WARNING !!! 

This book contains:

• SEX
• DRUGS
• VERY BAD LANGUAGE
• LIFE
• DEATH
• REALITY
• and may contain TRACES OF NUTS

MENTAL ILLNESS

One in 5 Australians will experience a mental illness.
Most mental illnesses can be effectively treated.
Mental illnesses can be separated into 2 main categories: psychotic and non-psychotic.

Psychotic Illnesses
Include bipolar mood disorder and schizophrenia and affect the brain causing changes in thinking, emotion & behaviour.

Bipolar Mood Disorder (Manic Depressive Illness)
Bipolar affects 2% of the Australian population (6% in USA).
People with bipolar experience recurrent episodes of depressed and elated moods. Both can be mild to severe.
Mania - the most severe state of extreme elation and overactivity including: elevated mood, increased energy & over-activity, reduced need for sleep, irritability, rapid thinking & speech, spend excessive amounts of money, lack of inhibitions, grandiose plans & beliefs, lack of insight and consequences.
Causes - combination of: genetics, biochemistry, stress & the seasons.

Schizophrenia
People with schizophrenia suffer from problems with their thought processes. These lead to hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, and unusual speech & behaviour.

Non-Psychotic Illnesses
Include phobias, anxiety, some forms of depression, eating disorders, physical symptoms involving tiredness or pain, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

(Sourced from 'The National Mental Health Strategy' Department of Health & Ageing)