12-2: Celebrities and Mental Health

Hello Internet!

            Today I will be discussing the influence that celebrity figures can have on mental health issues. Mental health is not something that is commonly addressed in our society and when someone who is higher up in the hierarchy of fame discusses it, we are more likely to listen. I think that it’s hard to talk about mental health because it goes against what our lives should be like. We SHOULD be stress-free. We SHOULD be happy. We SHOULD live our lives in a way that makes our society a better place. When someone suffers from mental health issues, they often are unable to meet the requirements of our societies SHOULDS and instead of turning the SHOULDS into TRYING-TOS, we turn them into TOO-LAZYS or NOT-TRYING-HARD-ENOUGHS. When a well-known person has the courage to say that they suffer from mental health issues, it acts as a wake-up call to all of us who judge those who are trying to live like they should.

Glenn Close, an actress, and mental health advocate, wrote an article for the Huffington Post called Mental Illness: The Stigma of Silence. In the article, she calls to question why our society is unable to discuss and fix the problem of discrimination against mental illness. She writes: “It is an odd paradox that a society, which can now speak openly and unabashedly about topics that were once unspeakable, still remains largely silent when it comes to mental illness.” Over the past century, our country has become increasingly more accepting of minority groups. The civil rights movement, the women’s rights movement, and the recent movement for gay equality has proven that the stigma towards these groups, once present in our everyday society, is dissipating.

This is fabulous news for those groups that ­have sought freedom and equal rights for centuries. Everyone over the age of eighteen can now vote, no matter their gender or race, which used to be an unfathomable idea. There are also more interracial marriages than ever before which proves that people’s mindset of racial superiority is changing. We have made so much progress towards the infamous statement in the Declaration of Independence that declares, “…all men are created equal…” but we have forgotten about one major demographic that is still heavily misunderstood and discriminated against: those suffering from mental illness.

Another big star that had the courage to go public about her mental health issues is Demi Lovato. Lovato has struggled with drug abuse, mental illness problems, and eating disorders for her entire life. She struggled with anorexia, bulimia, and bipolar disorder. After seeking help in 2009 at the age of 19, Lovato has become an advocate for mental health awareness and currently works with mental health awareness groups all over the country. In an article with elle.com she says, “When I was bulimic, I knew it was a problem. When I was anorexic, I knew it was a problem. But I wasn’t in a place where I could quit by myself.” She entered rehab when she was on Disney Channel, which created some major headlines. It took courage to seek help and she is a role model for teenage girls everywhere who are struggling with mental health issues, eating disorders, or drug abuse issues.

Sometimes, all it takes is one person to make a difference in the world. A quote from one of my favorite TV shows, When Calls the Heart, reads: “Bad things happen if good people do nothing.” The issues and the stigma surrounding mental health are only going to continue if those who have something to say stay silent. Who knows; they might be holding back on saying the exact words that someone else needs to hear. 

http://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/news/a31029/demi-lovato-mental-health/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-close/mental-illness-the-stigma_b_328591.html

12-1: Anxiety Disorders

Hello Internet!

            Today I am going to be writing about something that I have quite a bit of experience with. (See post 7-1) The number of people in the United States with anxiety is rapidly increasing due to various factors.Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines anxiety as, “…an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it.” There are four main types of anxiety: panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and general anxiety disorder.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden attacks. People with panic disorder often, “have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning.” Panic attacks often manifest physical symptoms such as chest pain, sweating, or palpitations. (a sudden rise in heart rate. Some causes of panic disorder may include family history, abnormalities in the brain, substance abuse, or a major life stress. Treatments for panic disorder may include, but are not limited to, medications, or clinical therapy.

Social Anxiety Disorder

            Social anxiety disorder is characterized by feelings of nervousness or anxiousness in social situations. It can be extremely difficult especially for people who live in metropolitan areas. Social situations are unavoidable for the majority of the world’s population and anxiety in social situations affect about 15 million Americans. Social Anxiety typically begins to appear in teenagers around the age of 13. Many people do not seek treatment because they fear being embarrassed or humiliated. Social anxiety disorder can interfere with daily routines, social life, or occupational performance making school, work, and family life extremely difficult. Treatments for social anxiety disorder include, but are not limited, medications, or professional care.

Specific Phobias

            Dictionary.com defines a phobia as, “a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it.” In some cases, phobias are a result of classical conditioning; the person has learned to relate something to something fearful. (Ex. thunder and lightning, sting and bee, bite and snake) An experiment testing the effects of classical conditioning on the human mind conducted by John B. Watson showed how the human mind pairs two things, causing phobias. His hypothesis stated that “…the fearful response of children to loud noises in an innate unconditioned response.” He proved that he could, “condition a child to fear a distinctive stimulus that normally would not be feared by a child.” People with phobias can receive treatment through clinical therapy and counseling.

