Substance Abuse and Mental Illness

Talk. They Hear You. Campaign

Aims to reduce underage drinking and subtance use for youths (under the age of 21); provides resources for parents and caregivers to discuss topics with children

Interagency Coordinating Commitee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD)

coordinates 15 federal agencies to develop A Comprehensive Plan for Preventing and Reducing Underage Drinking

STOP Underage Drinking

ICCPUD website with research, federal and state resources, and funding opporutnities to reduce and prevent underage drinking

National Prevention Week

happens in May; promotes community involvement, resource distribution, and partnerships, to increase public awareness of substance use and mental disorders

Communities Talk to Prevent Alcohol and Other Drug Misuse

National initiative providing resources and stipend for community-based organization, institutions of higher education, and statewide or state-based organizations; organize activities to raise awareness of the harmful consequences of alcohol and other drug misuse in youth and young adults aged 12 to 25 years old

National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day

In may; increases public awareness of the needs of children with serious mental illness and severe emotional distubance'; share children’s mental health initiatives that promote positive youth development, recovery, and resilience

Federal Commission on School Safety

Recommend policy and best practices for school violence prevention

National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCSTSI)

Raise awareness about the impact of trauma on children and adolescents as a behavioural health concern; develops and implements evidence-based interventions to reduce the mental health impact of traumatic experiences on children and adolescents

Biological approaches to therapy

Medication, ECT, Psychosurgery, Brain stimulation, neurofeedback

Medication

medication is the most commonly used of the medical therapies

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Is used in some severe cases of depression that do not respond to other treatments; the patient is anesthetized and given a muscle relaxant before the induction of general seizures, which are produced by electricity applied through electrodes on the head

Psychosurgery

the attempt to improve psychological disorders through the use of brain surgery

Brain Stimulation

Electrical stimulation applied through surgically implanted electrodes that is used to treat some anxiety and mood disorders

Neurofeedback

a type of biofeedback used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and seizures by teaching the client to keep measures of brain activity within a certain range

Most commonly used psychological treatment for ASD

ABA

ABA

focuses on observable, socially important behaviours such as language and should produce lasting improvements that generalize to settings outside the therapy setting; relies on the principles of operant conditioning

How is ADHD treated in children?

with medication alone or in combination with behaviour therapy

Most commonly prescribed drugs for ADHD

methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine (Dextrine or Dextrostat), and a combination of amphetamine salts (Adderall)

What do the ADHD medications do?

they increase the activity of dopamine and norepinephrine

What medication is used to treat schizophrenia?

phenothiazines

Phenothiazines

reduces psychosis as they act as dopamine antagonists, block dopamine at the receptor sites; Successful at reducing hallucinations and delusions but not in negative symptoms such as emotional disturbance

Do all schizophrenia patients respond to these medications?

nope, nearly ¼ of patients don’t respond

Tardive Dyskinesia

a syndrome that results from the use of phenothiazines; produces tremors and involuntary movements, especially of the face and tongue

Primary method for treating bipolar disorder

Medication: Lithium cabonate (psychotherapy alone is not typically considered an option)

Lithium carbonate side effects

toxic levels produce nausea, vomiting, muscular tremors, seizures, and even coma; because of these risks, patients must have regular blood tests to monitor their lithium levels

most popular method for treating major depressive disorder

SSRIs (popular brands such as Prozac and Zoloft) (CBT is also very affective)

How are anxiety disorders including general anxiety disorder, phobias, and panic disorder treated?

using medication, CBT, or a combination of the two

most efforts to medicate anxiety attempt

to reduce brain activity or produce a “tranquillizing” effect

major inhibitory neuotransmitter in the brain

GABA, a common method for slowing brain activity is to enhance the effects of GABA

How is OCD treated?

antidepressant medication, CBT, or a combination of both

CBT for OCD

involves training the person to anticipate compulsive behaviour and then to engage in competing behaviour

Treating body dysmorphic disorder

CBT; cognitive restructuring can help the individual think more realistically about perceived physical flaws

Treating PTSD

exposure therapy with or without SSRI medications

many people with PTSD also develop

a variety of substance use disorders

Treating dissaciative identity disorder

diagnosis and treatment are controversial;can result from serious trauma like child sexual abuse; treatment is aimed toward integrating the various personalities by first indetifying and “working through” the traumatic memories related to the disorder

hypnosis and dissociative disorder

commonly used but not well advised as it can lead to the development of false memories

somatic symtom disorders treatment

medication with antidepressants and increases in physical activity

Treatments for ASPD

no effective treatments so far, maybe some psychological treatments to emphasize anger control, social skills, and moral reasoning

Treating borderline personality disorder

no medications approved but are prescribed (antidepressants, antipsychotic medications, mood stabilizers ike lithium, anti anxiety medications, and anticonvulsants); psychotherapy often takes the form of CBT/DBT

Dialectical behavioural therapy (DCT)

Developed specifically for indidviduals with borderline personality disorder; adresses symtoms in order of their importance

4 major dimensions of recovery

health, home, purpose, community

health

overcoming disease or managing symptoms by making informed and healthy choices that support both physical and psychological well-being

home

a stable and safe place to live

Purpose

meaningful daily activities to be independent, earn income, and participate in society

Community

have relationships for a support system, friendship and hope