Week One

Sweet Sixteen, 1973-74. Paint on canvas,
Collection of Lolli Thurn

Outsider Art = mentally Ill? 

 A Teacher’s Introduction to Mood Disorders.

I would really like to find a different word to describe chemical make ups which cause our students to both perform at sky high levels and be challenged in debilitating ways which cause them to fail.  See the list of composers, scientists, artists, inventors etc. below who "suffer" from mood disorders. MANY of them self medicated. Over 90% of  the addicts are self-medicating for mood disorders....they can NOT just say "NO".

Let's help remove the stigma so our students can seek chemical adjustments from trained professionals!!!

                                                                         Think Different    Watch This

  Why does that kid act like that?????  

 DESCRIPTIONS OF MENTAL   ILLNESSES

 MOOD DISORDERS Mood disorders are persistent changes in mood caused by biochemical imbalances in the brain. Major depressive disorder  and bipolar disorder are two types of mood disorders. Major depressive disorder is depressed mood accompanied by symptoms such as: loss of interest or pleasure in life; irritability; sadness; difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much; decreased or increased appetite; lack of concentration; sense of worthlessness; guilt; and in some cases, thoughts of suicide. Bipolar disorder is a cycle of depressed mood, “normal” mood and mania. Mania is an elevated, exaggerated mood accompanied by symptoms such as: inflated self-esteem or confidence; a decreased need for sleep; increased energy; increased sexual drive; poor judgment; increased spending; agitation; non-stop talk; and increased involvement in pleasurable and possibly  dangerous activities.

PSYCHOSIS
Psychosis is the active state of experiencing hallucinations or delusions and can be organic (mental illness) or drug induced. Schizophrenia is a disturbance involving delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and/or disorganized or catatonic behaviour. Delusions are false beliefs or misinterpretations of situations and experiences. Hallucinations can  be auditory, visual, olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste) or tactile (touch), but auditory hallucinations are most common. Schizophrenia is also associated witha deterioration of a person’s ability to function at work, school and/or socially.   

ANXIETY   DISORDERS Anxiety disorders are associated with feelings of anxiousness, combined with physiological symptoms that interfere with everyday activities. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder are types of  anxiety disorders. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is marked by repeated obsessions and/or compulsions that are so severe they interfere with everyday activities. Obsessions are disturbing, intrusive thoughts, ideas, or images that cause marked anxiety or distress. Compulsions are repeated behaviours or mental acts intended to reduce anxiety. Post-traumatic stress disorder is the re-experiencing of a very traumatic event, accompanied by feelings of extreme anxiety, increased excitability and the desire to avoid stimuli associated with the trauma. The trauma could  be related to such incidents as military combat, sexual assault, physical attack, robbery, car accident or natural disaster.  Phobias are significant and persistent fears of objects or situations. Exposure to the object or situation causes extreme anxiety and interferes with everyday activities or social life. Specific phobias have to do with objects or situations — for example, germs or heights. Social phobias have to do with social situations or performance situations where embarrassment may occur — for example, public speaking or dating.  

 PERSONALITY   DISORDERS A personality disorder is a pattern of inner experience and behaviour that is significantly different from the individual’s  culture; is pervasive and inflexible; is stable over time; and leads to distress or impairment. Personality disorders usually  begin in adolescence or early adulthood. Dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as “multiple personality disorder,” is the presence of two or more distinct identities that alternately control a person’s behaviour. It reflects a failure to make connections between identity, memory and consciousness. Known by the general public as “split personality,” there is now a controversy as to whether or not it is a real diagnosis.

EATING DISORDERS  Eating disorders are a range of conditions involving an obsession with food, weight and appearance that negatively  affect a person’s health, relationships and daily life. Stressful life situations, poor coping skills, socio-cultural factors regarding weight and appearance, genetics, trauma, and family dynamics are thought to play a role in the development  of eating disorders. Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by an intense and irrational fear of body fat and weight gain, the strong determination to become thinner and thinner, the refusal to maintain a normal weight (for height and age) and a  distorted body image. Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by self-defeating cycles of binge eating and purging. Bingeing is the consumption of large amounts of food in a rapid, automatic and helpless fashion and leads to physical discomfort and anxiety  about weight gain. Purging follows bingeing and can involve induced vomiting, restrictive dieting, excessive exercising or use of laxatives and diuretics.  
Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention Web site: EDAP

FACTORS THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE  TO THE DEVELOPMENT O f   MOOD DISORDERS  The following are factors that may contribute to the development of mental illness: · chemical imbalance · substance use · traumatic life events · heredity · other illnesses. Factors that may contribute to the development of mental illness: Discussion guide Although there is currently no agreement about the exact causes of mental illness, the following factors are recognized as playing a role in the development of various mental illnesses: Chemical imbalance There is growing evidence that mental illness may be partially caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Many people respond well to medications that address such an imbalance and many of the symptoms of their illness are reduced or eliminated. There is no clear causal relationship between substance use and the development of mental illness. People who have mental illness may use alcohol and other drugs to relieve some symptoms of their illness. However, substance use may actually worsen symptoms and delay proper diagnosis and treatment. There are also cases in which substance use has induced psychotic behaviour, both because of the chemical effect of the drug and because the drug unmasks a pre-existing  mental illness. Traumatic life events Similar to substance use, traumatic life events can, in some instances, make people more vulnerable to developing mental illness. Instead of recovering from a situational depression (e.g., grief following the death of a loved one), some people may go on to develop a more profound, clinical depression. Heredity We are learning more about the role heredity plays in the development of mental illness. Researchers have found that with certain diagnoses, the likelihood of a child developing a mental illness is greater if one or both parents have a mental illness. Examples of diseases thought to have a genetic component include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.    Clay's Story    

                                                                     More Genius or Madness??

Authentic Vice: