Dr LeCrone
03-30-2006, 12:41 PM
Perhaps you have wondered: How do you recognize mental illness in someone you know well? Someone you work with, a close friend or a family member?
Because this question frequently is asked of mental health professionals, let’s take a look at a couple of hypothetical situations that illustrate the problem.
John is a successful business executive who has followed a fairly similar routine in his schedule, personal habits and interest patterns during the past 10 to 15 years. He was cheerful, liked to be with his friends and colleagues and rose early in the morning looking forward to the day. He maintained approximately the same weight for many years, dressed neatly and appropriately and generally had an optimistic outlook.
During the past several months, however, John’s family noticed changes in his lifestyle. His clothes seemed sloppy and were even spotted and dirty at times. On several occasions, they noticed an offensive odor. He gained quite a bit of weight during a short period.
His peers at work noticed he was unpredictable about morning arrivals and was crabby and irritable when he got there. He showed little interest in activities that once were recreations and hobbies. Although he expressed no alternative for a career or job change, he talked about leaving the company and his family worries.
Another hypothetical example is that of Mary, who began to display sudden mood changes, becoming angry one minute and playful the next, vacillating from deep sadness to emotional giddiness. The first sign of change her friends noticed was when Mary began wearing heavy makeup when she previously had worn little, if any.
When Mary began losing quite a bit of weight, family members asked about her lack of appetite and her loss of interest in keeping her house neat. They received a kind of blank stare. “It is as though she were looking right through us,” one family member said.
She rambled from one subject to another, often without any apparent connection. Mary had no interest in getting out of the house and seemed to believe everyone – family and friends – was turning against her.
Looking at these two examples, you should pay attention to a pattern of differences that occur in several areas of the person’s life. Changes for the worse should be reasons for consulting a professional trained in dealing with these issues.
This is not easy for some friends and families, as many may fear losing the friendship or the love of that person. Sometimes they believe the person himself is capable of deciphering the problem and finding solutions. Even as the situation deteriorates, they continue to believe that with enough effort, the person will solve the difficulty.
Another difficulty families and friends face is that of denial. Because it is painful to admit that a person they care for and love is ill, they let that person get to a point where the problem is more difficult to treat.
Often, a good place to start looking into the solution is with one’s family doctor. Medical problems should be ruled out first and a physician can refer the patient to a mental health professional if, in fact, the problem has no medical explanation.
If a counselor is recommended, then going with the troubled individual on his first visit can be helpful, as this new experience often is anxiety-provoking. Finding out something about the counselor’s background and credentials can help reduce this anxiety and establish some early rapport.
Helping friends, colleagues and loved ones in troubled times sometimes seems awkward and difficult, but often is essential if the individual is going to regain his mental health.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1988
Because this question frequently is asked of mental health professionals, let’s take a look at a couple of hypothetical situations that illustrate the problem.
John is a successful business executive who has followed a fairly similar routine in his schedule, personal habits and interest patterns during the past 10 to 15 years. He was cheerful, liked to be with his friends and colleagues and rose early in the morning looking forward to the day. He maintained approximately the same weight for many years, dressed neatly and appropriately and generally had an optimistic outlook.
During the past several months, however, John’s family noticed changes in his lifestyle. His clothes seemed sloppy and were even spotted and dirty at times. On several occasions, they noticed an offensive odor. He gained quite a bit of weight during a short period.
His peers at work noticed he was unpredictable about morning arrivals and was crabby and irritable when he got there. He showed little interest in activities that once were recreations and hobbies. Although he expressed no alternative for a career or job change, he talked about leaving the company and his family worries.
Another hypothetical example is that of Mary, who began to display sudden mood changes, becoming angry one minute and playful the next, vacillating from deep sadness to emotional giddiness. The first sign of change her friends noticed was when Mary began wearing heavy makeup when she previously had worn little, if any.
When Mary began losing quite a bit of weight, family members asked about her lack of appetite and her loss of interest in keeping her house neat. They received a kind of blank stare. “It is as though she were looking right through us,” one family member said.
She rambled from one subject to another, often without any apparent connection. Mary had no interest in getting out of the house and seemed to believe everyone – family and friends – was turning against her.
Looking at these two examples, you should pay attention to a pattern of differences that occur in several areas of the person’s life. Changes for the worse should be reasons for consulting a professional trained in dealing with these issues.
This is not easy for some friends and families, as many may fear losing the friendship or the love of that person. Sometimes they believe the person himself is capable of deciphering the problem and finding solutions. Even as the situation deteriorates, they continue to believe that with enough effort, the person will solve the difficulty.
Another difficulty families and friends face is that of denial. Because it is painful to admit that a person they care for and love is ill, they let that person get to a point where the problem is more difficult to treat.
Often, a good place to start looking into the solution is with one’s family doctor. Medical problems should be ruled out first and a physician can refer the patient to a mental health professional if, in fact, the problem has no medical explanation.
If a counselor is recommended, then going with the troubled individual on his first visit can be helpful, as this new experience often is anxiety-provoking. Finding out something about the counselor’s background and credentials can help reduce this anxiety and establish some early rapport.
Helping friends, colleagues and loved ones in troubled times sometimes seems awkward and difficult, but often is essential if the individual is going to regain his mental health.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1988