Search Results

Childhood Sexual Abuse - A Mental Health Issue [English] Permalink Public

Childhood sexual abuse can have a devastating impact on the victims throughout their childhood and into adulthood. The fact sheet outlines the lasting effects this can have and the available treatments for survivors of this abuse. (English)

URL:

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/ch...

Helping people who use substances [English] Permalink Public

Helping people address their substance use involves helping them express and reach their goals. Anyone who has contact with people who may be using substances in harmful or risky ways has a unique opportunity to influence the way they think and feel about their use, and help them make changes to reduce the harms they are experiencing or causing in others. (English)

URL:

https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/h...

Anxiety Disorders [English] Permalink Public

Anxiety is the most common form of mental disorder and can take many forms. Major types of anxiety disorders include phobias, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. This fact sheet includes detailed disorder information, as well as tips for speaking with your doctor and a relaxation technique. (English)

URL:

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/an...

Bipolar Disorder [English] Permalink Public

When mood fluctuations become so extreme that the person feels like their mood state shifts through low and high periods, this can indicate the presence of bipolar disorder. Formerly known as manic-depression, bipolar disorder is a form of clinical depression. (English)

URL:

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/bi...

Depression [English] Permalink Public

Most people have felt depressed at some time in their lives, but for most of these people the depressed moods are brief and disappear on their own. When a case of the “blues” won’t pass after a couple of weeks and begins to interfere with aspects of life, the low mood is usually a sign of clinical depression. Read about different types of depression, risk factors, and possible treatments in this fact sheet. (English)

URL:

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/de...

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder [English] Permalink Public

As the name suggests, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is type of mental illness made up of two components: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are persistent, intrusive, and cause the person much distress and discomfort; compulsions, therefore, are carried out in a bid to reduce these anxious, guilty or shameful feelings. (English)

URL:

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/ob...

Postpartum Depression [English] Permalink Public

Childbearing is usually marked with celebration, but families and the broader community may forget that this can be a stressful time for a mother. Sometimes, the experience can be so disorganized and exhausting that the woman becomes too sad, anxious or overwhelmed to get back to her normal life. This can be a sign of postpartum depression. (English)

URL:

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/po...

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder [English] Permalink Public

Post-traumatic stress disorder affects people who have gone through a traumatic event in their lives such as a disastrous earthquake, war, rape, a car or plane accident, or physical violence. The anxiety associated with the event can become so persistent and relentless that it interferes with one's day-to-day functioning. (English)

URL:

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/po...

Schizophrenia [English] Permalink Public

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness caused by a chemical disturbance of the brain’s functioning, resulting in inconsistent and disorganized thought, a blurred sense of reality, and hearing voices that are not there. It is often confused with multiple personality disorder, an entirely different psychiatric disorder. (English)

URL:

http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/sc...

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) [English] Permalink Public

Many people report feeling sadder in late autumn and winter, blaming this tendency on the shortening of daylight hours and colder temperatures. However, some people develop a more intense sadness known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is a type of depression. SAD is characterized by symptoms of lethargy, decreased interest in and withdrawal from usual activities, oversleeping, and overeating. (English)

URL:

https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/sites/default/files/s...