So in this article of My Health Only, we are going to tell you about the mental health disorders, by knowing mental health disorders you will be able to handle it as soon as possible.
What is mental illness –
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Mental illness refers to many mental health conditions – disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness are depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and eating disorders.
Many people have mental health problems from time to time but it becomes a mental illness when its symptoms often cause stress and affect your ability to function.
A mental illness can make you very unhappy and cause problems in your daily life, such as problems in school or work or relationships. In most cases, symptoms can be managed with a combination of medications and talk therapy (psychotherapy).
Types of mental illness –
How many types of mental illness are there?
There are many types of mental diseases. Some of its variants are as follows –
- Bipolar disorder
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Dementia
- Parkinson’s disease
- Autism
- Dyslexia
- Adhd
- Depression
- Tension
- Anxiety
- Blood disorder
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Lose memory
- Weak memory
- Alzheimer’s
- Fear (phobia)
- Delusion
- Hallucination
Symptoms of mental illness –
What are the symptoms of mental illness?
Symptoms of mental illness can vary depending on its type, circumstances and other factors. Symptoms of mental illness can affect feelings, thoughts and behavior. It has the following symptoms –
- Feel depressed.
- Distraction or loss of ability to concentrate.
- Feeling extreme fear or concerns or feelings of guilt.
- Extreme mood changes.
- Separating from friends and other activities.
- Fatigue, low energy or problems sleeping.
- Separation from reality (confusion), madness or hallucinations.
- Inability to cope with daily problems or stress.
- Problems in understanding about problems and people.
- Consumption of alcohol or drugs.
- Major changes in eating habits.
- Libido changes.
- Excessive anger or violent behavior.
- Suicidal thinking
Sometimes symptoms of mental health disorder appear as physiological problems such as abdominal pain, back pain, headache or other unexplained pain.
Causes of mental illness –
Why do mental illnesses occur?
Mental diseases are, in general, thought to be caused by various genetic and environmental factors. These factors are –
- Heredity
Mental illness is more common in people whose relatives also have mental illness. Certain genetic factors may increase your risk of developing mental illness and your life situation may initiate it.
- Exposure to certain environmental factors before birth
Environmental stress in the womb, exacerbating conditions, exposure to toxins, alcohol or drugs can sometimes cause mental illnesses.
- Brain function
Neurotransmitters naturally carry brain chemicals to your brain and other parts of the body. When the nervous systems associated with these chemicals do not function properly, so there are changes in the nervous receptors and nervous system leading to depression.
What are the risk factors for mental illness?
Certain factors may increase your risk of developing mental health problems, including the following factors:
Parents or siblings or people with any other blood relationship having mental illness.
Experiencing a stressful life situation, such as financial problems, someone’s death or divorce.
- Any chronic medical problems such as diabetes.
- Brain damage as a result of a severe injury (traumatic brain injury).
- Traumatic experiences, such as war or attack.
- Use of alcohol or drugs.
- Experiencing childhood abuse.
- Having only a few friends or a healthy relationship.
- An earlier mental illness.
Mental diseases are very common. 5 in 1 adults has some mental illness at some time. Mental illness can start at any age but most of it starts in the early years of life.
The effects of mental illness can be temporary or permanent. You may also have more than one mental illness at a time. For example, you may have depression and depression disorders at the same time.
Prevention of mental illness –
How is mental illness prevented?
There is no sure way to prevent mental illness. However, if you have mental illness, controlling stress and increasing self-esteem can help. For this, keep the following points in mind –
- Pay attention to the warning signs – Talk to your doctor about which conditions can trigger your symptoms. Make a plan so that you know what to do if you experience symptoms. Contact your doctor if you feel any changes. Also notify family members or friends to see the warning signs.
- Get regular treatment – don’t stop going to the health doctor, especially if you are not feeling well. You may have a new health problem that needs treatment or you may experience side effects of the medication.
- Get help – Treating mental health conditions can be difficult if you wait until the symptoms worsen. Long-term treatment can help prevent symptoms.
- Take care of yourself – Adequate sleep, nutritious diet and regular exercise are important. Try to maintain a rule. Talk to your doctor if you are having trouble or if you have any questions regarding diet and exercise.
Diagnosis of mental illness –
How is mental illness diagnosed?
To check the diagnosis of mental illness and related complications, the following tests can be done –
- Physical examination
In physical examination, your doctor will try to overcome the physical problems that may be causing your symptoms.
- Lab test
A lab test can check your thyroid or check for alcohol and drugs.
- Psychological evaluation
In a psychological evaluation, your doctor asks you about your symptoms, thoughts, feelings and behavior. You may also be asked to fill in a questionnaire.
Treatment of mental illness –
What is the treatment for mental illness?
Treatment of mental illness is as follows –
- Need to be hospitalized
Treatment of mental illness during hospitalization usually consists of stabilization, monitoring, medication, fluid and nutritional care and other urgent emergency care.
A person needs to be hospitalized when –
- They have severe mental health symptoms.
- Hallucinations or delusions.
- Have suicidal ideation.
- Did not sleep or eat food for many days.
- No ability to take care of oneself due to symptoms of mental health.
- Psychotherapy
There are many different types of psychotherapy available for mental illness, such as –
- Personalized therapy – Individualized therapy is a psychotherapy where a person uses a variety of different strategies and methods to explore emotions, sorrows, and other mental health problems with his or her therapist.
- Group therapy – Group therapy usually consists of a physician lead and consists of many people.
- Family therapy – In family psychiatry, family members meet with a physician to resolve issues.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common psychotherapy. It can be used at the individual, group or family level. In this therapy, physicians try to replace the patient’s abnormal thoughts and behaviors with positive thoughts.
- Dialectical behavior therapy – In this psychotherapy, the emphasis is on accepting and validating unhealthy thoughts, feelings and behaviors and trying to strike a balance between acceptance and change.
- Interpersonal treatment – Interpersonal treatment solves problems in people’s relationships and teaches new interpersonal and communication skills to improve the quality of relationships.
- Medications
Medications can be used to treat symptoms of mental illness, Medications are often used in combination with psychotherapy.
The following are the medicines used for mental illness –
- Antidepressant medicines.
- Anti-anxiety medicines.
- Mood Stabilizers.
- Psychotropic medicines.
- Alternative Treatment
Following are some alternative treatments for mental illness –
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Nutritious food
- Workout
Complications of mental illness –
What complications can cause mental illness?
Mental illness is a major cause of disability. Untreated mental illness can cause serious emotional, behavioral, and physical health problems. Mental illness can also cause legal and financial problems. It has the following complications –
- Sadness and lack of enjoyment in life.
- Weak immune system, due to which your body takes time to fight infection.
- Family problems.
- Problems in relationships.
- Social isolation.
- Problems related to tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.
- Poverty and homelessness.
- Suicide or harm to others.
- Increased risk of accidents.
- Heart disease and other medical problems.
