Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs for Mental Health
- What types of mental health problems are there? »
- How many people experience mental health problems? »
- What type of treatments and therapies are there for mental health problems? »
- What is an eating disorder? »
- Who gets an eating disorder? »
- What causes eating disorders? »
- Do young people get the help they need? »
- What are the long-term effects of alcohol and what are the related illnesses? »
- Are you worried about someone else? »
- Do I have an alcohol problem? »
- What is drug abuse and addiction? »
- What causes drug abuse and addiction? »
- How is drug addiction treated? »
FAQs for Acquired Brain Injury and Neurodisabilities
- What is a minor head injury? »
- Does a minor head injury always result in permanent damage? »
- What has happened if someone has 'changed' as a result of a brain injury? »
- What should a person or their relatives do if they experience problems like these? »
- What is traumatic brain injury? »
FAQs for Learning Disabilities
- What is a learning disability? »
- How can you tell if someone has a learning disability? »
- What causes learning disabilities? »
- What can one do about learning disabilities? »
FAQs for Children with Special Needs
- What usually causes physical disabilities? »
- What happens when the brain is injured? »
- Does minor head injury always result in permanent damage? »
- What should a person or their relatives do if they experience problems like these? »
- What has happened if someone has "changed" as a result of a brain injury? »
Answers
What types of mental health problems are there?
Despite the controversy surrounding the definition and the term 'mental illness': mental health problems still usually remain in the province of psychiatry, and hence are mainly discussed in medical terms.
The broad distinctions are used to classify different types of mental illness.
The first distinguishes organic and functional psychiatric disorders. 'Organic' disorders result directly from identifiable brain malfunction. 'Functional' means that the disorder is not due to simple structural abnormalities of the brain. A disorder may develop suddenly, or over a prolonged period, in some cases total recovery is possible with treatment. If, however, the damage is irreversible, treatment is aimed at assisting the person to cope with his/her disability, and trying to prevent further deterioration.
The second distinguishes neurosis from psychosis. 'Neurosis' describes various forms of anxiety and depression that can be regarded as severe forms of normal experiences.
How many people experience mental health problems?
Anyone can experience a mental health problem. On average one person in four will experience some kind of mental health problem during a year. However, a much smaller number of people will be diagnosed with a serious and enduring mental health problem. For example, an estimated 1 in 10 people will have some form of depression at any one time, whilst an estimated 1 in 20 people will have serious or 'clinical' depression.
What type of treatments and therapies are there for mental health problems?
Treatments for mental health problems take many different forms, including medication, psychotherapy, complimentary therapies and self help strategies. It is worth bearing in mind that what works for one person may not work for another, some treatments work best in combination and even the same person may prefer different treatments at different points in his/her life.
What is clear is that, given appropriate information, the person with the mental health problem is usually in the best position to make a decision about what works best for him/her. It is unfortunate that many patients are not given the information they need to make that decision. It is also unfortunate that many professionals in mental health services still don't listen to what patients say about the kind of treatment they would prefer to receive or even whether they wish to recieve any treatment at all.
What is an eating disorder?
Eating disorders develop as signs of inner emotional or psychological problems or distress; the way that people cope with difficulties in their life. Over eating, or not eating, is used to help block out painful feelings. Without appropriate help and treatment, eating problems may persist. Eating disorders are complex illnesses where both the disturbed eating pattern as well as the psychological aspects need to be treated. Restoring a regular eating pattern plus a balanced diet is needed. Helping someone come to terms with the underlying emotional issues enables them to cope with difficulties in a way that is not harmful to them.
Who gets an eating disorder?
Eating disorders are most common in adolescence and early adulthood, between the ages of 15 and 25. Although less common, they can also occur in children and older people as well. The onset of anorexia nervosa is often associated with puberty. In cultures that value an unrealistically thin ideal, young women may view developing hips and breasts as fat or ugly. Puberty also tends to coincide with a number of other stressful events, such as increased pressure at school, exams, dating, friendships, and the emergence of adulthood. This time may lead to very marked shifts in mood, personality, self-esteem, as well as the more obvious physical changes.
