Mental illness

Alternative Names

Mental illness, Mental disorder

What is Mental illness

Mental illness is a disorder that affects your mood, thinking and behavior. Mental illness includes depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.

Most people suffer from mental health concern from time to time. Mental health concern that caused by frequent stress and affect your ability to function may become a mental illness. Mental illness leads to problems in your life concerning work or relationships.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of mental illness depend on the type and severity of the condition. The common symptoms that indicate a mental illness include:

• Confused thinking
• Long-lasting sadness or irritability
• Extreme highs and lows in mood
• Excessive fear, worry or anxiety
• Social withdrawal
• Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Strong feelings of anger
• Delusions or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there)
• Increasing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
• Thoughts of suicide
• Denial of obvious problems
• Many unexplained physical problems
• Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol

Possible complications

Left untreated mental illness can cause severe emotional, behavioral and physical health problems. Mental illness can also be resulted in legal and financial problems. The possible complications of this disorder include:

• Unhappiness and decreased enjoyment of life
• Family conflicts
• Relationship difficulties
• Social isolation
• Substance abuse
• Missed work or school, or other problems related to work or school
• Heart disease and other medical conditions
• Poverty
• Homelessness
• Suicide

What causes

The exact cause of mental illness is still unknown, but most scientists suggest that it can be caused by genetic and environmental factors such as:

• Inherited traits. Mental illness is prevalent among people with a family history of this disorder. You can genetically be exposed to this disorder. Additionally, your way of life сan cause mental illness.
• Biological factors such as traumatic brain injury, exposure to viruses or toxins while in the womb are also associated with mental illness.
• Life experiences. Certain situations in your life including the loss of a partner, financial problems and high stress can cause mental illness.
• Brain chemistry affects mood and other aspects of mental health. Naturally occurring brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) play an important role in some mental illnesses. The scientists suppose that inherited traits, life experiences and biological factors affect brain chemistry associated with mental illnesses.

Prevention

It is impossible to prevent mental illness, but you can manage the symptoms by taking the following steps:

• You should follow your treatment plan even if you are feeling better. If you do not complete the treatment, your symptoms can be repeated. You can also have withdrawal-like symptoms if you do not complete the treatment.
• Pay attention to warning signs. You should consult with your doctor what might cause your symptoms. Tell if you notice any changes in symptoms or how you feel.
• It is obligatory to visit your family doctor, especially if you are not feeling good, because you may have a new health problem that should be treated or you can suffer from side effects of medication.
• It is very important to take care of yourself. You should get enough sleep, eat and do exercises regularly.

Treatment

Psychological therapy

You should inform your psychologist about your symptoms and concerns, and discuss possible approaches to control them.

Medication

Some people need to take medicine for a while, others may need it for a long period. Your doctor should explain the benefits and possible side effects of medicines. The scientists found out that many mental illnesses are linked to changes in our brain chemistry. Medicines help the brain to restore its usual chemical balance in order to decrease the symptoms.

Community support programs

Support programs are especially important for people with recurrent symptoms or who have a psychiatric disability. This support may include information; accommodation; help with finding suitable work, training and education; psychosocial rehabilitation and mutual support groups. Understanding and acceptance by the community is also very important.