Mental illness: assessing the signs

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Drug abuse, an unkempt appearance, delusions and even abrupt changes in behavior can all be symptoms of mental illness.

Recognizing the warning signs and intervening early are critical to avoiding self-destructive behaviors, said Dr. Toribio Duhaylungsod, the lead psychiatrist at Northeast Florida State Hospital.
Mental Health Awareness Month is observed each year in May and began in 1945.

Dr. Duhaylungsgod joined Dr. Gary Dopson, the Macclenny hospital’s primary care director, to discuss with The Press the most prevalent mental health disorders and what people should do if their friends, family or coworkers display symptoms of them.

The most common mental health disorders are schizophrenia and a related composite condition of schizophrenia and mood disorders called schizoaffective disorder.

Schizophrenia afflicts about 10 percent of the general population and roughly six percent of the patients at NEFSH.

“It’s a high number,” Dr. Duhaylungsgod said, adding that schizophrenics often have a history of substance abuse. “That’s why some are very difficult to treat. They’re treatment resistant.”

Symptoms of schizophrenia can manifest as early as 17-18 years old, but also later in life. They include problems in school, isolation, grooming problems and talking to oneself, which can be a sign of hallucinations.

However, Dr. Dopson cautioned, the first course of action when such symptoms surface is to consult a physician, as some schizophrenic symptoms can mimic those of other medical and behavioral problems.

“You have to rule out general medical conditions and you have to rule out substance abuse,” said Dr. Duhaylungsgod.

And should a family doctor or emergency room physician determine a patient’s symptoms are indeed indicative of mental illness, then patients should consult a psychiatrist.

The NEFSH physicians recommended the same actions for any form of mental illness, not just schizophrenia.

NEFSH patients come from a large swath of the state including Northeast and Central Florida, but it’s the state hospital’s affiliate — Community Behavioral Healthcare Services on Lowder Street — that offers mental health assistance solely to residents of Baker County.

Calling police is also an option when persons become violent or show signs of harming themselves or others. Those deemed by authorities as a threat to themselves or others can be taken into custody and ordered by a judge into treatment under the Baker Act.

People suffering from schizoaffective disorder typically have symptoms of schizophrenia, but also mood disorders like depression or mania, which is characterized by hyperactivity, extreme optimism, rapid speech and agitation or irritation.

For instance, schizoaffective sufferers may have the hallucinations and disorganized thought processes of schizophrenia and a lack of initiative common to depression.

Family history can also serve as a warning sign for schizophrenic disorders.

“It’s not hereditary,” Dr. Duhaylungsgod said, “but the chances are higher.”

Bipolar disorder, the third most common mental illness, is another mood disorder in which patients display cyclical mood swings from severe depression to severe mania and back again.
Dementia is the forth most prevalent mental illness.

The NEFSH doctors said that while it’s more common among elderly people, dementia isn’t exclusive to the age group. Drug abuse that’s more common among young people can cause dementia too.

A typical symptom is forgetfulness, but dementia is often coupled with other conditions, Dr. Dopson said.

“One day, you just don’t know how to get home,” added Dr. Duhaylungsgod. “It’s a slow progressive illness. Reagan was displaying symptoms while he was still president.”

There is also no treatment for dementia, which usually necessitates placement in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

Alzheimer’s is a common form of dementia that largely afflicts seniors.

“They become a walking dead person,” Dr. Duhaylungsgod said. “They can’t identify their family or know their own name.”

Alzheimer’s typically appears in the 50-60 age range and progresses fairly quickly.

The fifth most common type of mental illness are personality disorders, which include a host of sub-disorders like multiple-personality, paranoid personality and anti-social or sociopathic personality.

Those in the latter group usually end up in jail, Dr. Dopson said.

NEFSH’s Community Behavioral Healthcare Services on West Lowder Street can be reached at 259-4671.

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The Press - News
Written by Joel Addington
reporter@bakercountypress.com

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