dual diagnosis

people with substance use disorders also tend to have other mental health problems such as anxiety, depression or psychosis
people may be using substance to "self-medicate" - to cope with distress and symptoms of mental health problems
in the long term, this makes symptoms worse
it is important to seek help for both the substance use disorder and mental illness at the same time

symptoms in mania

increased energy and overactivity
elated mood
need less sleep than usual
irritability
rapid thinking and speech
lack of inhibitions
grandiose delusions
lack of insight

psychotic disorders

lost some contact with reality
characterized by delusions, hallucinations and thought disorder
severe disturbances in thinking, emotion and behavior
psychosis severely disrupts person's life
relationship, work, study and self-care are difficult to initiate or maintain
not as common as depression and anxiety disorders

symptoms of a panic attack

increased awareness of heart beat
sweating
trembling or shaking
feeling of choking, shortness of breath or something
chest pain or discomfort
nausea or abdominal distress
feeling of unreality or feeling detached from oneself or from the surroundings
feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed or faint
fear of losing control or going crazy
fear of dying
numbness, tingling or pins and needles
chills or hot flushes

talk with a person about self-injury

tell the young person that you care, and want to help
express empathy
do not (only) focus on stopping the self-injury,
focus on other ways to alleviate the distress
encourage the young person to call someone they trust next time they feel the urge to injure themselves

three key actions

if you think someone may be suicidal, ask him
if he says yes, do not leave him alone
link them with professional help

immediate safety concerns (suicide)

do not put yourself in danger
if the young person is consuming alcohol or drugs, try to stop them from using any more
try to ensure person does not have ready access to some means to take their life
if the person has a weapon which could be used to injure someone else, and is becoming aggressive, call the police

suicide warning signs

expressions of hopelessness or helplessness
an overwhelming sense of shame or guilt
a dramatic change in personality or appearance
irrational or bizarre behavior
changed eating or sleeping habits
a severe drop in school or work performance
a lack of interest in the future
written or spoken notice of intention to commit suicide
giving away possessions or putting affairs in order

symptoms of a depressive disorder

an usually sad mood
loss of enjoyment and interest in activities that used to be enjoyable
lack of energy and tiredness
feeling worthless or feeling guilty when they are not really at fault
thinking about death a lot or wishing to be dead
difficulty concentrating or making decisions
moving more slowly or sometimes becoming agitated and unable to settle
having sleeping difficulties or sometimes sleeping too much
loss of interest in food or sometimes eating too much;
changes in eating habits may lead to either loss of weight or putting on weight

action plan

approach the young person, assess and assist with any crisis

listen non-judgmentally

give support and information

encourage the young person to get appropriate professional help

encourage other supports

impact of mental health problems on social development

withdrawal from school and social activities
dependence on family as main source of socialization
reduces autonomy and personal identity

Why MHFA training?

mental health problems are common
many people are not well-informed
people do not know how to respond
there is a stigma associated with mental health problems
early detection facilities professional intervention, on-going support and overall recovery