in eating and food, making them susceptible to weight loss all of a sudden. Though a sudden loss of weight may be a way to diagnose depression, a sudden gain too may point in the same direction. When a person is depressed, she may use food to fill an emotional void, making her gain a lot of weight in a short span of time.
2. Do Not Ignore Physical Manifestations of Depression
Though not a lot of people are aware of this, but the truth is that depression has physical manifestations. Depressed people are prone to complain a lot about aches, pains and body troubles. This happens because a depressed mental state may result in eating disorders and avoidance of physical activity, which again may lead to a weak immune system and a resulting array of physical ailments.
3. Irritability and Anger
If someone you know is displaying a short fuse time and again, it may be more than just about having a bad day. He may be suffering from depression. Irritability and anger are symptoms of a depressive nature. Depression leads to frustration which may be expressed as irritability. Little things can act as triggers to the anger that has the power to ruin anyone's day.
4. Loss of libido
A lack of interest in anything to do with sex is another way to recognize depression. Of course, loss of libido may be attributed to a variety of factors, but depression may also be the reason. For someone in a loving relationship to withdraw from sexual contact completely may be a symptom of an illness of the mind.
5. Problems with Maintaining a Professional Attitude at the Workplace
A person who is suffering from depression may find it difficult to motivate himself to go to work every day. He may have trouble getting out of bed in the mornings and as a result is late to work almost every day. This is a symptom worth drawing a conclusion from.
6. Trouble Concentrating
Persons who are depressed may have trouble concentrating on the smallest of tasks. A mother may stop midway while packing her son's lunch for school or a salesperson may find it difficult to concentrate on arranging a bookshelf at a bookstore.
However, the most important thing to remember about depression is that it is treatable. so if you are facing some of the signs and symptoms mentioned above then it is a smart idea to seek help.

Do You want to Cultivate A Positive Attitude towards Life, No matter How bad the Situations seems to be?
If so, Download my brand new free ebook on Maintaining a Positive Attitude toward life.
Click Here to Download your Free ebook

Fast Facts about Mental Illness

Who is affected?

• Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague.
• 20% of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime.
• Mental illness affects people of all ages, educational and income levels, and cultures.
• Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.
• About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”).

How common is it?

• Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian population.
• Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment.
• Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds.
• Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age.
• The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women.

What causes it?

• A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors causes mental illnesses.
• Almost one half (49%) of those who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never gone to see a doctor about this problem.
• Stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presents a serious barrier, not only to diagnosis and treatment but also to acceptance in the community.
• Mental illnesses can be treated effectively.

What is the economic cost?

• The economic cost of mental illnesses in Canada for the health care system was estimated to be at least $7.9 billion in 1998 – $4.7 billion in care, and $3.2 billion in disability and early death.
• An additional $6.3 billion was spent on uninsured mental health services and time off work for depression and distress that was not treated by the health care system.
• In 1999, 3.8% of all admissions in general hospitals (1.5 million hospital days) were due to anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, major depression, personality disorders, eating disorders and suicidal behavior.Sources: The Report on Mental Illness in Canada, October 2002. EBIC 1998 (Health Canada 2002), Stephens et al., 2001

How does it impact youth?

• It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder – the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.
• Today, approximately 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth, age 12 to 19, have experienced a major depressive episode.
• The total number of 12-19 year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million.
• Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected, allowing them to get back to their regular activities.
• Mental illness is increasingly threatening the lives of our children; with Canada’s youth suicide rate the third highest in the industrialized world.
• Suicide is among the leading causes of death in 15-24 year old Canadians, second only to accidents; 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.
• Schizophrenia is youth’s greatest disabler as it strikes most often in the 16 to 30 year age group, affecting an estimated one person in 100.
• Surpassed only by injuries, mental disorders in youth are ranked as the second highest hospital care expenditure in Canada.
• In Canada, only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them.

Schizophrenia Definition - History of Schizophrenia

---

Schizophrenia Definition - History of Schizophrenia
The use of the word schizophrenia is not more than 100 years old, but the disease was originally identified as a mental illness in 1887 by Dr. Emile Kraepelin.
Documents were discovered and traced back to as far as the Egyptian Pharaohs during the days of Christ. The Book of Hearts describes common schizophrenic symptoms of depression and dementia, as well as disturbances of thought. The heart and the mind were considered to be similar back in the days of ancient Egypt. In those days, illnesses of the body were held to be symptomatic of the heart and uterus and coming from blood vessels, infection, fecal matter, or demon's poison.

