Injury and brain defects[edit]
Any damage to the brain can cause a mental disorder. The brain
is the control system for the nervous system and the rest of the
body. Without it the body cannot function
properly.[38][better source needed]
Higher rates of mood, psychotic, and substance abuse disorders
have been found following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Findings
on the relationship between TBI severity and prevalence of
subsequent psychiatric disorders have been inconsistent, and
occurrence has been linked to prior mental health problems as
well as direct neurophysiological effects, in a complex interaction
with personality and attitude and social influences.[58]
Head trauma is classified as either open or closed head injury.
In open head injury the skull is penetrated and brain tissue is
destroy in a localized area. Closed head injury is more common,
the skull is not penetrated but there is an impact of the brain
against the skull which can create permanent structural damage
(e.g. subdural hematoma). With both types, symptoms may
disappear or persist over time. It has been found that typically the
longer the length of time spent unconscious and the length
of post-traumatic amnesia the worse the prognosis for the
individual. The cognitive residual symptoms of head trauma are
associated with the type of injury (either open head injury or
closed head injury)and the amount of tissue destroyed.
Symptoms of closed injury head trauma tend to be the experience
of intellectual deficits in abstract reasoning ability, judgement, and
memory, and also marked personality changes. Symptoms of
open injury head trauma tend to be the experience of classic
neuropsychological syndromes like aphasia, visual-spatial
disorders, and types of memory or perceptual disorders.[59]
Brain tumors are classified as either malignant and benign, and
as intrinsic (directly infiltrate the parenchyma of the brain)
or extrinsic (grows on the external surface of the brain and
produces symptoms as a result of pressure on the brain tissue).
Progressive cognitive changes associated with brain tumors may
include confusion, poor comprehension, and even dementia.
Symptoms tend to depend on the location of the tumor on the
brain. For example, tumors on the frontal lobe tend to be
associated with the symptoms of impairment of judgment, apathy,
and loss of the ability to regulate/modulate behavior.[60]
Findings have indicated abnormal functioning
of brainstem structures in individuals with mental disorders such
as schizophrenia, and other disorders that have to do with
impairments in maintaining sustained attention.[61] Some
abnormalities in the average size or shape of some regions of the
brain have been found in some disorders, reflecting genes and/or
experience. Studies of schizophrenia have tended to find
enlarged ventricles and sometimes reduced volume of
the cerebrum and hippocampus, while studies of
(psychotic) bipolar disorder have sometimes found
increased amygdala volume. Findings differ over whether
volumetric abnormalities are risk factors or are only found
alongside the course of mental health problems, possibly
reflecting neurocognitive or emotional stress processes and/or
medication use or substance use.[62][63] Some studies have also
found reduced hippocampal volumes in major depression,
possibly worsening with time depressed.
Mental health is a level of psychological well-
being, or an absence of mental illness. It is the
"psychological state of someone who is
functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional
and behavioural adjustment".[1] From the
perspective of positive psychology or holism,
mental health may include an individual's ability
to enjoy life, and create a balance between life
activities and efforts to achieve psychological
resilience. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), mental health includes
"subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy,
autonomy, competence, inter-generational
dependence, and self-actualization of one's
intellectual and emotional potential, among
others."[2] The WHO further states that the well-
being of an individual is encompassed in the
realization of their abilities, coping with normal
stresses of life, productive work and
contribution to their community.[3] Cultural
differences, subjective assessments, and
competing professional theories all affect how
"mental health" is defined.[2]
Mental health and mental illness[edit]
According to the U.K. surgeon general (1999),
mental health is the successful performance of
mental function, resulting in productive
activities, fulfilling relationships with other
people, and providing the ability to adapt to
change and cope with adversity. The
term mental illness refers collectively to all
diagnosable mental disorders—health
conditions characterized by alterations in
thinking, mood, or behavior associated with
distress or impaired functioning.[4]
A person struggling with their mental health
may experience this because of stress,
loneliness, depression, anxiety, relationship
problems, death of a loved one, suicidal
thoughts, grief, addiction, ADHD, various mood
disorders, or other mental illnesses of varying
degrees, as well as learning
disabilities.[5][6] Therapists, psychiatrists, psycho
logists, social workers, nurse
practitioners or physicians can help manage
mental illness with treatments such as therapy,
counseling, or medication.
