Every year, millions of Americans experience the reality of living with a mental illness. Mental health awareness is essential for increasing well-being and reducing the stigma associated with mental health disorders.1
If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health, it is increasingly important to understand what mental health is, common mental illnesses, signs, and symptoms of mental health disorders, risk factors, and available treatment options.
Mental health refers to an individual’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Additionally, the state of someone’s mental health impacts their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It also determines how someone deals with stress, interacts with others and makes decisions.2
Mental health is equally as important as physical health, and certain mental health issues may even increase the risk of problems with physical health. For example, depression can increase the risk of long-lasting health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The presence of chronic conditions can also increase the risk of mental illness.2
Treating mental health disorders is an essential aspect of mental health. Mental illnesses can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, geography, income, social status, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, or sexual orientation.3
Additionally, the impacts of mental illness can be temporary or long-lasting. An individual may also experience more than one mental health disorder at a time. For example, someone may have a substance use disorder and experience depression simultaneously. 4
The most common classes of mental illness include neurodevelopmental disorders, anxiety disorders, bipolar and related disorders, depressive disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, trauma-related disorders, dissociative disorders, somatic symptom and related disorders, eating disorders, impulse control disorders, addictive disorders, neurocognitive disorders, and personality disorders 7,8
Neurodevelopmental disorders usually develop in infancy or childhood, before grade school. Examples of this kind of disorder include autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and learning disorders.7
Individuals with psychotic disorders exhibit abnormal thinking, perception, and awareness. 8 The most common symptoms of psychotic disorders include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking and speech. 7
A hallucination is an experience of images or sounds that are not real. Delusions are false beliefs accepted as true, even when there is evidence that these views are incorrect. Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder are examples of psychotic disorders.8
These disorders are characterized by repetitive thoughts or obsessions and repetitive actions in response to those thoughts. 7
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) includes persistent thoughts and fears that create compulsions to carry out specific rituals and routines. For example, someone with OCD might have an irrational fear of germs (obsession) and, as a result, constantly wash their hands (compulsion). 8
Other examples of these disorders include hoarding disorder and hair-pulling disorder (trichotillomania). 7
Somatic symptoms and related disorders include symptoms that can cause significant emotional stress and functioning challenges. Individuals with these disorders may have another medical condition responsible for their symptoms, but their reaction to them is abnormal. 7
Examples of these disorders include somatic symptom disorder, illness anxiety disorder, and factitious disorder. 7
Someone with an eating disorder exhibits extreme emotions, thoughts, and behaviors related to weight and food. The most common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. 8
Impulse control and conduct disorders include problems with self-control, emotionally and behaviorally. 8
Impulse control disorders involve an inability to resist urges to engage in behaviors that could be harmful to the self or others. Some examples of these disorders include pyromania (fire-starting), kleptomania (stealing), and compulsive gambling.
Addictive disorders involve excessive alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and drug use. They can also include gambling disorders. 7
Alcohol and drugs are both addictive substances. Individuals with addiction disorders may prioritize the substance they are addicted to over responsibilities, relationships, and once enjoyable activities. 8
Individuals with neurocognitive disorders experience challenges related to thinking and reasoning. These disorders are acquired rather than developed and include delirium and disorders due to conditions or diseases like traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer’s disease. 7
Suicidal ideation includes the thought of ending one’s own life. These thoughts may or may not include a suicide plan. Suicidal ideations can occur due to living with an untreated mental health disorder. 9
If you or a loved one is experiencing any of the following signs or symptoms, it is important to speak with a mental health professional right away for a specific diagnosis and treatment based on that diagnosis. 10
A mental health disorder’s warning signs and symptoms may differ in adults, young adults, and adolescents than in older children and preadolescents, and younger children. 10
Older children and preadolescents with a mental illness may experience: 10
Younger children with a mental illness may experience: 10
There are several treatment methods available for mental health disorders. Treatment will depend on the type of mental illness, its severity, and the best approach for each individual. 7 The treatment option that works best may differ from one person to another, include a combination of multiple methods, and change throughout an individual’s lifetime. 11
A mental health professional can offer a diagnosis and recommend the best treatment option for each individual. Different treatment methods include self-help, medication, and psychotherapy. 11 A team approach may also be beneficial in some cases, especially when the mental illness is severe. 7
People who have mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, may benefit from engaging in techniques that promote relaxation, including deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness practices. 11
Additionally, an essential aspect of recovery from a mental illness is cultivating a strong support network. This network may include individuals from self-help groups, close friends, and family members. 11
Some individuals with mental health disorders take medications prescribed by a doctor as a form of treatment. While medications won’t cure a mental health disorder, they can improve symptoms and make it possible for individuals to engage socially and carry out a regular routine while improving their mental health. 11 They can also make other methods, like psychotherapy, more effective. 7
Some medications work by increasing the body’s absorption of feel-good chemicals, like serotonin, from the brain. Other medications can either boost overall levels of these chemicals or prevent them from destructing.11 Commonly used prescription psychiatric medications include: 7
If you’re struggling with your mental health, you don’t have to face it alone. First Light Recovery offers compassionate care, expert treatment, and a real-world approach to empower you.
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