Art Caron, social worker and behavioral health therapist with Keystone Behavioral Health, Chambersburg: This is the third in a four-part series on mental health and our community. Here, we look at some common mental health problems and what can trigger these problems (This article was written for general informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment or care by a qualified health care provider).
Common mental health problems: Among adults, there is an increase in depression and anxiety disorders. Depression involves an increase in the intensity and duration of uncomfortable emotions. Anxiety is increased worry and can causes apprehension. Both can cause impairment socially or at work. While women are more likely to suffer from these disorders, both men and women are affected.
Depression: Depression symptoms include sad or hopeless feelings, fatigue, insomnia, weight loss or weight gain, difficulty with completing daily tasks, thoughts of death, and social isolation. Depression can also manifest as an increase in generalized frustration and anger, often resulting in explosive displays of emotion followed by an increase in remorse.
Anxiety: Anxiety generally manifests as an increase in fear, but can escalate to specific areas such as fear of leaving safe environments such as home. Those who suffer from this find it difficult to control worry. It can cause restlessness or feelings of excessive energy, fatigue, trouble concentrating or mind going blank, muscle tension, and trouble sleeping.
What creates these disorders: There are no generalized triggers that can be identified as increasing these mental health illnesses. Each person is different and treatment needs to be individualized to their specific case. A trigger that may cause trauma in one person may have little effect on others depending upon their specific phobias, anxieties, and prior events of their lives.
Stress: Stress is the common denominator when it comes to exhibiting symptoms. People who have symptoms under control will often increase symptoms associated with depression and anxiety when they undergo stress. Finding ways to cope with stress is an important part of dealing with mental health illnesses. Seeing a licensed mental health care provider can help.