General Anxiety Disorder

            General anxiety disorder is characterized by feelings of worry about various different things. They tend to worry about the outcomes of events more than the average person would. They often expect the worst, even when there is no evidence that the worst is going to happen. General anxiety disorder can be caused by a number of different things including, but not limited to, a prior traumatic experience, experience with natural disasters, or family history. New mothers also may experience anxiety concerning their children. General anxiety disorder is commonly treated with medications and therapy.

Some Statistics

            Anxiety is more common than most people believe it to be. AnxietyCentre.com states that “Anxiety disorders affect 18.1 percent of adults in the United States.” The number may be much higher because many people are misdiagnosed, don’t seek help, or don’t recognize that they have anxiety issues. Anxiety disorders cause the US more than $42 billion a year which is nearly 33% of the national mental health budget. AnxietyCentre.org also says that “People with an anxiety disorder are three-to-five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than non-sufferers. It is important to recognize the symptoms of anxiety so that treatment can be sought. 

11-2: Sleep Deprivation and Mental Health

Hello Internet!

            Today’s topic is one that is prevalent in EVERYONE’S life. Americans are getting less sleep than ever before and studies have shown that it is a key factor in mental illness. Sleep deprivation is defined as, “the situation or condition of suffering from a lack of sleep.” Some causes of sleep deprivation may include, but are not limited to, screen time late at night, pressure at work and school, and increased responsibility. Sleep deprivation is most observed in adolescents but affects all ages.

            Increased pressure in our school systems has led to an increase in mental health issues in teens. The average public high school in The United States starts at 7:59 AM, too early for the average teenager. With the average teen staying up until 10 or 11 PM every night, teens are getting less sleep than is recommended for a still maturing mind and body. The National Sleep Foundation recommends between eight and ten hours of sleep each night for adolescents between the ages of 14-17, an almost unachievable goal. The movie Inside the Teenage Brain, discusses a sleep debt that teenagers pay due to early start times as well as extra-curricular activities, and healthy social lives. This sleep debt is an influential cause in mental health problems among teens.

            Sleep deprivation is one of the leading causes of mental health problems. Someone who is sleep deprived is at a high risk for mood disorders, sleep disorders, and problems with relationships. Camile Peri, a writer for WebMd.com, says that “. . . a lack of sleep can hinder you from thinking clearly and keeping your emotions at an even keel. Studies show that excessive sleepiness can hurt work performance, wreak havoc on relationships, and lead to mood problems like anger and depression.” Students are expected to do more than ever before on less sleep than ever before. It is no wonder that so many have problems with family relationships, mood disorders, anxiety, and various other mental health issues.

            The lack of sleep is not the only reason why adolescents are developing more mental health issues than ever before; a heightened academic standard puts more stress on students, causing anxiety and issues with self-worth. Many students are set to an impossible standard of academic achievement. Personalized learning plans have been replaced by the common core system, a system that teaches the average student. The common core system fails to assist extremely gifted students, as well as those with learning disabilities, to achieve their academic potential. This depersonalization, as well as additional pressure put on all students, is wreaking havoc on our nation’s youth. 

            A journal article was published by The US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health in 2007 regarding the impact of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance. It showed that sleep deprivation induces adverse changes in cognitive performance. A person’s ability to cope with sleep deprivation depends on multiple factors including aging, and gender. Not everybody needs the same amount of sleep; the need for many hours of sleep decreases as one ages.

            Harvard Health Publications published an article in July of 2009 entitled Sleep and Mental Health. This article explains the correlation between the lack of sleep and mental health. It says that, “Chronic sleep problems affect 50% to 80% of patient in a typical psychiatric practice, compared with 10% to 18% of adults in the general U.S. population. Sleep problems are particularly common in patients with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. (ADHD)” The article makes three main points about sleep disorders and mental illness.

1. Sleep problems are more likely to affect patients with psychiatric disorders than people in the general population
2. Sleep problems may increase risk for developing particular mental illness, as well as result from such disorders.
3. Treating the sleep disorder may help alleviate symptoms of the mental health problem.

So why is this important? It is important to be educated about the importance of sleep because it is an essential part of being healthy. In order to perform at peak physical and mental condition it is important to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep.

Thanks for Reading!

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656292/

http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Sleep-and-mental-health