PED 120 (Personal, Community and Environmental Health)

Course Description: The course covers the different contents of Personal, Community
and Environmental Health. It deals with the understanding of health-related issues and
concerns about personal, community and environmental health. Practical activities
concerning personal, community and environmental health are required in the course.

Course Credit/ Unit: 3 units

Module 1

Introduction

The Philippines is an archipelago in the South-East Asia Region with a

population of 104.9 million as of 2017. It is the thirteenth most populous country in the
world (World Bank, 2018b). The majority of Filipinos are Christian Malays (92.2%) with
Roman Catholics constituting 87.4% of the Christian population. Muslim minority
groups, comprising 5.6%, are concentrated in Mindanao. The country has an adult
literacy rate of 96.5% (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2017a). The Philippines is
currently one of Asia’s fastest growing economies, registering a gross domestic product
(GDP) growth of 6.7% at the end of 2017. Categorized as a newly industrialized
country, it is transitioning from one based on agriculture to one based more on services
and manufacturing (World Bank, 2018b). Filipinos tend to live longer now than in
previous decades, with life expectancy at birth increasing from 62.2 years in 1980 to
69.1 years in 2016. This is attributed mainly to the improving living conditions in the
country. While it continues to combat pneumonia and tuberculosis (TB) as leading
causes of death, the country also faces a growing incidence of diseases of the heart,
vascular system, malignant neoplasms and diabetes. The Philippines ranks third in the
world in terms of exposure to disaster risk, with strong typhoons occurring with high
regularity. Inequity in health status and access to services are considered the most
important health problems in the Philippines – arising from structural defects in the basic
building blocks of the Philippine health system. These are governance-associated
challenges that serve as an impetus for the recent health reform efforts in the country.

Overview of the health system

The Philippine health system is characterized as a dual health system composed

of the public sector and the private sector. The public sector is largely financed through
a tax-based budgeting system, where health services are delivered by government
facilities run by the National and local governments. The private sector, consisting of
for-profit and nonprofit health-care providers, is largely market-oriented where health
care is generally paid for through user fees at the point of service (Department of
Health, 2005b). The introduction of SHI in 1995 and its rapid expansion in the past 5
years is seen as a positive development, a major strategic goal in the Philippine
Development Plan 2011– 2016. The duality of organization of the health system
becomes more 23 obvious in the context of the existing health financing system in the
Philippines related to the way funds for health are sourced and utilized (see Chapter 3).
Health as a basic human right is enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution (Article II,
Section 15), which declares “the State shall protect and promote the right to health of
the people and instill health consciousness among them”. Under this mandate, the
DOH, as the national technical authority on health, has the responsibility to ensure the
highest achievable standards of health care, from which LGUs, NGOs, the private
sector and other stakeholders anchor their health programs and strategies (Office of the
President of the Philippines, 1999). The DOH provides national policy direction and
strategic plans, regulatory services, standards and guidelines for health, and highly
specialized and specific tertiary-level hospital services. It provides leadership, technical
assistance, capacity-building, linkages and coordination with other National Government
agencies, LGUs and private entities in the implementation of national legislation on
health. With the enactment of the Local Government Code of 1991, LGUs were granted
full autonomy and responsibility for managing and implementing their own health
programs and services, with the DOH providing technical support. Under this devolved
set-up, provincial governments are given the responsibility for managing and operating
primary- and secondary-level hospital services through the district and provincial
hospitals. Municipal governments are mandated to provide primary care, including
preventive and promotive health services and other public health programs through
rural health units (RHUs), health centers and barangay health stations (BHSs). Highly
urbanized and independent cities are given the responsibility for providing both hospital
services and primary care services.

Personal health refers to the wellness of the individual. While personal health care is
provided to people those who are not able to take care of themselves. It involves people
with certain mental disorder, physically challenged people, etc.

