Hi mcknight,
Thank you for a very interesting question.
Reality Check - Information on Youth Mental Health
http://www.realitycheck.net.au/facts/facts.html
"The known TRIGGERS are:
It can happen over a short or prolonged period of time. Any event in
life that causes high levels of personal trauma and stress can cause
emotional changes. For some people this can 'trigger' an episode of
mental illness."
==========
NAMI New York State - National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
http://www.naminys.org/aboutmi.htm
"Symptoms Can Be Hard to Pin Down."
[...]
"Severe trauma can change brain chemistry. Symptoms can result from
learning disorders, substance abuse problems, negative self-image or
brain injury instead of, or in addition to, a mental illness. Symptoms
of one mental illness can resemble those of another. This is why an
accurate, careful diagnosis is the key to effective treatment and
recovery."
=========
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) - Helping Children and
Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/violence.cfm#viol1
TRAUMA - WHAT IS IT?
"Trauma" has both a medical and a psychiatric definition.
[...]
"Psychiatrically, "trauma" has assumed a different meaning and refers
to an experience that is emotionally painful, distressful, or
shocking, which often results in lasting mental and physical effects."
Psychiatric trauma, or emotional harm, is essentially a normal
response to an extreme event. It involves the creation of emotional
memories about the distressful event that are stored in structures
deep within the brain. In general, it is believed that the more direct
the exposure to the traumatic event, the higher the risk for emotional
harm. Thus in a school shooting, for example, the student who is
injured probably will be most severely affected emotionally; and the
the student who sees a classmate shot, even killed, is likely to be
more emotionally affected than the student who was in another part of
the school when the violence occurred. But even second-hand exposure
to violence can be traumatic. For this reason, all children and
adolescents exposed to violence or a disaster, even if only through
graphic media reports, should be watched for signs of emotional
distress."
========
http://www.mfs.org/hh27.htm
"Mental illness has many faces shaped by a combination of mental,
neurological and psychological factors. Many conditions are clearly
chemical in nature. Some are the result of trauma."
=========
Mental Illness Basics
http://www.medicinenet.com/mental_illness/article.htm
"Heredity (genetics): Many mental illnesses run in families,
suggesting that the illnesses may be passed on from parents to
children through genes."
[...]
"...which is why a person inherits a susceptibility to a mental
disorder, but doesn't always develop the condition. The disorder
itself occurs from the interaction of these genes and other factors --
such as psychological trauma and environmental stressors -- which can
influence, or trigger, the illness in a person who has inherited a
susceptibility to it."
=========
Web MD Health - Causes of Mental Illness
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/60/67140.htm?z=2950_00000_0000_rl_02
"Other biological factors that may be involved in the development of
mental illness include:
Genetics (heredity): Many mental illnesses run in families, suggesting
that people who have a family member with a mental illness are more
susceptible (have a greater likelihood of being affected) to
developing a mental illness. Susceptibility is passed on in families
through genes."
[...]
"- Brain defects or injury: Defects in or injury to certain areas of
the brain have also been linked to some mental illnesses.
- Prenatal damage: Some evidence suggests that a disruption of early
fetal brain development or trauma that occurs at the time of birth --
for example, loss of oxygen to the brain -- may be a factor in the
development of certain conditions, such as autism.
What Psychological Factors Contribute to Mental Illness?
Psychological factors that may contribute to mental illness include:
- Severe psychological trauma suffered as a child, such as emotional,
physical or sexual abuse
- An important early loss, such as the loss of a parent
- Neglect "
[...]
"What Environmental Factors Contribute to Mental Illness?
Certain stressors can trigger an illness in a person who is
susceptible to mental illness. These stressors include:
- Death or divorce
- A dysfunctional family life
- Living in poverty"
=========
The Effects of Disaster on People with Severe Mental Illness
A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet By Kay Jankowski, Ph.D. and
Jessica Hamblen, Ph.D.
http://amh.health.state.hi.us/Public/Disaster/effects%20on%20people%20with%20SMI.pdf
"The presence of severe mental illness (SMI) also may affect how a
person experiences a disaster. After a disaster, people with SMI may
have an increased risk for distress, especially posttraumatic stress
symptoms.
