Degrees Of Mental Illness: Is There a Sliding Scale?

Big roller coaster vs. smaller one; "major mental" illness vs. "more moderate"
one; is one really less serious/dangerous than the other?

Minor mental illness—is there actually such a thing? Personally, I would say no. To hear such a thing as more minor mental illness (as compared to more severe mental illnesses), but I would never say any mental illnesses are "minor." It's never a good idea to judge somebody else's illnesses as minor.

  

Still, American Psychological Association, too many mental health workers, and people in general consider certain mental illnesses [to be] worse than others. Schizophrenia  and Schizoaffective disorder for example are considered among the worst, and anything with the word "schizo" is just consider horrifying, even if the person's symptoms aren't. Personality disorders such as Antisocial personality disorder are truly at the bottom; and many people wonder if they even belong in the psychological dichotomy, or if they are just character issues. Depression seems to have become more mainstream overall, especially after the Prozac craze. Not to say that it is becoming easier for people with Depression symptom wise, but the disorder is more well known and more accepted, even if not fully understood by mainstream culture. 




Bipolar disorder is sometimes co-opted by celebrities and used as an excuse for drug use, and is sometimes thought of as a "fun, creative diagnosis" by those that don't know [all the facts]. Even with this gross misunderstanding, enough famous people have actually [helping these] disorders become mainstream in local, national and social media outlets. Most people with Depression and Bipolar disorder are not viewed as having a great potential for violence. This definitely doesn't hold true for diseases like Schizophrenia even though only one percent of schizophrenics show violent symptoms (personality disorders on the other hand often have a legitimate link with violence unfortunately). There are also many degrees of different types of mental illness which can become more or less severe overtime, especially if there's a genetic component. 




In high school, I developed Cyclothymia, which considered a more minor version of Bipolar disorder . The mood swings of Cyclothymia go between Dysthymia and [Hypomania] instead of severe Depression and Mania. I later found out that both my father and my grandfather suffered from this as well. As 50 percent of people with Cyclothymia go on to develop full blown Bipolar, I've developed full blown Bipolar II with Cyclothymic features (it's possible to have both). People with Bipolar disorder are also much more likely to have at least one relative with Cyclothymia.




Cyclothymia (which may be renamed Bipolar III—a move I wholly support), as well as other more "minor" mental illnesses, (Dysthymia, lighter versions of Schizophrenia, etc.) are not well known, sometimes not even by those in the mental health industry. Consequently, because people with these are often more high functioning than their counterparts with more severe mental illness, and are better at hiding it (I know I did for years but it wasn't easy), these illnesses are too often dismissed as "easy to deal with." From my own personal experience, I know that while they may be "easier" to deal with, they are definitely not easy. This [mindset] encourages a culture of silence, and also sets a dangerous precedent. 




People with [a] more minor mental illness often do not get help, raising their chances of developing a [serious outcome to] mental [health] down the road. I know that turned out to be the case with me and friends who have been in similar situations. I didn't feel that I have very many people to turn to. I was able to do some research, and I suspected that what I had was a more minor version of Bipolar, but I couldn't find a name for it, or any information indicating that it was a good idea to get help. Most people I talked to also did not know this, and I was encouraged by both well meaning and not well meaning people to "just deal with it". If at least one of us had known better and I reached out for some kind of treatment back then, perhaps I I may not have gone on to develop any other mental illnesses.




Many of those with [varying degrees] of mental health issues wind up going into the mental health profession because they want to help others like themselves and those that have more severe illnesses; they also tend to be more sympathetic of mental illness in general. I know my experiences definitely made me more sympathetic and willing to listen.


It is the responsibility of everybody in the mental health field to educate ourselves as well as mainstream culture about all mental illnesses and their various degrees. There is no such thing as a "minor mental illness," and knowing that can mean the difference between developing something more severe later, and getting necessary help in the present. We owe each other that.

Note: All opinions expressed on Delirium Today are the feelings/ideas of our columnist, mental health professionals or experts. Our goal is to see different points-of-views in the lives of people that are living with mental health issues—we are here to tell their stories. 

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The Mysteries Of Obsession

Glenn Close, Michael Douglas, and Ann Archer in the popular movie Fatal Attraction, 

about a woman who becomes dangerously obsessed with her married ex-lover. Image by: AMCTV.

Obsession--the very word [can] evoke images of curiosity, passion, madness, and occasionally, stalkers. It’s been used as a popular romantic perfume, as well as a plot for several movies, both romantic and not, though there isn’t much that’s romantic about it. There are two big categories (which include several subcategories) of obsession: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Fixational Obsession.

While it can also be a symptom of several different forms of mental illness, OCD is the most common. OCD is officially defined as an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry; by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety; or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions.

Fixational Obsession is defined as a state in which an individual becomes obsessed or fixated with an attachment to another person, being or object.

Having seen both forms, I've often wondered what makes one different from the other. Why are symptoms of usually the OCD considered eccentric while a fixation can wind up being dangerous? And how does the brain cause and tell the difference?

