Mental Illness Seminar Discussion
Directions: We will be breaking into three groups in order to bring everything that we have discussed regarding mental illness and personality disorders together.
Vocabulary:
Stigma: a mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one's reputation.
Psychosis: amentaldisordercharacterizedbysymptomssuchasdelusionsorhallucinationsthatindicateimpairedcontactwithreality;anysevereformofmentaldisorder,asschizophreniaorparanoia.
Questions:
- Why are some mental illnesses so much more accepted and/or respected than others?
- Why do people take such cruel and horrid actions to those obviously suffering through pain and sadness?
- What similarities exist between these illnesses? How can we use those similarities to raise awareness and/or improve treatment?
- How can mental illnesses be prevented? Treated? De-stigmatized?
- What could a potential Mental Health Awareness campaign look like? What would it include and what could/should be its goals?
- Is it appropriate that potential employers ask for your mental health history?
- How can OCD affect the people around you?
- Can OCD be cured or controlled?
- Can OCD ever be considered a good thing? Where do those urges come from?
- Why is OCD more common in women?
- Are any of the disorders students researched actually symptoms of other disorders?
- Does mental illness affect males and females equally?
- Is Body Dysmorphia connected to anorexia?
- How can you best help a friend or family member with self-mutilation?
- How can we help stop self-mutilation?
- Why does adolescence seem to be the most fragile state of brain development?
- What is the statistical breakdown of triggering moments?
- What causes Social Anxiety Disorder?Are the symptoms the same in all settings or just some? Is this caused more by nature or nurture?
- How can we help those with Social Anxiety be in social settings?
- Why do people stress over things that others see as irrelevant?
- What does someone with Nightmare Disorder act like when they sleep?
- Can Nightmare Disorder transfer to fears when awake? What are the lasting effects?
- Does insomnia often affect teenagers?
- Should a person with Insomnia take sleeping medicines?
- What causes Insomnia? Is it due to a chemical imbalance?
- How does oversleeping qualify as Insomnia?
- How do tests to see if someone has ADHD happen?
- Can you learn to stutter, or develop stuttering habits by being surrounded by people who stutter?
- Are people born with Bipolar Disorder or does it develop as you grow? What role does environment play in this?
- Are people born with a pre-disposition to Bipolar Disorder? What happens in the brain that allows/creates unusual mood changes?
- Could something like chewing gum help with Onychopagia?
- Is Onychopagia stressed induced or hereditary? Is it closely related to OCD? Is stress a main factor?
- Is there research being done to help cure Onychopagia?
- Do people feel relief from self-harm? Do they get help? Can they see that it makes symptoms worse?
- Why does hurting yourself then make some people feel relieved or better?
- Should the stigma truly be broken relating to self-harm?
- Are all kids that appear hyper or high energy truly affected by ADHD?
- What is happening biologically to create all of that energy?
- How often does Seasonal Affective Disorder happen to young kids?Do people who are affected by SAD in the summer respond to light therapy? How does light therapy work?
- Does winter SAD have more to do with a person’s environment than their internal struggles?
- Are their new methods for dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder emerging?
- How many people does Borderline Personality Disorder affect?
- Why are women more likely to suffer from General Anxiety than men? Can this Anxiety be passed down to children?
- How does panic disorder develop?
- What would life look like for one with Schizophrenia? What are early signs of this illness and when do they develop?
- How can we help someone that is struggling with PTSD? Does PTSD come from a general scare?
- How does someone develop Panic Disorders? How is this different than general reactions to stressful situations?
- How does Panic Disorder develop?
- How do they go about unifying the personalities of Dissociative Identity Disorder? Can they all be unified into one?
- How often do people suffering from one of these conditions suffer from another as well? For example, do people with Self-Mutilation Disorder also suffer from eating disorders?
- How successful is treatment for Dissociative Identity Disorder?
- Does Body Dysmorphic Disorder also affect those who are transgendered?
- Is there a way to fully recover from Clinical Depression?
- Statistically, what are the chances of having Depression? Do people recover of does it gradually get worse?
- Has there been a specific gene or reason that causes Autism? Is there something that happens in utero that relates to Autism in children?