Are people with SMI more likely to develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Multiple studies have shown that people with SMI are more likely than
other people to experience trauma, with over 90% reporting exposure to
at least one traumatic event in their lifetime (e.g., Mueser et al.,
1998; Goodman et al., in press). Moreover, most people with SMI
experience multiple traumatic events (Goodman et al., in press). These
studies have focused primarily on interpersonal trauma, including
sexual and physical assault in childhood and adulthood.
While no studies have examined the specific effects of disaster
related stressors, there is accumulating evidence that, following
extremely stressful life events, people with SMI are more likely to
develop PTSD than people without SMI. Studies show that approximately
30% to 40% of people with SMI currently have PTSD. This is 20 to 30
times the rate for people without SMI (Mueser et al., 1998). The
reason for this increased rate is not fully understood. However, it is
probably due to a combination of factors including increased risk for
victimization (especially interpersonal victimization). People with
SMI are often more exposed to violence and risky situations including
living on the streets and in homeless shelters and engaging in drug
abuse. The increased rate of PTSD in people with SMI also may be due
to an increased vulnerability to stress, which may be related to their
primary psychiatric disorder.
In light of their increased risk for PTSD, people with SMI who
experienced significant exposure to the terrorist event on September
11 (e.g., personal injury, death of a loved one, witnessing the
explosion) may be at increased risk for developing PTSD symptoms over
time. Even if people with SMI are able to cope effectively in the
immediate aftermath, they may be more likely than people without SMI
to develop posttraumatic symptoms in the months and years following.
Extremely stressful events, such as the recent terrorist attack,..."
[...]
"What do we know about the effects of disaster and war on people with
severe mental illness?
It is commonly believed that disasters have an increased negative
impact on people with severe mental illness. It is often thought that
people with psychiatric disorders and severe mood disorders are more
vulnerable and less able than others to cope effectively with disaster
related stressors. However, we have found that this may not always be
the case, particularly for those who are in treatment. Several studies
have shown that people with severe psychiatric disorders, whether
hospitalized or outpatient, are not necessarily prone to greater
distress following a disaster.
? Psychiatric patients exposed to the Three Mile Island nuclear
accident did not suffer greater anxiety and depressive episodes than
similar psychiatric patients who lived in an area that was not exposed
to the accident (Bromet et al., 1982).
? State hospital patients in Hawaii showed no signs of decompensation
or symptom exacerbation following Hurricane Iniki (Godleski et al.,
1994).
? People with schizophrenia who were in hospitals in Israel during the
Gulf War showed no greater war-related distress than people from the
community who were similar to the patients in terms of age, gender,
education, and marital status (Sternik et al., 1999).
The findings from these studies contrast the results of the studies
reported above that found people with SMI had a strong risk for
developing PTSD, especially following interpersonal traumas."
=========
Theory Links Early Trauma to Schizophrenia by Carl Sherman
Clinical Psychiatry News, Volume 26, Number 2.
http://www.drmckenzie.com/article2.html
"Can the birth of a younger sibling be so traumatic that it can
trigger later schizophrenia?
That's the intriguing hypothesis put fourth by Dr. Clancy D. McKenzie,
a psychiatrist in private practice in Bala Cynwyd, PA. And according
to experts interviewed by Clinical Psychiatry News, the theory is
plausible, given the plasticity of the infant brain, but far from
being proven.
From the "schizophrenogenic" mother to prenatal viral infection, the
causes for schizophrenia that were proposed over the last century have
ranged far and wide.