OCD is thought to be caused by overactive neurons in the brain that [continuously] focus on executive function and cause excessive complex thinking patterns to form [more than] the average person. Most forms [of the disorder can] cause a person to feel that he or she has to perform some type of ritual [over and over]; example, washing your hands ten times, locking the door five times—otherwise the person feels something terrible will happen to them. Having lived with a moderate form of OCD that is now mostly under control, for me it was always about counting things, touching certain things a particular number of times, making sure all the doors were locked and that all the light switches were in an off position.  If I didn’t do these, I feared I’d have a bad day. More severe forms of OCD have people dealing with rituals and fears that literally mean life or death to them, such as the fear of germs. Managing it usually involves a combination of medication and therapy, with a pretty decent success rate, if the person can realize rationally that the ritual does not cause anything one way or the other. While OCD is usually considered eccentric; it is often considered harmful only to the person who has it and rarely to anyone else.

The obsession, or fixation, is often focused towards beings, objects, or other people. An obsession in a movie, book, or things of that sort are no big deal. An obsession with another person though, is often considered by most people to be dangerous at least to some degree. It can happen in romantic relationships, friendships, or even between people who don't know each other (example: obsessions with movie stars).  It is thought that early and often traumatic experience in one’s life makes someone prone to being obsessive; as these early experiences cause stress hormones to be released in the brain. This kind of obsession doesn't involve a ritual; it centers on something or someone; in extreme cases, it can manifest as an imaginary relationship or a quest for revenge for perceived not returned affections. Such obsessions can form surprisingly quickly.

Obsession can also be a symptom of a particular mental illness, such as Borderline Personality Disorder, which is defined as whose essential features are a pattern of marked impulsivity and instability of affects, interpersonal relationships, and self image. These symptoms too, are often caused by early lifetime traumatic experiences and exposure to extreme stress. These kinds of obsessive people have a tendency to blow things such as an argument or small snub out of proportion, turning them into life or death scenarios much like those with severe OCD with their rituals.  Treatment revolves around meds and therapy, and in extreme cases, confinement of some kind.

Both major forms of obsession involve some degree of fixation on something. Both involve a degree of control either over oneself, or someone or something else. In small degrees, this kind of obsession can be good, as in a reporter's obsession to find the truth, a scientist’s obsession to find a cure, etc.  It’s when they get out of control that they can seriously ruin peoples’ lives.

Unfortunately, though many symptoms can be managed to some degree, we're still not at the level where we can fully cure illnesses that cause obsessive symptoms. However, new research is being done all the time, and it is hopeful that soon it will bear some sort of fruit. Now that’s something that’s worth getting fixated on.

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Delirium Today on Mental Health Education

Contributing Columnist: +Adrienne Williams 

Delirium Today–Our Voice is you!

As we celebrate new beginnings in 2013, I want to reflect on a personal note of 2012—of the death of my mother in January who suffered from a mental health illness from the time I was born. The catalyst of Delirium Today really—moving forward in 2013 is to help education the nation—world really—about mental health issues and how these disorders affect everyone around you.

Selecting the name “Delirium Today”was a conscious choice. Dictionary.com define the meaning as, “a more or less temporary disorder of the mental faculties, as in fevers, disturbances of consciousness, or intoxication, characterized by restlessness, excitement, delusions, hallucinations…”Which can affect many types of mental health issues. I thought it was fit, to use the term which affects so many families, communities, fast moving or not. It’s time we bring mental health out of the closet and out in the open like so many diseases in the past from cancer to HIV/AIDS that was view to the masses, as something NOT to discuss in public. When “confusion” works its way in media, news, culture, families and community, we all are affected in small and large ways.

Using the tag line to “Delirium Today–Our Voice is You” is about taking everyday voices who have been changed in profound personal ways. You’ll hear from columnist who have a background in mental health, to personal experiences from family members, your community, or someone who taking baby steps in managing their own illness. It’s all about community and it’s about time!

One of the reasons for Delirium Today is to keep it as a community social issue. When people see themselves going through the same problems, they open up and share their experience. One voice can make all the difference in getting help, support or just a listening ear on how to deal with stress, anxiety, or to be a peer by way of sharing how you made it through everything!

We’ll also have leaders in the field of choice to weigh in on topics of the day, whether its news, culture, or community; we’ll try to be a balanced place that everyone can get something out of it. That’s what I always wanted growing up with a mother who suffered greatly, and my family we didn’t want to talk about it! I needed to talk about it! Mental health—its affects us all!

I hope you join us and stay with us as we grow into something bigger than ourselves. Our goal is to help the nation talk about mental health issues—and hopefully save lives, peer mentors, create a program or two, and move in the directions of understanding and having real discourse.

If you have any questions, want to become a volunteers and lend a hand, please contact us. I want to connect with as many diverse people who care about mental health education as possible. Remember, one voice can make a difference in mental health education. Be a part of that voice.

 

 

 

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