Personal Health is the ability to take charge of your health by making conscious
decisions to be healthy. It not only refers to the physical well-being of an individual but it
also comprises the wellness of emotional, intellectual, social, economic, spiritual and
other areas of life.

Determinants of Health
Many factors combine together to affect the health of individuals and communities.
Whether people are healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and
environment. To a large extent, factors such as where we live, the state of our
environment, genetics, our income and education level, and our relationships with
friends and family all have considerable impacts on health, whereas the more
commonly considered factors such as access and use of health care services often
have less of an impact.

The determinants of health include:

• the social and economic environment,

• the physical environment, and
• the person’s individual characteristics and behaviors.

The context of people’s lives determines their health, and so blaming individuals for
having poor health or crediting them for good health is inappropriate. Individuals are
unlikely to be able to directly control many of the determinants of health. These
determinants—or things that make people healthy or not—include the above factors,
and many others:

• Income and social status - higher income and social status are linked to better
health. The greater the gap between the richest and poorest people, the greater
the differences in health.
• Education – low education levels are linked with poor health, more stress and
lower self-confidence.
• Physical environment – safe water and clean air, healthy workplaces, safe
houses, communities and roads all contribute to good health. Employment and
working conditions – people in employment are healthier, particularly those who
have more control over their working conditions
• Social support networks – greater support from families, friends and communities
is linked to better health. Culture - customs and traditions, and the beliefs of the
family and community all affect health.
• Genetics - inheritance plays a part in determining lifespan, healthiness and the
likelihood of developing certain illnesses. Personal behavior and coping skills –
balanced eating, keeping active, smoking, drinking, and how we deal with life’s
stresses and challenges all affect health.
• Health services - access and use of services that prevent and treat disease
influences health
• Gender - Men and women suffer from different types of diseases at different
ages.

Managing One’s Health

• A healthy lifestyle helps improve your physical, mental and emotional health.
• Look after your health by watching what you eat, being physically active, having
an active social life, getting plenty of rest, not drinking too much alcohol and not
smoking.
 • You can take steps to help reduce your risk of disease, such as making sure your
immunizations are up to date and handling your food safely.
• Cover up from the sun in peak hours during summer to help protect against skin
cancer.
• Visit your doctor for regular health checks, and see healthcare professionals
when you first notice symptoms.

There are a range of things you can do to manage your health. You can help prevent
some illnesses or reduce symptoms of some conditions by eating healthy, fresh food
and being physically active. It's a good idea to see your doctor at least once a year, and
you can stay up to date by reading current and accurate health information.

Benefits of a healthy lifestyle

The healthy lifestyle promotes four main elements using the acronym SNAP, which
stands for:

• Smoking – affects every organ of your body. Call Quitline or visit the Quit website
for online resources to help you stop smoking.
• Nutrition – affects your overall physical and mental health.
• Alcohol – can affect you physically and mentally in the short and long term.
• Physical activity – can improve overall health and reduce your chronic disease
risk. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day.

The benefits of living a healthy lifestyle include:

• reducing the risk of most diseases, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes
• improving your joint stability, flexibility, strength, stamina and range of movement
• helping to maintain flexibility, balance and coordination as you age
• maintaining bone density, preventing osteoporosis and bone fractures
• reducing the symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, and improving your
sense of wellness and mood
• improving self-esteem and self-confidence
• improving sharpness and clarity of mind, including memory
• improving your ability to recover from illness
• increasing the length of your life.

Being physically fit means, you are less likely to get injured doing physical activity or in
everyday life. If you do get injured, you are likely to recover quicker than if you were
unfit.

Eating a well-balanced diet that is high in fruits and vegetables, and low in processed
foods and fats, will help you to maintain a healthy weight.

For professional advice, including targeted nutrition and dietary recommendations to

improve your overall health or to help you manage specific health needs, contact a
nutritionist or dietitian.

