What Are The Symptoms Of Your Mental Illness
Before we begin with the symptoms, it is essential to know what a mental illness is. There is no single definition of mental illness. It is different for different people and can be addressed in various ways. However, we have summarised the concerning issue of mental illness in this blog.
Mental Illness: Meaning
Mental illness can also be called as a mental health disorder, and it is a condition in which a wide range of psychological factors affect your mood and the way you think/ behave/ respond to a situation. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, addictive behaviors, and so on.Not sure if you have a mental illness or not? Here are some common signs of mental illness:
• Feeling sad or down
• Lack of focus
• Excessive guilt/fear
• Mood swings
• Withdrawal from friends
• Frequent tiredness
• Sleeping troubles
As we know, the human mind has enormous capabilities, it is also true that there is no other suffering like mental illness. Life becomes fantastic when everything works in your favor, but when it works against you, there is no escape.Suffering is a very personal thing. It can arise out of anything that is going on in your life, be it your relationships, principles, career, or studies. In any case, Suffering is just the scale of your reaction to an unavoidable/deliberate circumstance.In each case, the real question that needs to be answered remains, “How do you come out of it?”
Well, your retreat depends upon various factors:
1. The Level Of Damage
Just the way a physical body suffers abrasions, we can suffer mental hits too. Mental illness can make anyone feel miserable and can cause problems in daily life. Nevertheless, the intensity of mental trauma(s) impacts your recovery. To have a speedy recovery, one needs to try and not to “re-open closed wounds”. Your recovery lies in your own hands alone.
2. The Climate Around You
Almost everyone faces a harsh climate almost every day. But if the rough atmosphere starts to give you stress frequently, it may open the gates for mental illness. Similarly, if a person in recovery is repeatedly exposed to a harsh/non-conducive environment, their chances of relapse are much more.
3. The State of Your Physical Being
Various studies suggest that there is a great correlation between physical and mental health. If someone is facing a psychological turmoil, their physical health will deteriorate faster. That is why stress is a major cause of numerous health hazards including obesity.
Likewise, a poor physique can stir a poor psyche. That is why, many times mental therapy includes outdoor activities and items of physical exertion, like horse riding, swimming, running, yoga, etc.
4. Your Own Willingness To Heal
It has been emphasized by not just various therapists but also philosophers, saints, leading thinkers, and psychologists that one’s own recovery depends on one’s own willingness to recover. No one else can do it for them.Because of this notion, there has come to existence the concept of support groups. These groups help people with mental problems come together and inspire each other towards recovery. All one needs is a newer perspective.
5. Availability of Professional Help
AstoCare cannot stress enough on the importance of mental health and the dangerousness of untreated mental illnesses. If you feel like seeking professional help, we strongly recommend you visiting a health expert near you. If you are not able to find one, try searching for them over here Just Click Here.
It is completely normal to get back on track by seeking some help.
Symptoms of Mental Illness
Mental illness can be different for different people. That’s why the symptoms vary too. Here are some common symptoms of mental illnesses:
1. Sleep or appetite changes
If there are dramatic sleep and appetite changes, and your appetite or sleep is significantly increased or decreased over a prolonged time, it could definitely be a symptom of mental illness. In mental illness, anxiety can trigger emotional and psychological changes in your body. It often affects the stomach and the digestive tract and can make you lose your appetite. Once the stress is over, your hunger usually returns.
2. Mood changes
Rapid shifts in emotions or are usually caused by an imbalance of the chemicals associated with mood regulation, as in the case of bipolar disorder. A person’s risk for depression is increased during these times. Therefore, mood swings can also be a sign of a mental health condition. Mood swings refer to the sudden changes in mood. It may be related to the minor daily events or to the significant happenings which may lead to even depression, down the line.
3. Withdrawal
Social withdrawal from activities previously enjoyed, can be a sign of mental illness. It may occur because of other factors as well but in a majority of cases, an underlying mental issue is its actual cause. For instance, some people continuously opt to withdraw from social situations, and some even experience severe social anxiety from the start. But none of them have any mental illness. Even so, many people with mental illness withdraw socially to manage hallucinations, feelings of depression, reduced energy, and/or low self-esteem. Also Read – Covid-19 Pandemic And Mental Wellness
4. Drop-in functioning capacity
A drop in functioning capacity is a major sign of mental illness. The mental illness severely affects one’s will power and physical strength. A variety of other symptoms of the same, like hallucinations, sleeplessness, guilt, lack of focus, etc. also contribute to the fall in a functioning capacity. This symptom is more visible in students going through mental trauma. Whenever such a drop is evident, the parent/guardian should take immediate notice and seek help, if necessary.
