Nancy%20Gingerich

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• Nancy Gingerich
• Supporting Family and Friends
• with Mental Illness

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Agenda

• Introduction
• What is Mental Health?
• Canadian Facts
• Cause of Mental Illness
• Onset
• Depression, Anxiety, Self Harm and Suicidal
  Ideation
• Protective Factors
• Stigma
• Recovery
• Supporting Individuals/ Families
• Resources

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Introduction

• Interfaith Community Counselling Centre (ICCC),
  located in New Hamburg (Trinity Lutheran Church)
• serving the needs of individuals, couples and
  families for over 25 years
• a registered non-profit organization under the
  direction of an elected and volunteer Board of
  Directors
• Involved in many communities

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What is Mental Health?

• Mental Health refers to ongoing successful mental
  activity
• This includes maintaining productive daily
  activities and maintaining fulfilling
  relationships with others
• It also includes maintaining the abilities to
  adapt to change and cope with stress

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Canadian Facts

• Based on studies conducted by the Canadian Mental
  Health Association and the Centre for Addictions
  and Mental Health
• One in 5 people in Ontario will experience a
  mental illness at some point in their life time
• Mental illness affects people of all ages, in all
  kinds of jobs and at all income and educational
  levels
• 70 of mental health disorders have an onset
  during childhood

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Cause of Mental Illness

• Many contributing factors lead to the diagnoses
  of a mental illness
• Genetic predisposition (Nature)
• Experience and Environment (Nurture)
• Societal factors pressure to achieve, the
  increased stress and busyness of life

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What it is

• The symptoms of mental illness are a result of
  abnormal brain functioning
• Mental illness is a brain disorder
• It is rarely if ever caused by stress alone
• Like physical illness, mental illness often
  requires some form of treatment

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What it is NOT

• The result of poor parenting
• The result of poor behavior
• The result of personal weakness or bad attitude
• The result of a deficit in personality
• The result of bad spiritual intent
• The result of poverty

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Mental Illness Onset

• Some of the illnesses which commonly begin during
  childhood and persist into adolescence include
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Attachment Disorder

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Mental Illness Onset

• Illnesses that most often begin during
  adolescence include
• Major Depression
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar Disorder
• Eating Disorders
• Specific Anxiety Disorders
• Panic Disorder
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Addictions

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Depression

• Affects both mind and body
• Caused by multiple factors, including genetics
• and life experiences
• Symptoms can include
• Sleeping disturbances
• Eating disturbances
• Feelings of sadness, loneliness, or guilt
• Lowered concentration and motivation
• Can affect anyone regardless of age, gender,
  education, employment, etc.

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Discussion

• What are some emotions that family members and
  friends might experience when a loved one is
  struggling with depression?

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• It is normal to feel upset when a loved one is
  struggled with depression
• Confused
• Frustrated
• Guilt
• Walking on eggshells
• Helpless

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• It is normal to feel upset when a loved one is
  struggled with depression
• Confused
• Frustrated
• Guilt
• Walking on eggshells
• Helpless
• Reminder - Oxygen Mask
• Processing your own feelings with a support
  person or professional can help you cope and
  allow you to continue to support your loved one(s)

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Anxiety

• Everyone feels worry at some point but anxiety is
  excessive worry and unrealistic thought patterns
  that interfere with daily living
• 12 of adults, 2x more women than men
• 1 in 8 children have anxiety increase in
  children experiencing anxiety
• Most common mental health disorder however highly
  treatable

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Worry Vs. Anxiety

• Does not interfere with job/school/social life
• Feel that concerns are controllable
• Specific cause
• Brief periods
• Usually not accompanied by physical symptoms

• Interferes with job/school/social life
• Feels that it is out of control
• May be unsure of what caused it
• Lasts a long time
• Accompanied by physical symptoms
• Very distressing

• Worry

• Anxiety

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Self Harm

• Self harm is direct, repetitive, and intentional
  injuring of body tissue most often done without
  suicidal intentions
• Most common form is self-cutting but can also
  include burning, scratching, tearing, banging or
  hitting body parts, interference of wound
  healing, hair-pulling or ingestion of toxic
  substances or objects
• Self harm is a behavior employed as a coping
  mechanism to deal with underlying mental health
  challenges and is not a disorder or condition
  itself

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Self Harm

• The motivations for self-harm vary and it may be
  used to fulfill a number of different functions.
• Self-harm may be used as a coping mechanism with
  provides temporary relief of intense feelings
  such as anxiety, depression, stress, emotional
  numbness or a sense of self-loathing or other
  mental traits such as low self-esteem or
  perfectionism. ..they feel the hurt on the
  outside instead of on the insidebut it is
  ineffective because it does not last..and thus
  becomes repetitive
• Some may use self-harm as a means to punish
  themselves for something they have done instead
  of changing their behavior

