⚠️ What Are Symptoms?
- Symptoms are signs that something is wrong
-
They can affect:
- 💭 Thoughts
- 😊 Feelings
- 🧍 Behaviour
- 🏃 Body
👉 Symptoms are different for each person
😟 Common Emotional Symptoms
A person may feel:
- Very sad
- Very worried or anxious
- Guilty or worthless
- Hopeless
- Easily upset
🧠 Thinking Symptoms
A person may:
- Find it hard to concentrate
- Have confused thoughts
- Worry too much
- Hear or see things that others do not (in some conditions)
🧍 Behaviour Symptoms
A person may:
- Avoid people or social situations
- Stop doing activities they enjoy
- Act in unusual ways
- Have changes in behaviour
💤 Physical Symptoms
Mental illness can also affect the body:
- Feeling very tired
- Trouble sleeping
- Changes in appetite
- Headaches or pain
- Fast heartbeat or shaking
⚠️ Serious Warning Signs
Get help straight away if someone:
- Talks about wanting to die
- Talks about self-harm
- Feels completely hopeless
- Cannot cope with daily life
💡 Key Messages
- Symptoms are real and important
- Everyone is different
- Early support helps
📝 Quick Check
- Name one symptom of mental illness
- Can symptoms affect the body?
📘 EASY READ TRAINING TEXTBOOK
Module 4 – Causes and Risk Factors
❓ What Causes Mental Illness?
- There is no single cause
- It usually comes from many factors together
🧬 Biological Factors
- Genes (family history)
- Brain chemistry
- Brain injury or changes
🌍 Life Experiences
- Trauma (bad or scary events)
- Abuse or neglect
- Stressful life events
- Loss of someone important
🏠 Environment
- Difficult home life
- Poverty or unsafe surroundings
- Lack of support
- Isolation (feeling alone)
🍔 Lifestyle Factors
- Poor diet
- Lack of sleep
- Not enough exercise
- Alcohol or drug use
🧠 Important
- Mental illness is not a person’s fault
-
It is not caused by:
- Being weak
- Being lazy
- Not trying hard enough
⚖️ Risk Factors
Some things can increase the chance of mental illness:
- Family history
- High stress
- Trauma
- Substance use
- Physical health problems
💡 Key Messages
- Mental illness is complex
- Many factors can contribute
- It is not caused by one thing
📝 Quick Check
- Name one cause of mental illness
- Is mental illness a person’s fault?
📘 EASY READ TRAINING TEXTBOOK
Module 5 – Diagnosis, Treatment and Support
🩺 How Is Mental Illness Diagnosed?
- A trained professional will help
-
This may include:
- A doctor
- A psychiatrist
- A psychologist
They may:
- Ask questions
- Look at symptoms
- Do health checks
💊 Treatment Options
🗣️ Talking Therapy
- Counselling
- Talking about thoughts and feelings
- Learning coping skills
💊 Medication
- Medicines can help with symptoms
-
Examples:
- Antidepressants
- Anti-anxiety medication
- Mood stabilisers
🏃 Lifestyle Support
- Exercise
- Healthy food
- Good sleep
- Routine
- Social support
🏥 Other Treatments
- Hospital care (if needed)
- Specialist treatments for severe illness
🤝 Support for Recovery
- Family and friends can help
- Support groups can help
- Education about the condition is important
🌟 Can People Get Better?
- Yes — many people improve with treatment
- Some people recover fully
- Some learn to manage symptoms long-term
💡 Key Messages
- Mental illness is treatable
- Help is available
- Recovery is possible
📝 Quick Check
- Who diagnoses mental illness?
- Name one type of treatment
- Can people get better?
🌟 FINAL COURSE MESSAGE
- Mental illness affects many people
- It affects thinking, feelings, and behaviour
- It has many causes and symptoms
- Support and treatment work
- People can live full and meaningful lives
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