Approximately one half of one percent of women in the United Kingdom will develop anorexia nervosa in their lifetime, and two percent or more will develop bulimia nervosa or binge eating.
What causes eating disorders?
PRECIPITATING FACTORS - There may be a preceding event, which may trigger the onset of the condition. Anorexia nervosa is often preceded by a period of continuous dieting. Many sufferers begin to diet after an unkind comment, perhaps relating to their weight, or just as a teenage preoccupation, or because they see others dieting.
However, triggers may be unrelated to weight or dieting. The upheaval following life changes such as moving school, bereavement, divorce or other emotional trauma involving loss of separation, or which injure their sense of self-worth, may be sufficient to trigger an onset. Events may occur to be threatened which they feel powerless to change or prevent, and may lead them to seek solace in an activity where they can exercise complete control and find a sense of security.
PREDISPOSING FACTORS - Many children and young adults can cope with stressful life events without developing any mental health problems.
Do young people get the help they need?
Generally young people recently researched said that they did not get the support they needed. The difficulties they faced included long delays in getting help, waiting lists, not being understood, being passed between services and professionals, their family denying the existence of a problem, and sometimes feeling intimidated by psychiatrists. Responces from GP's were frequently sited by young people as a difficulty in getting the help they needed in times of crisis.
Those who did get the help, highlighted what was useful. Clearly the most important factor was having someone to talk to and listen to them. This was especially useful when young people felt the person has some personal similar experience. Support, understanding, love and care were also very important. Medication was also viewed as helpful by some young people, as well as counselling and specific interventions, to help with drug and alcohol problems.
What are the long-term effects of alcohol and what are the related illnesses?
Alcohol is a poisonous substance so having it frequently circulating in your body will harm your health. Regular drinking may damage internal organs even if you rarely drink to the point of intoxication. Several serious diseases occur more frequently in heavy drinkers than in the rest of the population. It is however fair to point out that problems (with the exception of liver cirrhosis) are not caused by drinking alone. Alcohol increases the risk of developing certain diseases, rather than being the only cause. It can also make some conditions worse. Alcohol's role in ill health is often under-recognised - doctors do not routinely ask patients how much they drink, even in cases where drinking is known to be a key factor.
Are you worried about someone else?
For those worried about someone else's drinking a common question is - are they actually alcoholic? The problem is that most people with a drinking problem will deny it. The question is usually paramount in the mind of those concerned because finding out by other means is difficult. The person (who is unlikely to appear completely drunk) will be resistant to any enquiries, is likely to lie about their drinking and will take a lot of trouble to cover it up. You know something is wrong and suspect alcohol, but because of the stigma attached to alcohol problems which contributes to denial (often aggresive), it is hard to find out from the person directly. In fact the question itself is rarely very useful, unless the person is willing to talk about their drinking, and then thinking about what action needs to be taken. It is likely that if you are concerned about someone and think drink is involved, then it probably is.
Do I have an alcohol problem?
The first thing to consider is how much you actually drink. Try to compile a diary of what you drink each week. Include all the drinks and remember that at home a glass of wine or spirits is often bigger than a pub measure! If you are drinking above the recommended limits you should think about cutting down.
Alcohol is a Central Nervous System depressant - it reduces activity in some of the higher brain centres. This can produce apparent stimulation by reducing anxiety and self-consciousness.
So alcohol is a substance that can change the mental/emotional state of the user. It has a "pay-off", in that it can temporarily remove mental or emotional discomfort.
What is drug abuse and addiction?
Drug abuse refers to the use of a drug for purposes for which it was not intended, or using a drug in excessive quantities. Drug addiction is a state of physical or psychological dependence on a drug.