Your mental health is also important. Eating well and exercising can help guard against
depression. Being healthy sharpens your memory and stabilizes your mood. A low-
stress life can help you sleep better, which leads to more energy. Good mental health
can also be about maintaining healthy relationships, feeling positive about life and
experiencing a sense of belonging.

For professional mental health advice, talk to your doctor, who may direct you to a
psychologist, counsellor or psychiatrist.

Helping to Prevent Illness

Taking steps to help prevent illness involves making sure your vaccinations are up to
date, using appropriate sun protection, and maintaining good personal and food-
handling hygiene. You can also avoid dangerous situations where your health is put at
risk, such as avoiding communicable diseases by practicing safe sex.

Other steps may involve:

• taking action when you are sick by seeing a doctor and not waiting until
symptoms get worse
• actively managing your health – for example, tracking and monitoring your own
health, and asking healthcare professionals for advice
• being informed – for example, knowing the difference between healthy food
choices and unhealthy ones. Visit a dietitian or nutritionist for help with planning a
diet that meets your needs.

Vaccinations

Immunization is the simplest and most effective way of protecting children and adults
against certain diseases. When someone is injected with, or swallows, a vaccine, they
are taking in a dead or weakened version of the disease-causing germ (bacteria or
virus) to the body’s immune system. This tricks the body into thinking it has the disease,
so it starts to build immunity to it without causing the actual disease.

If a vaccinated person, then comes into contact with the disease, their immune system
is better equipped to fight it, either preventing the disease from developing or at least
reducing its severity.

Immunization protects the community by helping to control serious infectious diseases.

You can protect yourself and your children by:

 • making sure you and your children are up to date with immunizations (children in
Australia are routinely immunized as babies, then as part of getting ready for
school and while they are at certain stages at school)
• getting an annual flu shot if you are in a high-risk group, such as older people.

Sun protection

Although a certain amount of sun is good for you as a source of vitamin D, which is
essential for strong bones and overall health, time in the sun should be monitored so
that you don’t get sunburnt or damage your skin.

During summer, protect yourself from sunburn and the possibility of skin cancer by:

• wearing a hat when you go outside between 10 am and 4 pm

• using sunscreen
• finding shady areas if you are going to spend time outside
• covering up with lightweight clothes, including long sleeves and pants.

UV radiation is higher between March to May. Two to three hours of sun exposure
spread over a week early in the morning will help you get enough vitamin D. Sun
protection is needed during this period.

Hygiene

Good personal hygiene can stop the development and spread of disease. Every day,
many of us interact with other people, and touch things such as door handles, pens and
money that have been touched by many people before us. Touching these public items
and then touching your nose and mouth is how many diseases such as the common
cold are spread.

Good personal hygiene means:

• washing your hands before eating or preparing food, after the toilet and after
sneezing or coughing
• having a daily shower or bath, and using soap to kill the bacteria that grows on
your skin.

Good dental hygiene starts with brushing your teeth in the morning and before you go to
bed. This, and regular check-ups with your dentist, will help prevent mouth and gum
disease, which can lead to other illnesses in the body.

For hygiene concerns, speak to your doctor who may refer you to another healthcare
professional or a dentist for dental hygiene concerns.

Food safety
Help make sure that the food you buy, eat yourself or prepare for your family or friends,
remains safe by following these simple guidelines:

