How to Recognize Signs of Mental Illness

The shift in the willingness to acknowledge and address mental health issues has been a recent positive change in society. For years, having mental health issues has carried a stigma. People suffered in silence rather than acknowledging that something was not quite right. However, the greater the awareness and willingness to address mental health issues, the better it is for those who need help to find it.

Mental illness is common in the United States, and it includes a broad variety of conditions that vary in degree of severity. In a given year, nearly one in five U.S. adults lived with a mental health illness (52.9 million in 2020), with 5% having a serious mental illness. Likewise, one in twelve (8.5%) has a diagnosable substance use disorder.

What is mental illness?

Mental health entails how a person is effectively functioning in their daily activities. A positive or healthy mental state would be marked by being productive in activities, having healthy relationships with self and others, as well as having the ability to cope with adversity and adapt to change. A healthy mental state is key for our relationships and overall well-being.

In contrast to that, mental illness often involves experiencing significant changes in one’s behavior, emotions, or thinking, and describes mental health symptoms that are associated with distress or problems functioning in various life domains.

Many different diagnoses are recognized as mental illnesses. Examples of mental illness include Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, and Stress Response Syndromes. Likewise, there are disorders of eating, impulse control, addiction, mood, tics, sexuality/gender, and post-traumatic stress.

The Causes of Mental Illness

Many factors can contribute to the risk of mental illness. Rather, mental illness stems from a variety of factors, including one’s genetics and environmental factors. For example, your brain chemistry and any inherited traits may put you at a greater risk of developing a mental illness. Life experiences such as trauma or even exposure to other environmental stressors can also trigger mental illness.

Some of the risk factors and complications for developing mental illness include:

• Adverse life experiences such as military combat, a history of abuse, or experiencing assault
• Ongoing medical conditions, such as cancer or diabetes
• Stressful experiences such as the death of a loved one, or serious financial problems
• Brain damage from a serious injury
• Previous mental illness
• Use of alcohol or recreational drugs
• Feelings of loneliness or isolation

Mental illness can lead to a number of complications. You may have difficulty forming and maintaining healthy relationships, including having family conflicts. These may culminate in thoughts or actions of self-harm or suicide.

Additionally, you may also consider harming others in your distress. Mental illness often affects other areas of functioning to include work or school, being socially isolated, legal or financial problems, and even poverty and homelessness.

Your physical health can also be complicated by mental illness. You may experience a weakened immune system and be more susceptible to illness. Heart disease and other medical conditions may also be triggered by mental illness and its stresses.

Knowing the signs of mental illness helps

There are many different kinds of mental illnesses, and the signs for each of them will vary depending on the DSM-5 criteria for the mental disorder and your circumstances. There are some symptoms of a mental health disorder that may appear as physical ailments such as stomach aches, headaches, back pain, or other unexplained body aches and pains.

Moreover, you can also struggle with low energy or sleep, see major changes in sex drive or eating habits, or a drastic increase in weight loss or gain.

Equally, there are emotional signposts to notice. Extreme mood swings may indicate that something is not right. Likewise, confusion, brain fog, struggles to recall actions or details, memory loss or lapse in memory, as well as a reduced ability to concentrate, are all red flags of emotional distress.

Feelings of sadness may lead to social isolation and withdrawal from friends and engaging in cherished activities. Extreme increases in emotions such as anger, aggression, hostility, guilt, and worry are all warning signs.

Signs of detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia, or hallucinations point to some mental distress. Additionally, if daily problems or stress are completely overwhelming, the person might be in mental distress. An inability to understand or relate to everyday situations or people may also be a red flag of mental illness. Any substance use could signal the possibility of mental illness.

What can be done?

It is important to note that there is no guarantee that one can prevent mental illness, but there are a variety of different forms of treatment to heal from its challenges. If you have a mental illness, you can actively increase your resilience by taking positive actions. Doing the work needed to keep your symptoms under control will generate hope.

Family and Peer Support have also been effective. Self-help and making good use of your support systems can be especially important to your ability to cope, recover, as well as maintain your mental well-being.

If you have any of the signs or symptoms of a mental illness, you should immediately see your doctor or a mental health professional. Mental illness does not typically improve on its own, and if left untreated, a mental illness may deteriorate over time and cause serious problems.

Suicidal thoughts are common with some mental illnesses, and if you have suicidal thoughts, you should seek immediate help. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or use its webchat on suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat.

You can also call 911, reach out to a family member/support, contact a spiritual leader in your faith community, or call your mental health specialist.

If possible, you should get routine mental health/medical care and pay attention to any warning signs. Routine care allows you to identify any changes that may be pointing to either the development or worsening of a mental illness.

You should neither neglect your checkups nor skip visits with your primary care provider, especially if you are not in good health. Whether you are in treatment for a mental illness or not, it is better to catch things earlier rather than later.

If you are in treatment, regular checkups will allow your doctor or mental health provider to be responsive and change your medication or treatment plan as needed. By paying attention to warning signs, you can work with your doctor or therapist to learn what triggers your symptoms and implement appropriate treatment interventions.

You should get help when you need it, because mental health conditions can often be harder to treat if you wait too long before seeking help. Your doctor or a mental health professional can help you with a proper diagnosis, as several conditions may have symptoms in common with mental illness.

Treatment for any mental health disorder is based upon a plan developed in collaboration between you, your mental health provider, and your doctor, and it may include psychotherapy (talk therapy), medication, or other treatments.

In many cases, a combination of therapy and medication is most effective to address symptoms and the underlying condition. The need for treatment will take several factors into consideration, for instance, how severe the symptoms are, how distressing the symptoms are, and how much they affect daily living, as well as the risks and benefits associated with available treatments, will all be weighed in on before treatment is started.

An important part of any treatment plan includes involving your family members or friends to walk alongside you on your journey. Simultaneously, it is important to have a plan for what to do if your symptoms return.

You can also take certain self-help steps to take good care of yourself, which may require some lifestyle changes. You need to maintain a regular schedule, get adequate sleep, eat healthy food, and get regular exercise, as these support your mental health and aid in your recovery.

Getting Help

If you are ready to meet with a therapist to get your mental health stabilized, consider reaching out to our offices today. We can arrange an appointment with one of the counselors in our office. They will have ideas and treatments that will offer health and new life.