CHAPTER 5 OUTLINE NOTES:

Emotional Problems: Emotional problems are a normal part of everyone’s life. Being able to deal with them and find support is important. The people who need assistance the most are the least likely to seek it.

  1. The areas of your life that emotional problems can affect:
  1. social and family relations
  2. performance of tasks (job)
  3. leisure time activities (hobbies)
  1. Some emotional problems run in families. Schizophrenia runs in families (10% if parents are diagnosed, they will pass it to their offspring).
  1. emotional problems can also be caused by brain damage from drugs or disease (syphilis).
  2. Most emotional problems can be treated.
  3. Depression is the most common emotional problem.
  4. Guilt, shame, depression, anxiety are all examples.
  1. 10 million Americans suffer from depression each year.
  2. Anxiety. Can be short lived or chronic. Short lived anxiety = energy. Chronic anxiety = disabling. Many suffer from anxiety attacks (totally disable person).
  1. Addiction is an emotional problem. Humans can be addicted to many different things.
  1. Eating Disorders are also classified as emotional problems/mental illnesses.
  1. Anorexia Nervosa: starving self
  2. Bulimia: binge and purge
  3. Overeating: binge continuously
  1. OCD = Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (doing meaningless things over and over again). The act is called the compulsion.
  1. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder= repeatedly relive the experience that was horrible (War, Rape, Death, etc)
  1. Guilt vs. Shame: Guilt is short lasting, Shame lasts for weeks, months, years, even lifetimes.
  1. Phobia = specific fear of something.

Example: Arachnophobia = fear of spiders.

  1. Young People and Suicide: In the US today, 20 people end their lives. 1,000 will attempt suicide.
  1. most think that their bad feelings will last forever.
  2. 2/3 of suicide victims use drugs or alcohol on a regular basis.
  3. Most that attempt suicide have family issues surrounding them. Often the death of a parent, friend, loved one, or the divorce of parents or the break up with a boyfriend/girlfriend will trigger suicidal feelings.
  4. Boys are more violent with suicide (firearms).
  5. How to help? Call suicide hotline, 911, or police. Stay with that person until help arrives.
  1. Healing: Types of Therapy. Here are some therapy specialist that often help with emotional illnesses:
  1. Counselor
  2. Psychiatrist –can prescribe drugs
  3. Psychologist
  4. Psychoanalyst
  5. Social Worker
  1. ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (problems focusing, staying on task, impulse control).
  1. No one knows what causes ADHD
  2. Ritalin is the drug that is often prescribed for ADHD