Dr. McKenzie draws on sources ranging from psycho-dynamics to
traumatology to argue that schizophrenia and severe mood disorders
have their roots in separation experiences during infancy. A painful
separation later in life, the theory goes, precipitates a "step back
in time" that triggers illness, much as a loud noise can trigger
flashbacks in post-traumatic stress disorder.
"For 150 million years of mammalian evolution, separation from the
mother has meant death: It is more terrifying to an infant than combat
is to a soldier," Dr. McKenzie said in an interview. He has outlined
his theory in "Delayed Posttraumatic Stress Disorders from Infancy:
The Two-Trauma Mechanism," coauthored with Dr. Lance Wright (Harwood
Academic Publishers, 1996).
According to Dr. McKenzie, the original "separation trauma" that
eventually leads to serious mental disorders need not be dramatic but
may involve anything that causes a substantial withdrawal of maternal
attention, such as relocation, illness, or birth of a sibling.
To test his hypothesis, Dr. McKenzie has focused on the last of these
traumas. In a 1981 study, he ascertained the family history of 60
adult schizophrenics in group homes and 60 high-functioning normal
controls. Of the 120 subjects, 20 had a sibling who was younger by 18
months of less. Seventeen were in the schizophrenic group and three
were in the control group, representing a significant difference
between groups, he said.
A 1994 study polled 35 schizophrenics with siblings 3 years younger or
less. The proportion with a 1-to 2-year gap was significantly more
than those separated by 2-3 years as a temporal cutoff for trauma that
leads to the development of psychotic symptoms, Dr. McKenzie said.
In an unpublished analysis of 6,000 schizophrenic patients in a
Finnish data base on schizophrenia, Dr. Sarnoff Mednick, professor of
psychology at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, said
that he "confirmed a substantially higher rate of schizophrenia among
those with siblings less than 2 years younger."
But Dr. Mednick cautioned against drawing conclusions from this
correlation without an analysis to control for confounding factors,
such as years of risk.
"I think the hypothesis is interesting and testable, but (at this
time) I wouldn't infer causal links to the association. It could be
accidental, or based on a third factor," he said.
Dr. Mednick's own published research has outlined a correlation
between development of schizophrenia and prenatal exposure to the
influenza virus.
Other experts interviewed for this article echoed Dr. Mednick's
interest - and reservations - in Dr. McKenzie's theory.
"The hypothesis is plausible and intriguing, but the data that have
gone into it is somewhat weak," said Dr. Rajiv Tandon, director of the
schizophrenic program at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. "It
doesn't quite fit in with current thinking, but that's not a good
reason to ignore it. The biggest need is for more data."
Dr. Alan S. Brown, associate director of the division of epidemiology
and community medicine at the New York State Psychiatric Institute,
New York, agrees that "trauma could play a role somewhere in
schizophrenia."
His own research has linked famine to exposure during gestation with
increased risk of schizophrenia and affective disorders.
"A similar paradigm with post-natal trauma is conceivable," he said.
Dr. Robert Cancro, professor and chairman of psychiatry at New York
University Medical Center, New York, said that "it would be premature
to say that (Dr. McKenzie's data) show causation. But if it holds up,
it would raise a lot of questions about the effect of trauma during
gestation and the immediate post-natal period."
"It's important to encourage research that looks at the
gene-environment interaction," he said.
To Charles R. Figley, Ph.D., director of the Traumatology Institute at
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Dr. McKenzie's hypothesis "fits
like a glove with what is known about post-traumatic stress disorder.
"That trauma in the first 2 years of life can affect development - we
already know that. And the possibility of flashbacks - re-experience
of trauma - we know about that as well," he said. But Dr. McKenzie is
the first "to put things together this way."
If the association stands up to further scrutiny, a close
investigation of infant trauma in schizophrenia could be enormously
helpful in guiding interventions to prevent traumatic experiences or
to correct damages quickly enough to forestall long-term effects, Dr.
Figley said.
"With careful scrutiny, virtually every piece of bizarre reality and
behavior observed in the schizophrenic can be seen to mimic that of
the infant at the time he or she was traumatized," Dr. McKenzie said.