• Take care when eating out – do not eat food if you think it may be unsafe. If you
get sick, let the supplier know and report it to your local council if necessary. See
a doctor if your symptoms are severe.
• Buy your food from reputable suppliers with clean premises – avoid spoiled
foods, foods past their use-by dates or foods in damaged containers or
packaging. Take chilled, frozen, or hot foods straight home in insulated
containers.
• Store food well – keep raw foods and ready-to-eat foods separate. Keep chilled
foods cold at 5 °C or colder, and hot food hot at 60 °C or hotter.
• Wash your hands when preparing food – thoroughly wash and dry your hands
when preparing food. Rewash them after handling raw meats, chicken, seafood,
eggs and unwashed vegetables. Do not prepare food for others if you are sick.
• Keep things clean and separate – prepare raw foods on separate chopping
boards from ready-to-eat foods. Rinse raw fruits and vegetables with clean water
before using them. Wipe down benches thoroughly and do not allow pets in the
kitchen.
• Use the fridge (or microwave) to thaw frozen food – bacteria can grow in frozen
food while it is thawing, so keep frozen food below 5 °C to thaw. Avoid re-
freezing thawed food.
• Cook poultry and meat - cook poultry until the meat is white and red meat until
any juices run clear. Thoroughly cook foods made from eggs, such as omelets
and baked egg custards.
• Reheat foods thoroughly so they are steaming or boiling. If you need to store
food for later use, once the steam stops rising, cover it and put it in the fridge.
• When in doubt, throw food out.

Monitoring your health

The best way to stay on top of illness is to see your general practitioner for regular
health checks, healthcare advice and when you get sick.

Regular health checks

Regular health checks are an important part of your personal health management at all
stages of life, and annual health checks are more important as you get older.

In your 20s and 30s, the checks that are recommended include:

• blood pressure (every two years)

• pap test and pelvic exam (women, every two years)
• regular dental checks
• regular skin cancer checks for those at higher risk
• regular testes examination (men).
In your 40s, it also becomes important to have:

• eye checks (if high-risk)

• regular breast checks (women who are high-risk)
• health assessment if you are at risk of developing chronic disease (one in your
late 40s)
• health assessment if you are at risk of heart disease
• cholesterol checks
• health assessment if you have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes (every
three years).

If you are over 50, it is important to have the tests above as well as to have:

• breast checks and mammograms (for women, check yourself regularly and have
a mammogram every two years. For men, when you have symptoms)
• an assessment of your bone health
• fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) to detect bowel cancer (every two years using a
self-test)
• a hearing assessment (when you have symptoms).

Recording your progress

Making any lifestyle change can be challenging. Many people find that having a goal in
mind gives them something to work towards, motivates them to stay on track and
provides a measure of how well they are doing.

Setting realistic, well-planned goals keeps you focused and motivated. Often small wins
make the larger goals seem less daunting. Sometimes, your plans will not work out as
well as you hoped. Learn something from your failures, adjust your goals and keep
going.

Recording your progress is an effective way to stay on track and keep you motivated. If
you are trying a few different things, it helps to compare which method works best for
you. Keeping a record of what you are doing is also an easy way to keep your doctor
informed. A simple notebook will do the job, but there are also plenty of free, easy-to-
use online trackers and mobile phone apps that can help. These can make your
recording more accurate and most of these tools will collate your results for you.

See your doctor for a medical check-up before starting any new fitness program,
particularly if you are over 40 years old, overweight, haven’t exercised for a long time or
suffer from a chronic medical condition.

Living with illness

A chronic or long-term illness means having to make changes in your life. You will have
to adjust to the demands of the condition and the therapy used to treat it. Living with a
chronic illness may change the way you live, see yourself and relate to others. This can
create additional stress.

Often symptoms, like tiredness, aches and pains, are not visible, so others cannot
always appreciate the debilitating effects. It is not just the physical symptoms that can
affect a person. The limits on lifestyle and living with constant pain can take a toll
mentally as well.

Getting the facts about your illness will help you feel more comfortable and in control.
You may also like to share information about your illness with those around you who
may benefit from a better understanding of it.

To get the facts about your illness or condition speak to:

• healthcare professionals, including doctors and counsellors – they can provide

good advice about living with your illness
• other people living with the illness – many chronic illnesses have support groups
available, where you can connect with others who are tackling the same issues
as you.

Public Health Operation

The purpose of this essential public health operation (EPHO) is to prevent disease
through actions at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Most of these actions fall
within the role of health professionals and health care providers in primary care,
hospitals and community services environment.

