What is mental illness?

By: Audrey Kahrs and Kali Hopkins

“A mental illness is a condition that
affects a person's thinking, feeling or
mood. Such conditions may affect
someone's ability to relate to others and
function each day. Each person will
have different experiences, even people
with the same diagnosis.”
-National Alliance on Mental Illness
How does mental illness
develop?
Mental illness does not have a direct
cause, but research has shown that
there may be biological, psychological,
and environmental factors that may
influence the development of a mental
illness

The Kimi Foundation

Biological factors
● Genetics
● Infections affecting the brain
● Brain defects or injury
● Lack of nutrition
● Damage in prenatal stage

The Kimi Foundation

Psychological factors
● Severe trauma as a child such as sexual or
physical abuse
● Neglect
● Early loss of someone important such as a
parent
● Neglect

The Kimi Foundation

Environmental factors

● Hard family life

● Poverty
● Significant life changes
● Social or cultural pressures

The Kimi Foundation

What Types of
mental Illness
are there?
Depressive disorder
-Also known as just depression

-Depressive disorder is a disorder that negatively

impacts the way you feel and act in your daily life

- Common symptoms include: Changes in sleep and

appetite, loss of focus, loss of interest in activities,
suicidal thoughts, and feel hopeless

-There is no single cause of depression, but it can be

caused by trauma, genetics, life circumstances, drug
and alcohol abuse, and other medical conditions NAMI
Bipolar disorders
-”Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that causes dramatic shifts in a
person mood, energy, and ability to think” (NAMI)

-People with bipolar experience moods of depression and mania

-There are four types of bipolar disorders with Bipolar 1, Bipolar 2,

cyclothymia, and unspecified bipolar

-A person can have episodes of depression and mania separately and can
also have them simultaneously or rapid cycle between the two moods

-There is both hypo mania and mania. Hypomania is a less severe form of
mania that does not include psychotic episodes

-Causes can include genetics, stress, and brain structure NAMI

 Anxiety disorders
-Anxiety disorders present themselves with constant worry or fear in
situations that are not threatening

-emotional symptoms can include feelings of dread, restlessness,

irritability, feeling as if something terrible will happen.

-Physical symptoms can include a rapid heart beat, shortness of breath,

upset stomach, frequent urination, insomnia

-Types of anxiety generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorders,

separation anxiety, and phobias

NAMI
How is mental illness treated?
Psychotherapy: Therapy provided by a mental health professional that
explores how to thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to improve a person's
mental health

Medication: Medications are not a miracle cure, but can be used to help
individuals deal with their illnesses. Medication and psychotherapy are
often the best to handle mental illness

Hospitalization: If an individual's health becomes temporarily worse

hosplizaton may be needed so they can be monitored, accurately
diagnosed, or have their meds adjusted

Support groups: Support groups are groups of people who have similar
experiences help each other reach the goals that they have set for
themselves Mental Health America
 Resources
https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorde
rs

https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Bipolar-Disorde
r

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression

https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression/Ov
erview

http://www.thekimfoundation.org/causes.html

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/types-mental-health-treatments