What are Mental Health Problems?
Feelings of depression, anxiety or confusion are normal responses to the ups and downs of modern life. A person is described as experiencing mental health problems when such feelings are so extreme that s/he has difficulty carrying on everyday life.

• Depression - covers a range of psychological distress including lowered mood making everything seem harder and less worthwhile. It can be life threatening when very severe, leading to thoughts of suicide. Specific forms of depression include Post Natal Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder.
• Anxiety States - are having chronic fear, tension and panic attacks. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a specific form of anxiety where people feel they have no control over their thoughts.
• Eating Disorders - starving to the extent of severe, sometimes life-threatening slimness is known as anorexia nervosa. Compulsive eating and vomiting is known as bulimia nervosa. Both behaviours are a way of coping with psychological or emotional problems.
• Psychosis - psychiatrists use this term when someone seems unable to distinguish clearly between reality and what is imaginary, or what is internal or external to their own thoughts. The term schizophrenia describes a state of mind in which people thoughts and perceptions go beyond the range of normal experience.
• Bi-polar Disorder/Manic Depression - some people experience profound changes in their mood which can switch from depression and lethargy to periods of elation and over activity.
• Personality Disorder - this describes someone with a long-lasting, inflexible and limited range of attitudes and behaviours which are unhelpful and distressing. They make it difficult to develop friendships, maintain relationships and work co-operatively with others.
• Self Harm - this is a common response to distress and covers a wide range of behaviour which cause personal harm, from neglect through to active injury.

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