There are three levels of prevention:

1. improving the overall health of the population (primary prevention)

2. improving (secondary prevention)
3. improving treatment and recovery (tertiary prevention).

Each of the three approaches has an important role to play in disease prevention.
However, upstream approaches, primary prevention, generally tend to be cheaper and
more efficient, and they entail lower morbidity and mortality rates. Health promotion is
inextricably intertwined with disease prevention.

A recent self-assessment of public health services in 41 of the 53 countries in the WHO

have found the following health preventions approaches:

• Primary prevention: routine immunization programs are established in some

form in all countries, and in most cases are well developed and effective.
However, arrangements for delivery of vaccine programs are under-developed in
some countries, especially for minority populations. Some Commonwealth of
 Independent States have seen an increase in vaccine preventable diseases
following the breakdown of services available in the Soviet era.
• Secondary prevention: routine screening for major forms of cancer now exists
in many countries, but not in all of them. Screening programs are not always
evidence-based and systemic health checks for noncommunicable diseases are
not routine in most countries.
• Tertiary prevention: lack of availability and affordability of treatment for early-
stage cancers is a limiting factor in some countries. Staff need training in
evidence-based treatment and management approaches for noncommunicable
diseases, and modern equipment.

As a result, a recommendation was made to ensure a balance in the three disease

prevention approaches: primary (vaccination and health promotion), secondary
(screening and early detection of disease) and tertiary (integrated patient-centered
disease management).

Health promotion and disease prevention through population-based

interventions, including action to address social determinants and health inequity

This function includes disease prevention and health promotion.

Disease prevention
Disease prevention, understood as specific, population-based and individual-based
interventions for primary and secondary (early detection) prevention, aiming to minimize
the burden of diseases and associated risk factors.
Primary prevention refers to actions aimed at avoiding the manifestation of a disease
(this may include actions to improve health through changing the impact of social and
economic determinants on health; the provision of information on behavioral and
medical health risks, alongside consultation and measures to decrease them at the
personal and community level; nutritional and food supplementation; oral and dental
hygiene education; and clinical preventive services such as immunization and
vaccination of children, adults and the elderly, as well as vaccination or post-exposure
prophylaxis for people exposed to a communicable disease).
Secondary prevention deals with early detection when this improves the chances for
positive health outcomes (this comprises activities such as evidence-based screening
programs for early detection of diseases or for prevention of congenital malformations;
and preventive drug therapies of proven effectiveness when administered at an early
stage of the disease).
It should be noted that while primary prevention activities may be implemented
independently of capacity-building in other health care services, this is not the case for
secondary prevention. Screening and early detection is of limited value (and may even
be detrimental to the patient) if abnormalities cannot be promptly corrected or treated
through services from other parts of the health care system. Moreover, a good system
of primary health care with a registered population facilitates the optimal organization
and delivery of accessible population-based screening programs and should be
vigorously promoted.

Health promotion
Health promotion is the process of empowering people to increase control over their
health and its determinants through health literacy efforts and multisectoral action to
increase healthy behaviors. This process includes activities for the community-at-large
or for populations at increased risk of negative health outcomes. Health promotion
usually addresses behavioral risk factors such as tobacco use, obesity, diet and
physical inactivity, as well as the areas of mental health, injury prevention, drug abuse
control, alcohol control, health behavior related to HIV, and sexual health.
Disease prevention and health promotion share many goals, and there is considerable
overlap between functions. On a conceptual level, it is useful to characterize disease
prevention services as those primarily concentrated within the health care sector, and
health promotion services as those that depend on intersectoral actions and/or are
concerned with the social determinants of health.