Physical addiction is characterised by the presence of tolerance (needing more and more of the drug to achieve the same effect) and withdrawal symptoms that disappear when further medication is taken.
All sorts of different drugs can be abused, including illegal drugs (such as heroin or cannabis), prescription medicines (such as tranquilisers or painkillers), and other medicines that can be bought off the supermarket shelf (such as cough mixtures or herbal remedies), plus of course alcohol.
What causes drug abuse and addiction?
This depends on the nature of the drug being abused, the person taking the drug and the circumstances under which it is taken.
Some medications, for example certain sleeping pills or painkillers - are physically addictive. They have a specific effect on the body which leads to tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. Others may lead to a psychological addiction if people have a craving for the effect that the drug causes.
There has been some speculation that some people may be more prone to drug abuse and addiction than others. Research is being carried out into whether there may even be genes that predispose certain people to addiction.
Social circumstances are important in drug abuse. Peer pressure, emotional distress and low self-esteem can all lead individuals to abuse drugs. Ease of access to drugs is another influence.
People abuse drugs for a reason. Understanding what the person's motivation is helps to explain why that person is abusing drugs.
How is drug addiction treated?
The first step in treatment is recognition by the individual that they have a problem.
Effective treatments are tailored to the needs of the individual. There is no one therapy that is used in all cases. The choice of treatment will also depend on which drug is being abused.
Treatments include psychological therapies, such as behaviour therapy and medication to help the individual's withdrawal symptoms.
What is a minor head injury?
Minor head injury is a temporary disruption of the brains functions. The technical definition is either a loss of consciousness for a brief period up to 15 minutes, or a loss of continuous memory for events for up to one hour. However, in many cases a minor head injury can occur with no loss of consciousness and no disruption to memory.
Does a minor head injury always result in permanent damage?
No. Most people who suffer mild bumps to the head will recover. They may experience temporary symptoms which disappear over time. Only if more nerve cells have been damaged, or if there are repeated injuries, will people experience permanent damage and changes in the way they think and act.
What has happened if someone has 'changed' as a result of a brain injury?
When these changes persist for months after an injury, it means nerve cells have been damaged, possibly affecting thought, emotion and behaviour. It also means that the person affected should seek help to overcome or adapt to the changes that have occured.
What should a person or their relatives do if they experience problems like these?
They should contact a medical professional, explain the problems and ask for a referral for a neuro-psychological assessment. This should be carried out by a Clinical Psychologist specialising in neuro-psychology, specially trained to understand the problems that occur following damage to the brain. While the assessment is extensive, it is the best way to gain understanding of the nature of the problems.
What is traumatic brain injury?
A brain injury caused by outside force, but includes the complications which can follow, such as damage caused by lack of oxygen, and rising pressure and swelling in the brain. A traumatic brain injury can be seen as a chain of events beginning with the first injury which occurs in the accident, and being made worse by a second injury which happens in the minutes and hours after this, depending on when skilled medical intervention occurs.
What is a learning disability?
A learning disability is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store and respond to information. The term is used to describe the seeming unexplained difficulty a person of at least average intelligence has in acquiring basic academic skills.
How can you tell if someone has a learning disability?
Learning disabilities can affect a person's ability in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, writing, mathematics. Other features of a learning disability are:
- A gap between the level of achievement that is expected and what is actually being achieved.
- Difficulties with social and emotional skills and behaviour.
A learning disability is not a disease, so there is no cure, but there are ways to overcome the challenges it poses.
What causes learning disabilities?
Experts aren't exactly sure what causes learning disabilities, but they may be due to:
- Heredity - often learning disabilities run in the family, so it's not uncommon to find that people have parents or other relatives with similar difficulties.
- Problems during pregnancy and birth - it may be caused by illness or injury during or before birth. It may also be caused by drug and alcohol use during pregnancy, low birth weight, lack of oxygen and premature or prolonged labour.
- Incidents after birth - head injuries, nutritional deprivation and exposure to toxic substances (i.e. lead) can also contribute.