"The earlier the origin, the more bizarre the symptom."
For example, traumatic separations between 18 and 20 months produce
paranoia, "people are talking about me," while the same event at 13
months may spawn delusions, "aliens are controlling me," and at 23
months, psychotic depression. Dr. McKenzie said that frequently he can
predict when the trauma occurred.
The changes observed in schizophrenic brains, he proposed, are an
effect of the disease, not a cause; With the shift from adult to
infantile brain function, the cerebral regions involved in higher
cognitive processes undergo a "disuse atrophy".
Dr. McKenzie's treatment approach is as radical as his hypothesis,
complete isolation for an extended period, if not permanently, from
the flashback trigger - the patient's family of origin. The strategy,
which he compares to "separating an alcoholic from the bottle," has
meant "a dramatic difference in outcome," he said.
Still, the data must be subject to more "precise interpretation"
before any conclusions can be drawn, Dr. McKenzie cautioned."
=========
American Pyschiatric Association
http://www.psych.org/public_info/ptsd.cfm
Let?s Talk Facts About . . .
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
"Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?once called shell shock?affects
hundreds of thousands of people who have survived earthquakes,
airplane crashes, terrorist bombings, inner-city violence, domestic
abuse, rape, war, genocide, and other disasters, both natural and
human made.
In some cases the symptoms of PTSD disappear with time, whereas in
others they persist for many years. PTSD often occurs with?or leads
to?other psychiatric illnesses, such as depression."
[...]
"Everyone who experiences trauma does not require treatment; some
recover with the help of family, friends, or clergy. But many do need
professional treatment to recover from the psychological damage that
can result from experiencing, witnessing, or participating in an
overwhelmingly traumatic event."
=========
PTSD and Suicide
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/facts/problems/fs_suicide.html
"Does PTSD increase an individual?s suicide risk?
A large body of research indicates that there is a correlation between
PTSD and suicide. There is evidence that traumatic events such as
sexual abuse, combat trauma, rape, and domestic violence generally
increase a person?s suicide risk."
[...]
"Given the high rate of PTSD in veterans, considerable research has
examined the relation between PTSD and suicide in this population."
[...]
"
- the presence of medical and psychiatric conditions (including
combat-related PTSD) associated with suicide
Currently there is debate about the exact influence of combat-related
trauma on suicide risk. For those veterans who have PTSD as a result
of combat trauma, however, it appears that the highest relative
suicide risk is in veterans who were wounded multiple times or
hospitalized for a wound (Bullman & Kang, 1995). This suggests that
the intensity of the combat trauma, and the number of times it
occurred, may influence suicide risk in veterans with PTSD. Other
research on veterans with combat-related PTSD suggests that the most
significant predictor of both suicide attempts and preoccupation with
suicide is combat-related guilt (Hendin & Haas, 1991). Many veterans
experience highly intrusive thoughts and extreme guilt about acts
committed during times of war. These thoughts can often overpower the
emotional coping capacities of veterans."
[...]
"Nevertheless, there are some common causal factors that appear to be
related to suicide. For example, more than 90% of suicide victims have
a significant psychiatric illness at the time of their death (Gould,
Jamieson, & Romer, 2003). These illnesses are often both undiagnosed
and untreated. The two most common psychiatric conditions associated
with suicide are mood disorders and substance abuse (Barraclough &
Hughes, 1987; Brent et al., 1993a; Conwell, Duberstein, Cox, Herrmann,
Forbes, Caine, 1996; Shaffer, Gould, Fisher, Trautman, Moreau,
Kleinman, et al.). When an individual has both a mood disorder and a
substance abuse issue, the risk of suicide is much higher. This is
especially the case for adolescents and young adults (Brent et al.,
1993a; Shaffer et al., 1996). This research suggests that the presence
of mental illness is a primary contributor to the cause of suicide."
[...]