Scope of the function

Disease prevention
• Primary prevention services and activities include:
Vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis of children, adults and the elderly;
Provision of information on behavioral and medical health risks, and measures to
reduce risks at the individual and population levels;
Inclusion of disease prevention programmes at primary and specialized health care
levels, such as access to preventive services (ex. counselling); and
Nutritional and food supplementation; and
Dental hygiene education and oral health services.
• Secondary prevention includes activities such as:
Population-based screening programmes for early detection of diseases;
Provision of maternal and child health programmes, including screening and prevention
of congenital malformations; and
Provision of chemo-prophylactic agents to control risk factors (e.g., hypertension)

Health promotion
• Policies and interventions to address tobacco, alcohol, physical activity and diet
• Dietary and nutritional intervention should also appropriately tackle malnutrition,
defined as a condition that arises from eating a diet in which certain nutrients are
lacking, in excess (too high in intake), or in the wrong proportions
 • Intersectoral policies and health services interventions to address mental health
and substance abuse
• Strategies to promote sexual and reproductive health, including through health
education and increased access to sexual and reproductive health, and family
planning services
• Strategies to tackle domestic violence, including public awareness campaigns;
treatment and protection of victims; and linkage with law enforcement and social
services.
Support mechanisms for health promotion and disease prevention
• Multisectoral partnerships for health promotion and disease prevention
• Educational and social communication activities aimed at promoting healthy
conditions, lifestyles, behavior and environments
• Reorientation of health services to develop care models that encourage disease
prevention and health promotion
• Risk communication.

Philippine Mental Health Program

The growing number of highly sensitive youth who commit suicide, both
nationwide and worldwide, should be nipped in the bud at this early stage when
programs dealing with mental health should be introduced in the Department of
Education’s curriculum.

House Bill (HB) 7858, which intends to establish Youth Health Centers
nationwide to address the stigma of mental health and identify depression, includes “life
education and peer counseling programs” to foster positive mental health among
elementary pupils and high school students.

Description

Mental health and well-being are a concern of all. Through a comprehensive

mental health program that includes a wide range of promotive, preventive, treatment
and rehabilitative services; that is for all individuals across the life course especially
those at risk of and suffering from mental disorders; integrated in various treatment
settings from community to facility that is implemented from the national to the barangay
level; and backed with institutional support mechanisms from different government
agencies and CSOs, we hope to attain the highest possible level of health for the nation
because there is no Universal Health Care without mental health.

Vision
 A society that promotes the well-being of all Filipinos, supported by
transformative multi-sectoral partnerships, comprehensive mental health policies and
programs, and a responsive service delivery network.

Mission

To promote over-all wellness of all Filipinos, prevent mental, psychosocial, and

neurologic disorders, substance abuse and other forms of addiction, and reduce burden
of disease by improving access to quality care and recovery in order to attain the
highest possible level of health to participate fully in society.

Objectives

1. To promote participatory governance and leadership in mental health

2. To strengthen coverage of mental health services through multi-sectoral
partnership to provide high quality service aiming at best patient experience
in a responsive service delivery network
3. To harness capacities of LGUs and organized groups to implement
promotive and preventive interventions on mental health
4. To leverage quality data and research evidence for mental health
5. To set standards for compliance in different aspects of services

Program Components

1. Wellness of Daily Living

• All health/social/poverty reduction/safety and security programs

and the like are protective factors in general for the entire
population
• Promotion of Healthy Lifestyle, Prevention and Control of
Diseases, Family wellness programs, etc
• School and workplace health and wellness programs

2. Extreme Life Experience

• Provision of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS)

during personal and community wide disasters

3. Mental Disorder
4. Neurologic Disorders
5. Substance Abuse and other Forms of Addiction
 • Provision of services for mental, neurologic and substance use
disorders at the primary level from assessment, treatment and
management to referral; and provision of psychotropic drugs which
are provided for free.
• Enhancement of mental health facilities under HFEP

Mental health

Mental is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own

abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to
make a contribution to his or her community.”

The WHO stress that mental health is “more than just the absence of mental
disorders or disabilities.” Peak mental health is about not only avoiding active conditions
but also looking after ongoing wellness and happiness.
They also emphasize that preserving and restoring mental health is crucial on an
individual basis, as well as throughout different communities and societies the world
over.