People were commonly considered not normal if they had any form of mental disease, retardation, and deformities. During the ancients days in Egypt, the causes of mental disturbances were believed to be due to possession of evil spirits, which were exorcised by special treatments, particular types of music, or drilling holes into the skull.
Dementia Praecox - Early dementia
The term dementia praecox, or early dementia, was first coined by Dr. Emile Kraepelin to describe people with symptoms that we know today as schizophrenia. Dr. Kraepelin was one of the first to separate schizophrenia into different categories.
The general idea of mental instability has existed for thousands of years. It was Dr. Kraepelin who distinguished the psychotic disorders by what he termed dementia praecox and manic depression. He believed that dementia praecox was a form of dementia. Kraepelin named the disorder dementia praecox to differentiate between other forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer's, which most often occurs in the later years of life. Kraepelin's studies dealt with dementia in young adults.
Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist, used the term schizophrenia in the year 1911. He is also credited with being the first to describe the symptoms as positive and negative. Bleuler later changed the name from dementia praecox to schizophrenia because the illness was not a dementia, since it is a disease that can occur anytime in life.
Schizophrenia - Rooted in the Greek language
The word schizophrenia has roots in the Greek language. The word schizo (split) and the word phrene (mind) denotes the disordered thought. It does not mean split personality, as is commonly thought. The definition of the word schizophrenia is constantly morphing to better describe the various forms of mental disease. Currently, classifications are based on the knowledge that symptoms often present at the same time.
Although schizophrenia was divided into categories by Bleuler and Kraepelin, others in this field continue to classify the different types of schizophrenia. The five types now include disorganized, catatonic, paranoid, residual, and undifferentiated. Kraepelin is credited with proposing the first three categories.
Classifying schizophrenia does nothing to help determine the prognosis of the often misdiagnosed disease. It is believed that one day differentiating between between the types will aid in uncovering the different causes of this brain disorder.
by Barb Hicks, RN

Signs And Symptoms Of Disorganized Schizophrenia

By Zach Doherty

Disorganized schizophrenia primarily involves disordered thinking. A schizophrenic patient may speak in a bunch of disorganized words. This is due to his rambled thoughts and his disorganized thinking processes. This type of schizophrenia makes the person find his everyday tasks such as showering, brushing their teeth, and dressing themselves as difficult actions that require them more strength and care than they are able to show. Emotional impairment often occurs; it is when they respond in a very strange way to public or private exhibitions of emotions. This type is believed to be an extreme expression of disorganization syndrome that has been assumed to be one feature a three-factor model of schizophrenic symptoms. The other factors are reality distortion which involves delusions and hallucinations and psychomotor poverty which involves poor speech, lack of natural movement, and blunting emotions. It is often characterized by incoherent and illogical thoughts and purposeless behaviors.
Experts in schizophrenic symptoms identify this as a more severe type because the patient cannot perform day to day activities, such as taking care of his personal hygiene, preparing his meals, and other simple chores. Patients may not be able to express the thoughts clearly because the people around them may not understand what they are saying. There is a tendency for them to become frustrated and agitated, causing them to lash out.
There are three common signs and symptoms of disorganized schizophrenia. It involves disorganized thinking, grossly disorganized behavior, and inappropriate emotional expression.
Disorganized thinking happens when a patient is having difficulty forming coherent or logical thoughts. This lack of ability greatly affects speech. For instance, a schizophrenic cannot stick to the subject, and jumps from one unrelated subject to another. Speech disorder may become worse that it is perceived as a muddle of sounds to those who hear him. The ability to write is also severely affected by this kind of symptom.
Next is the grossly disorganized behavior that may be so severe and make the patient incapable of performing activities which include bathing, dressing properly and preparing his meals. Strange actions such as putting on several layers of clothing during a very warm weather, displaying childlike behavior, and being or aggressive are examples of this sign. There is an abnormal condition which is characterized by state of unconsciousness, obsession, and either rigidity or extreme flexibility of the limbs. Also, unprovoked agitation or sexual behavior in public may occur. This behavior may feel normal to the person suffering from schizophrenia, but it appears strange to the people around them.
The last behavior focuses on lack of emotional expression of known as the flat or blunted effect. It is when a person shows the signs of normal emotions and talks with a monotonous voice. But his face appears and remains blank. His facial expressions are very odd and drastically diminished. Sufferers of this mental disorder appear extremely apathetic. They do not have eye contact with others or any display of body language. At times, they show inappropriate behaviors for various situations which include bursting out laughing during a sad event and crying for no apparent reason.