"Suicide as a traumatic event
A considerable amount of research examines exposure to suicide as a
traumatic event. Studies show that trauma from exposure to suicide can
contribute to PTSD. In particular, adults and adolescents are more
likely to develop PTSD as a result of exposure to suicide if one or
more of the following conditions are true: if they witness the
suicide, if they are very connected with the person who dies, or if
they have a history of psychiatric illness (Andress & Corey, 1978;
Brent et al., 1993b; Brent et al., 1995)."
==========
The Effects of Disaster on People with Severe Mental Illness
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/facts/disasters/fs_smi_disaster.html
=========
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/war/traumatic_grief.html
"Complicated grief prolonged over time has been shown to have negative
effects on health, social functioning, and mental health."
=========
Mental Health Association of Franklin County
http://www.mhafc.org/pwmhtips.htm
Tips for People Living with Mental Illness in Uncertain Times
"It is important to remember that everyone reacts differently to
trauma and each person has his or her own tolerance level for
difficult feelings. When confronted with a crisis, a person with a
mental illness may experience the symptoms of his or her disorder or
see new ones emerge."
Trauma and Your Mental Health: What is a Normal Response and When to Seek Help
http://www.mhafc.org/traumamh.htm
More at this link:
http://www.mhafc.org/yourmh.htm
=========
People With Addictions & Mental Health Issues ? Need Extra Support
http://www.lowefamily.org/interviews/apr01.html
"For some people, mental health problems result from personal trauma,
ranging from physical, sexual, or emotional abuse to life traumas like
losing a parent, or being in a tornado or an automobile accident. Even
alcohol and drug abuse and the resulting life consequences can cause
trauma that could lead to mental health problems, such as depression
or post traumatic stress disorder."
[...]
"Kathy: How do you define "mental health problems"? Are we talking
about a chemical imbalance or an emotional imbalance (because of a
trauma, for example), or can it be both?
Cathi Coridan: It can be both. Mental health issues are very similar
to addiction issues in that they can be genetic, environmental or a
combination of both. I want to be clear that I?m talking about a broad
spectrum of mental health problems and mental illness. When people
hear "mental illness," they think about severe depression, bipolar
disorders, schizophrenia or another form of chemically based mental
illness. But most people who suffer from mental health problems are
experiencing anxiety disorders, depression and problems such as eating
disorders, ranging in duration from one brief episode to a life long
struggle. "
=======
Mental Illness in Children
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/60/67113?z=2950_00000_0000_rl_04
"Psychological trauma: Some mental illnesses may be triggered by
psychological trauma, such as severe emotional, physical or sexual
abuse; an important early loss, such as the loss of a parent; and
neglect."
=========
Advantages of Assessing Mental Illness
http://ocw.jhsph.edu/courses/RefugeeHealthCare/PDFs/Lecture13.pdf
".. Trauma-induced mental disorders are
known to be common among refugees
.. Cause intense suffering and dysfunction
resulting in effects beyond individual
.. Have well-defined diagnostic criteria
.. Lessons learned in one population may be
applicable to others
.. Require specific mental health interventions"
[...]
"Why Does Trauma Cause Mental Illness?
.. Loss of normal coping mechanisms .. loss
of sense of security/safety
.. Unless effective coping mechanisms/sense
of security is restored, the following are
permanently heightened:
? Vigilance (anxiety disorders)
? Despair (mood disorders)
? Previous mental illnesses
- Capricious trauma increases likelihood of
mental illness"
[...]
