Kinds of Mental Illness

A mental illness is generally a health issue. It can affect our thoughts, mood, and behaviour. It can impact the way you feel the world around you.

 

A mental illness may cause distress. It may affect your relationships, how you perform at work, and your efficiency to manage daily-life tasks.

 

Mental illnesses may last for a short period or for your entire life. Some mild psychological illnesses last only a few weeks. Sometimes severe mental health illnesses may be life-time and cause severe disability.

According to National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2020, it is estimated that 5.6% or 14.2 million individuals had serious psychological illness.

 

In this article, we will discuss symptoms, causes, kinds, diagnosis and treatment options for mental illnesses.

 

Symptoms of mental illness

Following are some common symptoms of mental disorders:

• illogical or unusual thoughts
• irritability or unreasonable anger
• poor memory and concentration, unable to follow a conversation
• hearing suspicious voices that others are unable to hear
• decreased or increased sleep
• low or increased appetite, or distraction with control over calories, food, or excessive exercise
• lack of motivation
• withdrawing from friends and family members
• drug use
• suicidal thoughts and feelings that life is not satisfactory
• becoming obsessed with some topic such as religion or death
• not taking care of personal hygiene
• not showing usual performance at school or work

 

Causes  of mental illness

 Factors  that become the cause of mental health disorders generally include:

• genetic factors
• biological factors
• drug and alcohol abuse
• early life environment
• stress and trauma
• personality factors

 

Kinds of mental illness

There are several kinds of mental illness. But here we discuss 5 most common of them.

 

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most common type of psychological illness. People having anxiety disorder generally respond to certain situations and things with severe dread and fear.  Most individuals with an anxiety disorder generally try to avoid situations that may trigger their anxiety.

Below are a few forms of anxiety disorders.

 

Generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) includes excessive fear or worry that disturbs everyday living.

People can also experience many physical symptoms, such as:

• restlessness
• poor concentration
• tense muscles
• fatigue
• interrupted sleep

They may feel extreme, unrealistic tension and worry with no reason when encountering daily life situations that usually do not cause direct danger such as appointments or chores.

 

Panic disorder

People having a panic disorder usually experience frequent panic attacks which involves overwhelming, sudden terror and a sense of death and disaster.

 

Phobias

There are various types of phobia:

 

• Simple phobias

These phobias normally center around a specific animal, objects, or situation. They develop during childhood and may become less severe as you get older. A fear of snakes, dogs or spiders is a common example.

 

• Social phobia

It is sometimes referred to as social anxiety. This is a persistent, intense fear of being watched and judged by other people. This phobia can affect school, work and daily life activities.

 

• Agoraphobia

This term involves avoiding and fearing places and situations, that can cause feelings of being helpless, trapped, and embarrassed, such as being in moving car. Most people misunderstand this kind of phobia is fear of being outside.

 

Phobias are extremely personal, and physicians do not know all types. There are thousands of phobias, and what seems normal to one individual can be a serious problem that affects everyday routine for another.

 

OCD

People having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) generally experience compulsions and obsessions. In other words, they go through constant, stressful feelings and thoughts and a powerful compulsion to perform repetitive acts, like hand-washing.

 

PTSD

PTSD may occur after an individual witnesses or experiences an intensely traumatic or stressful event. During these types of events, the individual thinks that other people’s  or their own life are in danger. They have no control on what’s happening around them and they may feel afraid.

These sensations and feelings of fear and trauma may then lead to PTSD.

 

Mood disorders

A mood disorder is a psychological condition which generally affects your emotional state. In this disorder you may experience long periods of severe sadness, or extreme happiness, or both. People with mood disorders have significant changes in their mood, such as mania, a period of depression, or high energy and joy.

 

It is absolutely normal for you to change your mood according to the situation. But, if your mood continues to change for several weeks or longer, then you may have a mood disorder. This disorder can change your behavior which affects your capability to perform daily life activities, like school or work.

 

Examples of mood disorders generally include:

Major Depression

A person with major depression usually loses interest in events and activities once enjoyed  (anhedonia) and goes through a constant low mood. They may feel prolonged periods of extreme sadness or sadness.

 

Bipolar disorder

A individual having this disorder experiences abnormal changes in their level of activity, energy levels, mood, and ability to carry on daily life activities. Depressive phases generally bring low mood, while periods of high mood are referred to as manic phase.

 

Seasonal affective disorder

Decreased daylight during the winter, fall, and early spring months causes this type of mood disorder. This disorder is most common in countries which are away from the equator.

 

Psychotic Disorders

People with psychotic disorders are unable to realize what is real and what is not. This group of psychological disorders alters a person’s sense of reality. Scientists and researchers believe that some viruses, extreme trauma and stress, some kinds of drug abuse, and complications with working of specific brain circuits can play an important role in the development of this disorder.