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Self Harm

• People who self injure usually go to great
  lengths to hide the behaviour. Red flags to be
  aware of are
• Unexplained frequent injuries, such as cuts and
  burns
• Wearing long pants and long sleeves in warm
  weather
• Low self esteem
• Problems handling emotions
• Problems with relationships

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How to Help those who Self Harm

• Let the person know you care
• Be patient and Listen - give the person space to
  tell you about how they are feeling
• Be non-judgmental
• Let them know there is help available to develop
  better ways of coping with their intense emotions
  
• Connect them to professional help

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Suicidal Ideation

• Loss of interest in appearance, socializing,
  relationships, work/school
• Wide mood swings and extreme outbursts
• Major personality change
• Expressions of helplessness/hopelessness (i.e.
  I just can't take it anymore, it wont matter
  soon)
• Expressions of worthlessness and being a burden

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Suicidal Ideation

• High risk behaviour (i.e. alcohol/drug abuse,
  promiscuity)
• Preoccupation with thoughts of death
• Preparations for death, giving away valuables,
  calling to say goodbye
• Treatment of teens for psychiatric disorder
• (i.e. taking certain anti-depressant
  medication)

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Supporting a suicidal person

• Be familiar with red flags
• Take all mentions of suicide seriously
• Let the person know that you care
• Listen give the person space to tell you about
  how they are feeling
• Be non-judgmental

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Supporting a suicidal person

• Dont be afraid to ask if the person is thinking
  of hurting themselves
• If they have a plan DONT Leave them alone
• Offer hope that there is help available
• Connect suicidal person to professional help

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When someone you love is suicidal

• Shock
• Denial
• Trying to fix the problems
• Blame
• Guilt - Can be a tendency to blame yourself
• Others?

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Mental Health Protective Factors

• Early assessment and intervention
• Family relationships
• Healthy life style
• Community involvement
• Support network

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Stigma of Mental Illness

• When we negatively view someone as having a
  weaker character
• Use of negative or cruel language to describe
  mental illness (i.e. make jokes)
• Portrayal of people with mental illness in the
  media (violent, crazy, etc).

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Why Stigma?

• Lack of knowledge regarding the brain
• Lack of knowledge about mental illness
• The media
• Movies
• News stories that emphasize a persons mental
  illness as a factor in crime
• Behaviors, such as aggression, that are
  attributed to mental health disorders
• Language used (psycho, schizo, etc)

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Breaking Down the Stigma

• Educate, educate, educate! Learning about mental
  health is essential
• Open up and start speaking about it, allows for
  healing
• Make it okay to seek help, especially for men,
  encourage others

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Treatment and Recovery

• Family and social support
• Non medical or Medical Supplements
• Life style changes, diet and exercise
• Counselling
• Community involvement
• Spirituality/faith

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Supporting Individuals

• Dont minimize feelings
• Speaking in soothing tones of voice may have a
  calming effect
• Equip the individuals with the tools and
  resources
• Do not enable or excuse behaviors learn about
  it
• Model self-help behaviors

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Supporting Families

• Ask the family how you can help
• Educate ourselves- challenge yourselves and
  others
• Dont work alone
• Encourage the caregiver to take care of
  themselves first, so they can help each other
• Any other suggestions?

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Reflection

• In what ways will you take the time to take care
  of yourself this week (eg. taking a bath,
  spending time with friends)

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Interest Finder

• Interest in Support Group for those supporting
  family or friends with mental illness

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Resources

• CMHA Grand River Branch
• Individualized support (Outreach, Short-Term and
  Long-Term Intensive)
• Mental wellness workshops and seminars
• Family support services through the Family Mental
  Health Network
• Peer support through the Self Help Alliance
• Court support and services for youth in the
  criminal justice system
• Contact
• Kitchener Office 519-744-7645 or 1-866-448-1603
• Mobile Crisis Team 519-744-1813 (24 hrs)

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Resources

• Front Door
• Crisis services through crisis phone number and
  Mobile Crisis Services
• For children, youth, and their families
• Support and resources for parents whose child is
  experiencing mental illness
• Walk-in single-session counselling for youth,
  parents and children
• Contact
• Kitchener - Front Door (Mon -Fri 830-430)
• Cambridge - Langs  (Thurs 10 - to 530)

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Resources

• Interfaith Community Counselling Centre
• Individualized high-quality counseling services
• Parenting coaching and support
• Work with clients of all age groups
• Sliding-scale fees to make counseling accessible
  to everyone
•  Contact
• 519-662-3092

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References

• Coxson, D., Agencies working to break the silence
  of suicide, New Hamburg Independent, July 29,
  2010
• Hampson, Sarah, Medical access still the key to
  stopping suicide, Globe and Mail, January 9, 2011
• Canadian Mental Health Association,
  http//www.cmhagrb.on.ca
• Centre for Suicide Prevention, http//ww3.suicidei
  nfo.ca
• Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• National Institute of Mental Health
• Understanding Mental Health and Mental Illness
  www.TeenMentalHealth.org