Mental Illnesses Resulting from
War and Displacement
.. Anxiety disorders?especially Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
.. Mood disorders?especially depression
.. Socialization to violence
.. Exacerbation of pre-existing disorders
? Psychoses
? Personality disorders
=========
The Link Between Childhood Trauma and Mental Illness: Effective
Interventions for Mental Health Professionals. Barbara Everett and
Ruth Gallop Sage Publications, Inc. Thousand Oaks, CA 2001, 330 pages
$24.95 (paperback)
- book review
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0825/is_2_69/ai_102024784
"Relying heavily on the research and clinical work of experts such as
Herman, van der Kolk, and Courtois, the authors develop and propose
using a multidimensional model that honors the complexity of childhood
trauma and examines its connection to mental illness. This model takes
into account factors such as genetics, biology, relationships with
others, sense of self and worldview, the nature of traumatic
experience, and the social and cultural contexts within which the
trauma occurs. The model accommodates the various ways in which these
factors interact and how these interactions indicate the impact of
abuse and its links to mental disorders."
Look inside the book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0761916997/qid=1117835873/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/102-9956715-9883364?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
Download from Amazon.com for $5.95
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0008DGT4K/qid=1117835873/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-9956715-9883364?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
The Link Between Childhood Trauma and Mental Illness
Effective Interventions for Mental Health Professionals
http://www.sagepub.com/book.aspx?pid=4706
Description
"Each day, case managers, psychiatric nurses, and other mental health
professionals interact with adults who have a history of physical
and/or sexual abuse during childhood. Many of these important
professionals will often be the first practitioners to hear about a
client?s background of abuse, but they may not have specialized
training in understanding and working with survivors of childhood
trauma. The Link Between Childhood Trauma and Mental Illness gives
mental health professionals who are not child abuse specialists
knowledge and skills that are especially relevant to their direct
service role and practice context. It introduces to these
practitioners a conceptual bridge between biomedical and psychosocial
understandings of mental disorder, providing a multidimensional
approach that allows professionals to think holistically and connect
clients? abusive pasts with their present-day symptoms and behaviors.
Building upon this conceptual foundation, the book then focuses on
direct practice issues, including how to ask clients about child
abuse, the nature of power in the helping relationship, the full
recovery process, effective treatment models, client safety issues,
and ways to listen to client?s stories. Also included are valuable
insights into helping clients who are in a crisis situation, the
particular needs of male victims of child abuse, racial and cultural
considerations, and the professional?s self-care. Designed to meet the
needs of such helping professionals as case managers, psychiatric
nurses, rehabilitation counselors, crisis and housing workers,
occupational and physical therapists, family physicians, and social
workers, The Link Between Childhood Trauma and Mental Illness is an
accessible and convenient guide to understanding the effects of
childhood abuse and incorporating that understanding into direct
practice."
=========
http://www.traumaresources.org/emotional_trauma_overview.htm
In addition, traumatic stress in childhood that influences the brain
is caused by poor or inadequate relationship with a primary caretaker.
Sources of this developmental or relational trauma include the
following:
? forced separation very early in life from primary caregiver;
? chronic mis-attunement of caregiver to child's attachment signals
("mal-attachment") or reasons such as physical or mental illness,
depression or grief
=========
Psychiatr Serv 52:1421, November 2001
© 2001 American Psychiatric Association
Taking Issue - Work Disability After Major Mental Illness and Trauma
by Harold J. Bursztajn, M.D., associate clinical professor of
psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and codirector, program in
psychiatry and the law, Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts
Mental Health Center
http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/52/11/1421
"The article by Drew and his colleagues in this issue of Psychiatric
Services (page 1479) reinforces the importance of patients' returning
to work after they experience the trauma that accompanies major mental
illness. Unnecessary delay is counterproductive for our patients as
well as for society.
Trauma may occur when there is a betrayal of trust in the
physician-patient relationship in the course of a major medical or
mental illness, or it may be related to combat, criminal
victimization, or horrendous events such as the terrorist attacks of
September 11. Although there are important differences between
responses to individual and mass trauma, whatever the source of
trauma, recovery from the impairment that is often associated with
traumatic experiences is facilitated by appropriate mental health care
combined with a quick return to an appropriate level of duty or work.