Following are most common psychotic disorders:

 

 Schizophrenia

This serious psychological disorder causes individuals to experience an unusual reality. They may have hallucinations, delusions,  or disordered behavior or thinking.

 

Schizoaffective Disorder

A type of combination between a mood disorder and a psychotic disorder, schizoaffective disorder causes individuals to experience both mood symptoms such as anxiety or depression, and psychosis symptoms, like hallucinations.

 

Delusional Disorder

This disorder is previously known as paranoid disorder. People who have delusional disorder are unable to differentiate between imagination and reality. Delusions are the main symptom of this disorder. They have firm belief in something that is not based on reality. But it does not mean they are completely unrealistic.

 

Dementia

Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning such as, remembering, thinking, and reasoning to such an extent that it interrupts daily life activities of a person. Some people having dementia are unable to control their emotions, that’s why their personalities generally change.

 

This disorder affects millions of people and is more common in old age people (about 1/3 of all people aged 85 or older usually have any form of dementia).

 

Dementia is not a single disorder. It is a general term to describe a variety of symptoms that someone can experience if they have a variety of diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal dementia(FTD), Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a well-known type of dementia.

 

Eating Disorders

These disorders are behavioral conditions characterized by extreme and abnormal eating behaviors, such as restricted or excessive eating. These disorders are also associated with distressing emotions and thoughts. They can be severe conditions that can affect psychological, physical and social function.

 

Eating disorders are complex mental disorders that require treatment from psychological experts. These disorders commonly start with an obsession with body weight, food, and body shape.

 

Common symptoms of eating disorders may include purging behaviors or food binges such as vomiting or over-exercising, severe restriction of food. The most common kinds of eating disorders are:

 

Anorexia Nervosa

This disorder usually develops during young adulthood or adolescence. It generally tends to affect more women than men. People with this disorder basically see themselves as overweight, but in reality they are dangerously underweight. They always observe their weight, avoid taking some types of foods, and restrict their intake of calories.

 

Bulimia Nervosa

People having bulimia nervosa eat or binge, or perceive what they ate, huge amounts of food in a short time. Then, they usually force themselves to vomit after eating in order to control their weight.

 

Binge Eating Disorder

People with this disorder continuously overeat till the point of discomfort. After a binge, individuals commonly feel shame or guilt. They also have a fear of gaining weight.

 

Diagnosis of mental illness

Mental health issues can be diagnosed by talking to your  physician about your symptoms in detail.

It can be helpful to talk to a family member when you go to your doctor.

Your physician will ask questions regarding your moods and thoughts . They will also ask about if anything  is worrying you and your behaviors. Some traumas may increase the chances of developing a psychological illness.

There are usually no brain scans or blood tests that can verify a mental illness. But your physician generally suggests doing these tests, as the results may help to determine other causes of your symptoms.

Your physician generally refer you to:

• a psychologist
• a doctor which is specialist mental illness like psychiatrist
• another specialized service

 

Treatment of mental illness

Psychological illness is generally treatable. Most people having mental health disorders recover and then live happy and productive lives.

Treatment varies for each type of mental illness. It may vary according to the person and how severe the symptoms are. It also depends on previous history of illness.

Following are major types of treatment:

 

Psychological therapy

There are various categories of psychotherapy. Some general examples are:

• psycho-dynamic therapy
• supportive therapy
• cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)
• interpersonal therapy
• acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

Other therapies include couple, group, and family therapy.

 

Medicines

Medicines are also used to treat mental illness.

• Antidepressants are used for depression and anxiety
• Mood stabilizers are given to treat bipolar disorder.
• Anti-psychotic medicines are generally used for psychosis or schizophrenia.

 

Lifestyle  changes

• Exercise helps to ease and prevent depression and anxiety.
• Healthy and nutritious diets are also important.
• Maintenance of good social support is helpful.
• People should avoid drugs and alcohols .

 

Complementary therapies

Complementary therapies  for psychological illness may include:

• Mediation
• Performing relaxation techniques for stress relief

 

Support programs

Community support programs may help with practical parts of life like training, education, employment, and accommodation. They may be helpful for individuals with mental health issues which are long-term.

Sometimes psychological illness is extreme, having the risk of succide. In such cases, treatment usually involves hospital checkup and admission.

 

Summary

There are many kinds of mental illnesses. They can affect people of all age groups. In this article, we  discussed symptoms, causes, major mental health disorders, their diagnosis, and treatment. We also explain some tips to improve your lifestyle, so that you can avoid or treat your psychological illness and live a productive life.