Risk factors for mental health conditions

Everyone has some risk of developing a mental health disorder, no matter their
age, sex, income, or ethnicity. In the country today and much of the developed world,
mental disorders are one of the leading causes of disability.

Social and financial circumstances, biological factors, and lifestyle choices can all
shape a person’s mental health.
A large proportion of people with a mental health disorder have more than one
condition at a time. It is important to note that good mental health depends on a delicate
balance of factors and that several elements of life and the world at large can work
together to contribute to disorders.

The following factors may contribute to mental health disruptions .

Continuous social and economic pressure

Having limited financial means or belonging to a marginalized or persecuted ethnic

group can increase the risk of mental health disorders.
A 2015 study trusted source of 903 families, identified several socio-economic causes
of mental health conditions, including poverty and living on the outskirts of a large city.

The researchers also explained the difference in the availability and quality of mental
health treatment for certain groups in terms of modifiable factors, which can change
over time, and nonmodifiable factors, which are permanent.

Modifiable factors for mental health disorders include:

• socioeconomic conditions, such whether work is available in the local area

• occupation

• a person’s level of social involvement

• education

• housing quality

Nonmodifiable factors include:

• gender

• age

• ethnicity

The study lists gender as both a modifiable and nonmodifiable factor. The researchers
found that being female increased the risk of low mental health status by 3.96 times.

People with a “weak economic status” also scored highest for mental health conditions
in this study.

Biological factors
The genetic family history can increase the likelihood of mental health conditions, as
certain genes and gene variants put a person at higher risk.

However, many other factors contribute to the development of these disorders.

Having a gene with links to a mental health disorder, such as depression or

schizophrenia, does not guarantee that a condition will develop. Likewise, people
without related genes or a family history of mental illness can still have mental health
issues.

Mental health conditions such as stress, depression, and anxiety may develop due to
underlying, life-changing physical health problems, such as cancer, diabetes, and
chronic pain.

Common mental health disorders

The most common types of mental illness are as follows:

• anxiety disorders

• mood disorders

• schizophrenia disorders

Anxiety disorders

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are
the most common type of mental illness.

People with these conditions have severe fear or anxiety, which relates to certain
objects or situations. Most people with an anxiety disorder will try to avoid exposure to
whatever triggers their anxiety.

Examples of anxiety disorders include:

Generalized anxiety disorder

GAD is disproportionate worry that disrupts everyday living.

People might also experience physical symptoms, including

• restlessness

• fatigue

• tense muscles

• interrupted sleep

A bout of anxiety symptoms does not necessarily need a specific trigger in people with
GAD.

They may experience excessive anxiety on encountering everyday situations that do not
present a direct danger, such as chores or keeping appointments. A person with GAD
may sometimes feel anxiety with no trigger at all.

Panic disorders

People with a panic disorder experience regular panic attacks, which involve sudden,
overwhelming terror or a sense of imminent disaster and death.

Phobias

There are different types of phobia:

• Simple phobias: These might involve a disproportionate fear of specific objects,

scenarios, or animals. A fear of spiders is a common example.

• Social phobia: Sometimes known as social anxiety, this is a fear of being

subject to the judgment of others. People with social phobia often restrict their
exposure to social environments.
 • Agoraphobia: This term refers to a fear of situations in which getting away may
be difficult, such as being in an elevator or moving train. Many people
misunderstand this phobia as a fear of being outside.

Phobias are deeply personal, and doctors do not know every type. There could be
thousands of phobias, and what might seem unusual to one person may be a severe
problem that dominates daily life for another.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

People with OCD have obsessions and compulsions. In other words, they experience
constant, stressful thoughts and a powerful urge to perform repetitive acts, such as
hand washing.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

PTSD can occur after a person experiences or witnesses a deeply stressful or traumatic
event.

