Nursing English | Mental Health Awareness
Sensibilisation à la santé mentale

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Introduction | Talking about mental health

• Do not use the words mad or crazy to describe somebody who is suffering from a real mental illness. Say instead that somebody has mental health issues/​problems or is mentally ill:
  • I have experienced mental health issues since the age of 14.
  • a charity that helps mentally ill people live independently
• Disturbed can be used to describe somebody who has mental health issues because of very unhappy or unpleasant experiences:
  • He works with emotionally disturbed children.
• Insane is a formal or old-fashioned term used to describe somebody suffering from a serious mental illness and unable to live in normal society:
  • The question is, was the man insane when he committed the crime?
  However, insane is more often used in informal English to describe somebody who is not suffering from a mental illness, but whose mind does not work normally, especially because they are under pressure. This meaning is used in the phrases go insane and drive somebody insane.

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A | Depression and other mental health issues

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B | 8 Most Common Causes of Depression

Definition of insomnia /ɪnˈsɒmniə/ : The condition of being unable to sleep

• to suffer from insomnia

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C | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after a very stressful, frightening or distressing event, or after a prolonged traumatic experience.

PTSD develops in about 1 in 3 people who experience severe trauma.
It's not fully understood why some people develop the condition while others do not.
But certain factors appear to make some people more likely to develop PTSD.
Who's at risk?
If you have had depression or anxiety in the past, or you do not receive much support from family or friends, you're more susceptible to developing PTSD after a traumatic event.

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The Symptoms of PTSD

The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can have a significant impact on your day-to-day life.
In most cases, the symptoms develop during the first month after a traumatic event. But in a minority of cases, there may be a delay of months or even years before symptoms start to appear.

Re-experiencing is the most typical symptom of PTSD.
This is when a person involuntarily and vividly relives the traumatic event in the form of:

• flashbacks
• nightmares
• repetitive and distressing images or sensations
• physical sensations, such as pain, sweating, feeling sick or trembling

Hyperarousal (feeling 'on edge')
Someone with PTSD may be very anxious and find it difficult to relax. They may be constantly aware of threats and easily startled.This state of mind is known as hyperarousal.
Hyperarousal often leads to:

• irritability
• angry outbursts
• sleeping problems (insomnia)
• difficulty concentrating

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