Delay in the provision or availability of care and a lack of support
and incentives for an early return to work are a prescription for
enabling chronic work-related impairment and disability. Early return
to work can empower people who are experiencing posttraumatic symptoms
to work toward recovery."
=========
Nurturing Families Affected by Substance Abuse, Mental Illness and
A Parenting Curriculum for Women and Children
http://www.prainc.com/wcdvs/pdfs/Fact%20Sheets/Innovations%20Fact%20Sheets/Cambridge%20Innovations%20from%20the%20Sites%20Final.pdf
=========
Violence and Trauma in the Lives of Women with Serious Mental Illness
Often Overlooked, Study Finds
http://www.cwhn.ca/resources/kickers/violence.html
"A new study from the BC Centre of Excellence for Women's Health has
found that the impact of violence against women with serious mental
illness has been routinely overlooked in policy development, mental
health planning, in clinical practice and educational manuals. Yet,
the study argues, an awareness of violence and abuse is critical for
understanding mental illness and for assisting women in recovering and
maintaining wellness."
(read article)
=========
National Conference of Viet Nam Ministers
http://www.vietnamveteranministers.org/chlinks.htm
Trauma and Mental Illness
"When people refer to "serious mental illness", they generally are
referring to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and clinical depression.
While post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is sixth in prevalence
among mental illnesses, it should be noted that a significant result
of PTSD is depression.
Another way of distinguishing between mental illness and trauma is to
think of trauma as a mental wound rather than mental illness. Groups
like NAMI refer to mental illness as "brain disorders," which arise as
biochemical disturbances of brain function, usually without human
agency. Trauma, on the other hand, is most destructive when, as in
combat, rape, domestic violence, child abuse, terrorism and holocaust,
the trauma is overwhelming, it is intentional, it involves betrayal,
and it involves fear for one's life. There are important points of
convergence between the two perspectives. Damage to the brain --
mental illness -- is traumatic and involves pain. Painful trauma, on
the otherhand, can cause damage to the brain. Regardless of the
distinctions between trauma and mental illness, many of the approaches
recommended to congregations are similar.
In addition, a symptom-based approach may lead to a mental illness
diagnosis but does not necessarily uncover underlying trauma. A
trauma-based approach typically discoveres that large numbers of
persons diagnosed with mental illnesses are also trauma survivors. A
trauma approach would assert that the mental illness cannot be
adequately addressed without also addressing the unresolved trauma
issues.
Given this strong interplay between trauma and mental illness, the
National Conference of Viet Nam Veteran Ministers became an
institutional member of the national interfaith organization."
=========
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/violence.cfm#readNow
See links to:
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and
DisastersTrauma?What Is It?
How Children and Adolescents React to Trauma
Helping the Child or Adolescent Trauma Survivor
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Treatment of PTSD
What Are Scientists Learning About Trauma in Children and Adolescents?
Violence/Disasters/PTSD Resource List
References
=========
Criminal Justice and Mental Health
http://www.mhcc.org.au/factsheets/factsheet1_Criminal_justice.htm
What is the problem with putting people with a mental illness in prison?
"The trauma of prison life may result in the worsening of a mental
illness, due to their separation from their usual support systems, and
also, the hostility of the gaol environment. These factors make the
treatment of mental illness and problematic drug use very difficult.
Also the use of ?Dry? cells to prevent suicide can further traumatise
the prisoner and exacerbate their illness. The result is increased
rates of suicide and self harm attempts and inmates with mental
illness becoming victims of violence.
=========
Cross-Cultural Assessment Of Trauma-Related Mental Illness
http://www.certi.org/publications/policy/cross-cultural-10.htm
=========
Keyword search:
trauma + mental illness association
trauma + mental illness connection
trauma + mental illness correlation
trauma caused mental illness
mental illness caused by trauma
violence + mental illness
traumatic injuries + mental illness
emotional wound + mental illness
injury shock mental illness
traumatic events + mental illness
life trauma mental illness
=========
Best regards,
tlspiegel |
