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The state of our mental health has been discussed more openly in the national media over the last few years. At long last we are starting to see the end of the “stiff British upper lip” and the stigma of mental health problems.
According to Mind 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year.
Every seven years a survey is done in England to measure the number of people who have different types of mental health problem each year. It was last published in 2009 and reported these figures:
Depression - 2.6 in 100 people
Anxiety - 4.7 in 100 people
Mixed anxiety and depression - 9.7 in 100 people
Some problems are asked about over a person’s lifetime, rather than each year:
Suicidal thoughts 17 in 100 people
Self-harm 3 in 100 people
Estimates for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and personality disorders are also usually described over a person’s lifetime, rather than each year. Estimates for the number of people with these diagnoses do vary quite a lot but the most commonly reported figures are:
Personality disorders 3 to 5 people in every 100
Bipolar disorder 1 to 3 people in every 100
Schizophrenia 1 to 3 people in every 100
What is Normal?
Everyone experiences some nervousness and anxiety from time to time, public speaking, financial stress, family upsets are all common triggers for these feelings. Mostly, they will last for a few hours, or days and then clear. But when these feelings continue day after day without abatement it is time to look for some help.
Health.com have put together a list of 11 signs that you might have an anxiety disorder:
Excessive worry
The hallmark of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)—the broadest type of anxiety—is worrying too much about everyday things, large and small. But what constitutes "too much"?
In the case of GAD, it means having persistent anxious thoughts on most days of the week, for six months. Also, the anxiety must be so bad that it interferes with daily life and is accompanied by noticeable symptoms, such as fatigue.
Sleep problems
Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep is associated with a wide range of health conditions, both physical and psychological. And, of course, it's not unusual to toss and turn with anticipation on the night before a big speech or job interview.
But if you chronically find yourself lying awake, worried or agitated—about specific problems (like money), or nothing in particular—it might be a sign of an anxiety disorder. By some estimates, fully half of all people with GAD experience sleep problems.
Irrational fears
Some anxiety isn't generalized at all; on the contrary, it's attached to a specific situation or thing—like flying, animals, or crowds. If the fear becomes overwhelming, disruptive, and way out of proportion to the actual risk involved, it's a telltale sign of phobia, a type of anxiety disorder.
Muscle tension
Near-constant muscle tension—whether it consists of clenching your jaw, balling your fists, or flexing muscles throughout your body—often accompanies anxiety disorders. This symptom can be so persistent and pervasive that people who have lived with it for a long time may stop noticing it after a while.
Chronic indigestion
Anxiety may start in the mind, but it often manifests itself in the body through physical symptoms, like chronic digestive problems. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition characterized by stomachaches, cramping, bloating, gas, constipation, and/or diarrhoea.
Stage fright
Most people get at least a few butterflies before addressing a group of people or otherwise being in the spotlight. But if the fear is so strong that no amount of coaching or practice will alleviate it, or if you spend a lot of time thinking and worrying about it, you may have a form of social anxiety disorder (also known as social phobia).
Self-consciousness
Social anxiety disorder doesn't always involve speaking to a crowd or being the center of attention. In most cases, the anxiety is provoked by everyday situations such as making one-on-one conversation at a party, or eating and drinking in front of even a small number of people.
In these situations, people with social anxiety disorder tend to feel like all eyes are on them, and they often experience blushing, trembling, nausea, profuse sweating, or difficulty talking. These symptoms can be so disruptive that they make it hard to meet new people, maintain relationships, and advance at work or in school.
Panic
Panic attacks can be terrifying: Picture a sudden, gripping feeling of fear and helplessness that can last for several minutes, accompanied by scary physical symptoms such as breathing problems, a pounding or racing heart, tingling or numb hands, sweating, weakness or dizziness, chest pain, stomach pain, and feeling hot or cold.
Not everyone who has a panic attack has an anxiety disorder, but people who experience them repeatedly may be diagnosed with panic disorder. People with panic disorder live in fear about when, where, and why their next attack might happen, and they tend to avoid places where attacks have occurred in the past.
Flashbacks
Reliving a disturbing or traumatic event—a violent encounter, the sudden death of a loved one—is a hallmark of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which shares some features with anxiety disorders. (Until very recently, in fact, PTSD was seen as a type of anxiety disorder rather than a stand-alone condition.)
But flashbacks may occur with other types of anxiety as well. Some research, including a 2006 study in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders, suggests that some people with social anxiety have PTSD-like flashbacks of experiences that might not seem obviously traumatic, such as being publicly ridiculed. These people may even avoid reminders of the experience—another symptom reminiscent of PTSD.
Perfectionism
The finicky and obsessive mind-set known as perfectionism "goes hand in hand with anxiety disorders," Winston says. "If you are constantly judging yourself or you have a lot of anticipatory anxiety about making mistakes or falling short of your standards, then you probably have an anxiety disorder."
Perfectionism is especially common in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which, like PTSD, has long been viewed as an anxiety disorder.
Compulsive behaviors
In order to be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, a person's obsessiveness and intrusive thoughts must be accompanied by compulsive behavior, whether it's mental (telling yourself It'll be all right over and over again) or physical (hand-washing, straightening items).
Obsessive thinking and compulsive behavior become a full-blown disorder when the need to complete the behaviors—also known as "rituals"—begins to drive your life.
If you are experiencing one or more of these patterns it might be worth getting some help to overcome the issues. For most of us that will be a visit to your local GP, who, hopefully will point you towards one of the talking or alternative therapies before pulling out the prescription pad for more pharmaceuticals.
The numbers of antidepressants being prescribed are increasing every year, more than 50 million prescriptions in 2013, a rise of 7.5% from the previous year. Source BBC.co.uk
For some people antidepressants is the only sensible option, but they are not without their problems .
In a recent analysis of 70 trials of the most common antidepressants - involving more than 18,000 people - found they doubled the risk of suicide and aggressive behaviour in under 18s.
Although a similarly stark link was not seen in adults, the authors said misreporting of trial data could have led to a ‘serious under-estimation of the harms.’
The review - the biggest of its kind into the effects of the drugs - was carried out by the Nordic Cochrane Centre and analysed by University College London (UCL) who today endorse the findings in an editorial in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
After comparing clinical trial information to actual patient reports the scientists found pharmaceutical companies had regularly misclassified deaths and suicidal events in people taking anti-depressants to "favour their products".
Experts said the review's findings were "startling" and said it was "deeply worrying" that clinical trials appear to have been misreported.
You can read the full article here.
The next post will look at alternative and natural approaches to dealing with these health issues, including acupuncture, diet, exercise and meditation.
Image courtesy of Amy Messere
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See Full Article Here: Acupuncture and Mental Health Part 1
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