Concepts in Mental Health: Understanding Well-being and Coping Strategies

Mental Disorders

• A mental disorder can be classified as a psychological disorder, which is a pattern of thought, emotion, or behavior that deviates from the norm and causes distress or impairment.
• Childbirth complications, such as oxygen deprivation, may contribute to the development of mental illness.

Causes of Mental Illness

• Genetic predisposition, brain chemistry, and environmental factors, such as childhood trauma, can contribute to the development of mental illness.

Psychotic vs. Neurotic Disorders

• Psychotic disorders are characterized by a loss of touch with reality, while neurotic disorders do not involve a loss of reality, but rather excessive anxiety or emotional distress.

Depression and Emotional Disorders

• Disturbances in brain chemistry, such as a lack of serotonin, can contribute to depression and other emotional disorders.

Mental Health in Iraq

• An estimated 16% of the Iraqi population has experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lifetime.
• The most common mental disorder reported in the Iraq Mental Health Survey was anxiety disorder.
• Studies estimate that 20% of the population experiences significant mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is among the most prevalent individual disorders in the Iraqi population.
• The estimated prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in the Iraqi population is 2.6%.
• The estimated prevalence of specific phobias in the Iraqi population is 6.3%.
• The most common type of mental health problem in Iraq is anxiety disorder.
• The ongoing conflict in Iraq contributes to the development of mental health problems.
• The devastating impact of conflict on mental health is exacerbated by the destruction of infrastructure, displacement, and lack of access to basic services.
• Children and adolescents are considered the most vulnerable group to developing mental health problems in Iraq.
• Mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, constitute three of the five biggest causes of disability in Iraq.
• The age group most affected by mental health problems is 18-24 years old, constituting 75% of cases.
• Depression is the most severe disease in Iraq, according to the Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs).
• Stigma and lack of awareness can prevent people from seeking help for mental health problems in Iraq.