- Learning disabilities are NOT caused by economic disadvantage, environmental factors or cultural differences.
What can one do about learning disabilities?
Learning disabilities are lifelong, and although they won't go away, they don't have to stop a person from achieving goals. Learning disabilities affect every person differently, and the disorder can range from mild to severe. Sometimes people have more than one learning disability.
Early identification is vital in helping a child to succeed academically, as well as socially. If you think your child is displaying signs of a learning disability, share them with classroom teachers and others who come in contact with your child. Observe the way your child develops the language, motor coordination and social skills and behaviours important for success in school.
It is never too late to get help for a learning disability. Finding out about a learning disability can be a great relief to adults who could not explain the reason for their struggles in the past.
What usually causes physical disabilities?
Damage to the brain is the primary cause. Certain parts of the brain are responsible for the control of movement. Basic movements are controlled by many areas including one called the primary motor cortex, which is an area running down each side of the brain: the left side controls movement on the right side of the body and visa versa.
Balance and co-ordination are controlled by the cerebellum at the back of the brain. Other areas of the brain are responsible for the planning of these movements. There is a network of nerve fibres connecting all parts of the brain and sending nerves to the muscles and other parts of the body. Brain cells and the bundles of fibres are very sensitive to injury. Even if there is no sign of injury on the surface of the head, any of these areas can be injured by the violent forces that cause an acquired head injury.
Damage to the brain can also be caused by infections e.g. meningitis and encephalitis, by lack of oxygen or the toxic effect of drugs.
If a brain cell or nerve fibre has been damaged beyond a certain point, it will not be replaced. Unlike other parts of the body, the brain cannot grow new cells to help repair damage. However, surviving nerve cells can reorganise their connections with each other (a process known as plasticity), in a process driven and shaped by relevant re-learning experience, such as in provided by rehabilitation.
Most of the physical recovery will occur in the early months after the injury. Recovery of speech and language, higher-level thinking and cognitive function takes place over a longer period.
What happens when the brain is injured?
Brain tissue consists of a soft jelly like substance containing billions of interconnecting nerve cells (neurones) and nerve fibres. These are supplied with oxygen and nutrients by a complex network of blood vessels. Cerebrospinal fluid, three layers of membrance and the skull protect the brain. Brain injury occurs when either the nerve cells or nerve pathways are broken, compressed or starved of a blood supply. This can happen as a result of mechanical force, insufficient blood and oxygen reaching the brain tissue, infection, chemical poisoning or by a tumour.
The brain acts as a control centre for movement, sensation and emotional and behavioural function. Following brain injury any one or more of these function can be affected.
Does minor head injury always result in permanent damage?
Brain tissue consists of a soft jelly like substance containing billions of interconnecting nerve cells (neurones) and nerve fibres. These are supplied with oxygen and nutrients by a complex network of blood vessels. Cerebrospinal fluid, three layers of membrance and the skull protect the brain. Brain injury occurs when either the nerve cells or nerve pathways are broken, compressed or starved of a blood supply. This can happen as a result of mechanical force, insufficient blood and oxygen reaching the brain tissue, infection, chemical poisoning or by a tumour.
The brain acts as a control centre for movement, sensation and emotional and behavioural function. Following brain injury any one or more of these function can be affected.
What should a person or their relatives do if they experience problems like these?
They should contact a medical professional, explain the problems and ask for a referral for a neuro-psychological assessment. This should be carried out by a Clinical Psychologist specialising in neuro-psychology, specially trained to understand the problems that occur following damage to the brain. While the assessment is extensive, it is the best way to gain understanding of the nature of the problems.
What has happened if someone has "changed" as a result of a brain injury?
When these changes persist for months after an injury, it means nerve cells have been damaged, possibly affecting thought, emotion and behaviour. It also means that the person affected should seek help to overcome or adapt to the changes that have occured.
