What are the most common mental disorders?
Anxiety disorders, next to depression, are among the most common mental health disorders in
young people. This can include phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). An estimated 10 percent of young
people suffer from any of the above.
What are the 5 signs of mental illness?
5 Warning Signs of Mental Health Risk
A Change in Personality. If someone is acting like a very different person, or not acting or
feeling like themself, this is a warning sign.
Uncharacteristic Anxiety, Anger, or Moodiness. ...
Social Withdrawal and Isolation. ...
Lack of Self-Care or Risky Behaviors. ...
A Sense of Hopelessness or Feeling Overwhelmed.
Mental Health Problem
Symptoms, Causes and Effects
Mental health problems can cover a broad range of disorders, but the
common characteristic is that they all affect the affected person’s personality,
thought processes or social interactions. They can be difficult to clearly
diagnose, unlike physical illnesses. According to data from SAMHSA, 20
percent of people in America suffer from a form of mental disorder, and 5
percent suffer from a disorder severe enough to affect school, work, or other
aspects of daily life. If you think that you or someone you know has a mental
disorder, call us today at .
What Are the Types of Mental Health Disorders?
Mental health disorders occur in a variety of forms, and symptoms can
overlap, making disorders hard to diagnoses. However, there are some
common disorders that affect people of all ages.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is characterized by an inability to
remain focused on task, impulsive behavior, and excessive activity or an
inability to sit still. Although this disorder is most commonly diagnosed in
children, it can occur in adults as well.
Anxiety/Panic Disorder
Anxiety disorder is defined by intermittent and repeated attacks of intense
fear of something bad happening or a sense of impending doom.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder causes a periodic cycling of emotional states between manic
and depressive phases. Manic phases contain periods of extreme activity and
heightened emotions, whereas depressive phases are characterized by
lethargy and sadness. The cycles do not tend to occur instantly.
Depression
Depression covers a wide range of conditions, typically defined by a
persistent bad mood and lack of interest in pursuing daily life, as well as
bouts of lethargy and fatigue. Dysthymia is a milder but longer-lasting form
of depression.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is not, as commonly thought, solely about hearing voices or
having multiple personalities. Instead, it is defined by a lack of ability to
distinguish reality. Schizophrenia can cause paranoia and belief in elaborate
conspiracies.
What Causes a Mental Health Disorder?
There is no single cause for mental health disorders; instead, they can be
caused by a mixture of biological, psychological and environmental factors.
People who have a family history of mental health disorders may be more
prone to developing one at some point. Changes in brain chemistry from
substance abuse or changes in diet can also cause mental disorders.
Psychological factors and environmental factors such as upbringing and
social exposure can form the foundations for harmful thought patterns
associated with mental disorders. Only a certified mental health professional
can provide an accurate diagnosis of the causes of a given disorder.
What Are the Signs of a Mental Health Disorder?
Mental health disorders exist in broad categories: anxiety disorders, mood
disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders and impulse control
disorders. If someone you know experiences erratic thought patterns,
unexplained changes in mood, lack of interest in socializing, lack of empathy,
inability to tell the difference between reality and fantasy, or a seeming lack
of control, that person may have a mental health disorder. This is, by no
means, a complete list of symptoms.
Emotional Symptoms of Mental Health Problems
Mental health problems can cause a wide variety of emotional symptoms,
some of which include:
Changes in mood
Erratic thinking
Chronic anxiety
Exaggerated sense of self-worth
Impulsive actions
Physical Symptoms of Mental Health Problems
Mental health problems typically do not cause physical symptoms in and of
themselves. Depression, however, can indirectly cause weight loss, fatigue
and loss of libido, among others. Eating disorders, a separate class of mental
health disorders, can cause malnutrition, weight loss, amenorrhea in women,
or electrolyte imbalances caused by self-induced vomiting. This makes eating
disorders among the most deadly of mental health disorders.
Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Mental
Health Instability
In the short-term, mental health problems can cause people to be alienated
from their peers because of perceived unattractive personality traits or
behaviors. They can also cause anger, fear, sadness and feelings of
helplessness if the person does not know or understand what is happening. In
the long-term, mental health disorders can drive a person to commit suicide.
According to the National Institute for Mental Health, over 90 percent of
suicides have depression or another mental disorder as factors.
Is There a Test or Self-Assessment I Can Do?
It is hard, bordering on impossible, to accurately diagnose yourself for mental
disorders with an online questionnaire. You do not have an objective view of
yourself and are bound to answer questions inaccurately. Also, online tests
are not comprehensive, so they do not check for all possible symptoms. Only
a face-to-face session with a qualified mental health professional can begin to
diagnose a mental health disorder with any degree of accuracy, because that
professional has an outside viewpoint and can pick up on subtle cues.
Medication: Drug Options for Mental Health
Issues
Fortunately, prescription drugs can be used to treat mental health disorders in
conjunction with behavioral therapy or cognitive therapy. Antidepressants,
mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics are the broad types of medication
prescribed to treat mental illness.
Mental Health Drugs: Possible Options
Depending on the disorder, different medications will be prescribed.
Antidepressants such as Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, and a variety of SSRIs, SNRIs
and MAOIs can be used to treat depression. Mood stabilizers such as lithium
tablets are used to treat bipolar disorder, as are anticonvulsants like Depakote.
Antipsychotics like olanzapine or clozapine are used to treat schizophrenia or
psychotic depression.
Medication Side Effects
Some of the side effects of mental health medication include nausea,
headache, changes in appetite, dry mouth, increased urination, change in
libido, irritability, blurred vision and drowsiness. Other side effects can
occur; each person’s body and brain chemistry is unique, and it is impossible
to predict with certainty how a given medication will affect you or how well
it will work. People who are prescribed these medications should regularly
communicate with their doctors and notify them of any side effects.
Drug Addiction, Dependence and Withdrawal
Some mental health medications are known to cause physical and
psychological dependency due to their changes in brain chemistry. Over time,
dependency can become an addiction if the person isn’t careful. The
withdrawal process can exacerbate the original mental illness because of the
brain’s sudden loss of some chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine, and other
endorphins. In severe cases, the person may need to be placed in a drug rehab
facility to detox from prescription medication.
Medication Overdose
It is possible to overdose on medication in an effort to get the same effects as
initially received, and this is more common when users are dependent on
medications. Some signs of overdose can include seizure, coma, slowed
heartbeat, or extreme paranoia. If these signs are present, immediately call
911 or your local Poison Control Center and have the prescription on hand if
possible.
Depression and Mental Health
Depression often coexists with other mental disorders, or certain disorders
may have caused depression in the first place. For example, 40 percent of
people with post-traumatic stress disorder also have depression.
Dual Diagnosis: Addiction and Mental Health
Disorders
In drug rehab facilities, counselors are usually trained to identify dual
diagnosis issues. This is because addiction is itself a type of mental health
disorder, or the addiction can be the symptom of some other disorder. People
may, for instance, turn to recreational drugs to combat depression or to help
stabilize mood swings associated with bipolar disorder.
Getting Help for a Mental Health Issue
It’s important that you or your loved one should seek help to treat mental
health issue. First, a physical checkup can rule out physical illnesses. An
appointment with a mental health professional will usually include an
interview and subsequent evaluation to determine the most obvious
symptoms and to ascertain the type and severity of mental disorder. In certain
cases, an intervention may be required from family and friends. If you or
someone you know needs help, call us at to get more information on
treatment.