Looking for the latest news about schizophrenia diagnosis? Visit our website for more facts about history of schizophrenia

What Is Bipolar Disorder? A Definition Based on Recent Scientific Discovery

By Christina Sponias

The discovery of the existence of the anti-conscience puts an end to a big mystery, giving a clear explanation for the abrupt mood swings that characterize the behavior of individuals who suffer from manic depression or bipolar disorder. The anti-conscience is a true demon because it is the result of the disorganized formation of the first live conscience in its first stages. Unfortunately, it occupies the biggest part of the human brain.
Whenever you are controlled by your anti-conscience you act like a violent, immoral, cruel, and absurd animal. The anti-conscience is crazy and this is why it has self-destructive tendencies. It tries to destroy the human side of your conscience and control your behavior.
The anti-conscience is a part of your personality. However, it is not conscious, and this is why you have no control over it. This is your animal side, which remains in a primitive condition because it refuses learning and changing its behavior.
You can have a clear vision of what is happening in your brain and psyche through dream analysis. The unconscious mind that produces your dreams works like a natural doctor, who protects you from your evil and absurd anti-conscience. All dream images work like psychotherapy.
If you suffer from bipolar disorder you must be very careful and write down all your dreams everyday. Then, you must translate their meaning according to the scientific method of dream interpretation discovered by Carl Jung and simplified by me, who continued his research. You will understand the hidden unconscious messages and find sound mental health forever.
Jung gave us a scientific explanation for the meaning of dreams and their healing power. Without his work we would never be able to understand the complex dream language. I had to translate numerous dreams for two decades in order to simplify all the complication I found when I precisely followed Carl Jung's steps.
Only I could continue his research and discover the evil anti-conscience because the continuation of his research was too dangerous. I could bear it because I was too strong and I had to fight schizophrenia, which is the worst existent mental illness. I was almost as schizophrenic as my father. I had to discover the anti-conscience in order to resist its attacks and preserve my sanity.
I saw that our wild conscience is too powerful. It is our animal personality, which is still alive inside us. The anti-conscience is our other self, our animal and evil self, which is totally selfish, absurd, cruel, indifferent, and superficial. The anti-conscience is everyone's second personality, but it can also be multiplied into numerous different personalities.
Some people are more influenced or controlled by their anti-conscience, and this is why they suffer from bipolar disorder or from another mental disorder.
We usually enter into contact with our wild conscience when we have traumatic experiences because we are depressed and angry. Our primitive conscience has the chance to speak in our conscious mind and impose its absurd ideas whenever we are revolted for some reason.
Cases of multiple personality disorder can be clearly explained now that we know that we have inherited an absurd wild conscience, which is very powerful and tries to destroy our human conscience. The anti-conscience creates different personalities, dividing the parts that compose an individual's personality.
Our wild conscience provokes numerous behavioral abnormalities when it invades the human side of our conscience because it tries to destroy our capacity to think logically. Bipolar disorder is the domination of an individual's conscience by the anti-conscience for a certain period of time, which varies depending on the severity of each case.
The unconscious treatment through dream messages is based on eliminating your anti-conscience through consciousness. This means that you will analyze the content of your mind and your behavior. You will understand when you are controlled by your anti-conscience and what you have to do in order to transform your dangerous wild conscience into a positive component of your personality.
This is how you'll stop having abrupt mood swings and completely control your behavior.
I can translate your dreams for you and provide you with psychotherapy in case you have no courage to study the dream language. However, I have simplified Carl Jung's method of dream interpretation so much that you will surely understand the meaning of dreams by studying my lessons. You can submit a few dreams for translation and then continue translating your dreams alone, when you'll get used with the dream language and the dream logic.
You'll see that whenever you are too euphoric or extremely depressed, you are controlled by your anti-conscience. It takes the place of your ego, pretending to be you.
The unconscious mind gives you a clear image of what is happening to you in the dream messages, teaching you how to control your behavior and stop being a slave of your anti-conscience. This is how you will find salvation, instead of being an eternal victim of your wild side.
You'll build a self-confident, balanced and uniform personality. Your unique personality will be characterized by sincerity and wisdom. Your harmonic, always calm, and sensitive behavior will help you find permanent peace and happiness.

Christina Sponias continued Carl Jung's research into the human psyche, discovering the cure for all mental illnesses, and simplifying the scientific method of dream interpretation that teaches you how to exactly translate the meaning of your dreams, so that you can find health, wisdom and happiness.
Learn more at: http://www.scientificdreaminterpretation.com

Click Here to download a Free Sample of the eBook Dream Interpretation as a Science (86 pages!).