During this type of event, the person thinks that their life or other people’s lives are in
danger. They may feel afraid or that they have no control over what is happening.

These sensations of trauma and fear may then contribute to PTSD.

Mood disorders

People may also refer to mood disorders as affective disorders or depressive disorders.

People with these conditions have significant changes in mood, generally involving
either mania, which is a period of high energy and elation, or depression. Examples of
mood disorders include:
 • Major depression: An individual with major depression experiences a constant
low mood and loses interest in activities and events that they previously enjoyed.
They can feel prolonged periods of sadness or extreme sadness.

• Bipolar disorder: A person with bipolar disorder experiences unusual

changes in their mood, energy levels, levels of activity, and ability to continue
with daily life. Periods of high mood are known as manic phases, while
depressive phases bring on low mood.

• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Reduced daylight triggers during the fall,
winter, and early spring months trigger this type of major depression. It is most
common in countries far from the equator.

Schizophrenia disorders

Mental health authorities are still trying to determine whether schizophrenia is a single
disorder or a group of related illnesses. It is a highly complex condition.

Signs of schizophrenia typically develop between the ages of 16 and 30 years. The
individual will have thoughts that appear fragmented, and they may also find it hard to
process information.

Schizophrenia has negative and positive symptoms. Positive symptoms include

delusions, thought disorders, and hallucinations. Negative symptoms include
withdrawal, lack of motivation, and a flat or inappropriate mood.

Early signs

There is no physical test or scan that reliably indicates whether a person has developed
a mental illness. However, people should look out for the following as possible signs of
a mental health disorder:

• withdrawing from friends, family, and colleagues

• avoiding activities that they would normally enjoy

 • sleeping too much or too little

• eating too much or too little

• feeling hopeless

• having consistently low energy

• using mood-altering substances, including alcohol and nicotine, more frequently

• displaying negative emotions

• being confused

• being unable to complete daily tasks, such as getting to work or cooking a meal

• having persistent thoughts or memories that reappear regularly

• thinking of causing physical harm to themselves or others

• hearing voices

• experiencing delusions

Treatment

There are various methods for managing mental health problems. Treatment is highly
individual, and what works for one person may not work for another.

Some strategies or treatments are more successful in combination with others. A

person living with a chronic mental disorder may choose different options at various
stages in their life.

The individual needs to work closely with a doctor who can help them identify their
needs and provide them with suitable treatment.

Treatments can include:

Psychotherapy, or talking therapies

This type of treatment takes a psychological approach to treating mental
illness. Cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy
are examples.

Psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, and some primary care physicians carry

out this type of treatment.

It can help people understand the root of their mental illness and start to work on more
healthful thought patterns that support everyday living and reduce the risk of isolation
and self-harm.

Medication

Some people take prescribed medications, such as antidepressants, antipsychotics,

and anxiolytic drugs.

Although these cannot cure mental disorders, some medications can improve
symptoms and help a person resume social interaction and a normal routine while they
work on their mental health.

Some of these medications work by boosting the body’s absorption of feel-good

chemicals, such as serotonin, from the brain. Other drugs either boost the overall levels
of these chemicals or prevent their degradation or destruction.

Self-help

A person coping with mental health difficulties will usually need to make changes to
their lifestyle to facilitate wellness.

Such changes might include reducing alcohol intake, sleeping more, and eating
a balanced, nutritious diet. People may need to take time away from work or resolve
issues with personal relationships that may be causing damage to their mental health.
People with conditions such as an anxiety or depressive disorder may benefit from
relaxation techniques, which include deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness.

Having a support network, whether via self-help groups or close friends and family, can
also be essential to recovery from mental illness.

Activity/ Drills:

In more than 500 words, make a short essay on “how to become a healthy person”.

Evaluation:

1.How would you promote health to the following?

a. Self

b. Community

c. Society

2. What is the significance of having sound mind and sound body.