Mental Illness Awareness Month

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1 Mental Illness Awareness Month The month of July is Mental Illness Awareness Month and serves to break the prejudices associated with mental health and to educate others on the topic. In our ongoing effort to educate our clients on a range of healthcare topics, we would like to explore mental illness. What is mental illness? A mental illness and mental disorder is a psychological or behavioural pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Any of various conditions, characterised by impairment of an individual s normal cognitive, emotional or behavioural functioning, and caused by social, psychological, biochemical, genetic or other factors, such as infection or head trauma. Mental illness is also called emotional illness, mental disease and mental disorder. There are many different conditions that are recognised as mental illnesses. The more common types include: Anxiety disorders Mood disorders Eating disorders Impulse control and addiction disorders Psychotic disorders Other less common types of mental illness include: Adjustment disorder Dissociative disorders Adjustment disorder Dissociative disorders Factitious disorders Sexual and gender disorders Somatoform disorders Tic disorders Other diseases or conditions, including various sleep-related problems and many forms of dementia, including Alzheimer s disease, are sometimes classified as mental illnesses, because they involve the brain.

2 Mental illness and Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) Not all mental disorders are included in the current PMB package but those that do qualify for PMB cover should be funded according to the guidelines in the PMB regulation: their diagnosis, treatment and care costs must be covered in full from the risk pool of your medical scheme. The following mental conditions qualify as PMBs as stated in Annexure A of the Medical Schemes Act, 131 of 1998: Abuse of or dependence on a psychoactive substance, including alcohol Acute stress disorder accompanied by recent significant trauma, including physical or sexual abuse Acute delusional mood, anxiety, personality perception disorder, and organic mental disorder caused by drugs (illegal and/or prescribed?) Alcohol withdrawal delirium; alcohol intoxication delirium Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa Attempted suicide, irrespective of cause Brief reactive psychosis Delirium: amphetamine, cocaine or other psychoactive substance Major affective disorders, including unipolar and bipolar depression Schizophrenic and paranoid delusional disorders Treatable dementia Bipolar mood disorder and schizophrenia are also included on the Chronic Disease List (CDL) which means that there are specific treatment algorithms that should be adhered to when treating them. Mental health improves the quality of life When we are free of depression, anxiety, excessive stress and worry, addictions and other psychological problems, we are more able to live our lives to the fullest. Peace of mind is a natural condition and supports our ability to: Have healthy relationships Make good life choices Maintain physical health and well-being Handle the natural ups and downs of life Discover and grow towards our potential Mental health treatment reduces medical costs Many research studies have shown that when people receive appropriate mental health care, their use of medical services declines. For example, one study of people with anxiety disorders showed that after psychological treatment, the number of medical visits decreased by 90%, laboratory costs decreased by 50% and overall treatment costs dropped by 35%.

3 Other studies have shown that people with untreated mental health problems visit a medical doctor twice as often as people who receive mental health care. Excessive anxiety and stress can contribute to physical problems such as heart disease, ulcers and colitis. Anxiety and stress can also reduce the strength of the immune system, making people more vulnerable to condition ranging from the common cold to cancer. Psychological problems also increase the likelihood that people will make poor behavioural choices which can contribute to medical problems. Smoking, excessive alcohol or drug use, poor eating habits, and reckless behaviour can all result in severe physical problems and the need for medical services. Mental health is Good for Businesses Businesses benefit when employees have good mental health. Mental health is associated with higher productivity, better performance, more consistent work performance, and fewer workplace accidents. Employers can strengthen and safeguard their businesses by choosing employee health plans with strong mental health benefits. By eliminating the causes of productivity loss, absenteeism, and worker accidents, mental health services increase a company s efficiency, productive capacity and quality of goods and services. Depression in the workplace A study done by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), in partnership with Hexor South Africa, showed that depression impairs employees intellectual functioning. The research involving over employed/previously employed workers or managers in the country now proves depression is not just a bad mood. Although respondents showed a poor awareness of cognitive symptoms, 74% of them reported experiencing one or more of the following the last time they were depressed: trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, indecisiveness. According to nearly half of the participants with depression, the cognitive symptom that most affected their ability to perform work tasks as they normally would was difficulty concentrating. Common cognitive symptoms of depression: Poor concentration Easily distracted Poor memory/forgetfulness Struggling to find the right words to express your thoughts Indecisiveness Slower thinking speed Problem solving difficulties Negative or distorted thinking patterns The above list is educational and for information purposes not to be used as a diagnostic instrument. A diagnostic evaluation by a licensed mental health and/or medical professional is needed to determine if someone has a mental illness. See below extract from the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) study:

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5 SADAG suggests 5 ways companies can help with depression of employees: 1. Educate employees on depression and especially how cognitive symptoms can affect work performance. 2. Raise awareness of any existing employee assistance programmes AND emphasise that they can help with mental health problems, like depression, too. 3. Promote a culture of acceptance around depression and other psychiatric disorders they are no different to diabetes or asthma. 4. If an employee shares their struggle with depression, refer them to a mental healthcare professional and reassure them the illness can be treated. 5. Explore creative ways to support an employee s recovery, like flexible/adjusted working hours or working from home for a while, etc. Sources: The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) and the Rhode Island Psychological Association. In conclusion Depression is real and does not respect age, race, gender, religion, physical or mental disability. Depression can affect anyone, even those around the depressed. Many people with chronic illness experience depression, which one of the most common complications of many chronic illnesses. Examples of chronic illnesses include diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, HIV/AIDS, lupus, and multiple sclerosis. Mental health remains one of the major concerns for employers, and many employers are discussing strategies to mental health through awareness, acceptance, prevention and support. A worthy Employee Wellness Programme (EAP) includes a psychosocial wellbeing emotional issue or psychological disorder aspect. Consult your HR manager about programmes within your EAP to address these issues and encourage employees to utilise the services offered. Connect with us We have an established presence on social media to engage with our audiences on all matters related to risk and people. For more information from on healthcare, retirement benefits and more feel free to go to or Click Like on our page (Aon healthcare) Click follow on our profile -