5. Problems with Concentration
Problems with concentration, logical thought, and memory retention are can be seen. Conditions that interfere with concentration include anxiety and stress. It can be cured by eating a balanced diet with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. You should eat several small meals every day. Also getting more sleep is essential. You should reduce the caffeine intake. Small steps to reduce stress, such as meditating, writing in a journal, or reading a book can surely help anyone in overcoming such problems.
6. Increased sensitivity
It includes sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells, and touch. The body can become sensitive for many reasons. Environmental factors such as fluctuation in temperature, internal triggers such as hormonal change can cause problems. If you are unable to perform any productive activities at work or school, or are not able to maintain healthy relationships or are losing the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity, it is a sign of mental illness. It is called as Hyperesthesia.
7. Apathy
Loss of desire to participate can be explained as what apathy is. Apathy can be a symptom of depression. It is a lack of motivation to do, complete, or accomplish any task. Low energy levels are experienced in such kind of a problem. Emotions, motivation, and willingness to act get diminished. A problem with areas in the front of your brain that control your feelings, goals, and behavior can cause apathy. An example of apathy is a student who does not care one way or the other if he passes a class. Severe levels of acute elevated stress or nervousness can also trigger feelings of emotional numbness.
8. Feeling disconnected
People who suffer from this problem feel a sense of unreality. It is a vague feeling of being disconnected from oneself or one’s surroundings. The person feels not in control of their speech or movements. It creates an emotional or physical numbness of senses or responses to the world around you. It could be because of emotional abuse or neglect at a young age. The experience prompts anyone to detach from their surroundings as a way to manage the trauma. Other causes of stress might include physical or sexual abuse. It may involve disruptions or breakdowns of memory, consciousness, awareness, identity, or perception. When one or more of these functions is disrupted, symptoms can result.Most people who are concerned seek treatment and, in many cases, the symptoms go away over time. It is a group of conditions called dissociative disorders.
9. Illogical thinking
The person has unusual or exaggerated beliefs that are illogical. As we know that long term stress creates anxiety, and further creates irrational thoughts. The first step is to notice and stop your negative thoughts. You need to talk to yourself to know what you think and believe about yourself and your experiences. It may be rational and helpful. According to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), irrational thoughts are at the core of understanding your mental illness. You may have trouble thinking clearly or concentrating. You may generally suffer from suspiciousness, paranoid ideas, or uneasiness with others. If you start withdrawing socially and spending a lot more time alone than usual, then it is a sign of mental illness. It is unusual to have overly great new ideas, strange feelings, or having no feelings at all.
10. Nervousness
It is the fear or suspiciousness of others. It means having a strong nervous feeling. It is a type of mental illness that causes constant and overwhelming anxiety and fear. Excessive nervousness can make you avoid work, school, family, and other social situations. Your symptoms may include restlessness, a feeling of dread, a feeling of being on edge, difficulty in concentrating, difficulty in sleeping, and irritability. It can also involve physical feelings such as dizziness, nausea, heart palpitations, sweating, shortness of breath, headache, or dry mouth.
11. Unusual behavior
People may show odd, uncharacteristic, or peculiar behavior. People who have these disorders often seem strange or eccentric to others. They also may show unusual thinking patterns and behaviors. Mental illness can be a result of several factors, including experience, genetics, or even physical injury or disease. It involves performing actions that are not normal for the person. You may have a fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, unclear or shifting self-image, impulsive or self-destructive behaviors, a feeling of self-harm, extreme emotional swings, chronic feelings of emptiness, or explosive anger.
12. A decline in personal care
It can be a sign of neglect. It is the inability or unwillingness to attend to one’s personal needs. Self-neglect can be a result of mental illness which has an effect on the person’s physical abilities, energy levels, attention, organizational skills, or motivation. Self-care is difficult because it requires effort, and it requires mental and emotional involvement. Also, it brings up feelings that are not always good ones like feelings of shame or guilt.
13. Overreacting
It is a symptom of bipolar disorder. It includes using and hearing harsh words that would be painful. You may well respond with extreme anger. Even sad movies can make a person with disorder overreact.
Conclusion
It can be stated that mental health is the laying ground for relationships, personal and emotional well-being, and it also helps in contributing to society. Many people who have a mental illness do not want to address it. But it is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a medical condition, like any heart disease or diabetes. Mental health conditions are treatable. We do understand how the human brain works, and treatments are available to help people successfully manage their mental health conditions.The sooner you address your mental health issues, the better. Once you decide to take action on this, you will start to feel a lot better. Your problems will begin to resolve, and you can be just as perfect as you were earlier.