Mental illness is a general term that covers a wide range of mental health conditions. Mental illnesses are health conditions that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. They can make it hard for you to cope with day-to-day life and can be disabling in severe cases.
There are many different types of mental illness, and each one has its own symptoms. However, there are some common signs of mental illness that are shared by most types of mental illness. If you have any of the following five signs, it may be an indication that you have a mental health condition:
1. Feeling excessively sad or down for extended periods of time: Depression is one of the most common types of mental illness, and is characterized by feeling persistently sad or down. If you are depressed, you may lose interest in activities that previously gave you pleasure, feel tired all the time, have difficulty concentrating or making decisions, or experience changes in your appetite or sleep patterns. Depression can also lead to thoughts of suicide.
2. Experiencing anxiety or fear: Anxiety disorders are characterized by persistent feelings of anxiety or fear which can interfere with daily life activities such as going to work or school, socializing with friends and family, or sleeping. Symptoms of anxiety.
Long-lasting sadness or irritability
If you’re experiencing long-lasting sadness or irritability, it could be a sign of depression. Depression is a common mental illness that can cause a range of symptoms, including feelings of hopelessness, fatigue, and loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy. Other signs of depression include changes in appetite, sleep habits, and energy levels. If you’re struggling with depression, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional. With treatment, you can start to feel better and regain your enjoyment of life.
Extremely high and low moods
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes extreme shifts in mood. People with bipolar disorder may experience periods of depression, during which they feel hopeless and down, as well as periods of mania, during which they feel high and overly confident. These shifts can be very .
Excessive fear, worry, or anxiety
1. Excessive fear, worry, or anxiety 2. Feeling hopeless, irritable, or restless 3. Having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much 4. Experiencing changes in appetite or weight 5. Feeling tired or having low energy.
Social withdrawal
It’s not unusual for people to feel down or blue at times. And it’s not unusual for people with mental illness to withdraw from others and want to be alone. But if you’re withdrawing from friends and activities you used to enjoy, it could be a sign that something is wrong. Look for other signs too, such as changes in eating or sleeping habits, before making a decision about whether someone has a problem.
Loss of interest in things: If you’ve lost interest in activities or things you used to enjoy, it could be a sign of depression or another mental illness. Other signs include changes in eating and sleeping habits, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.
Mood swings: If your moods are all over the place – happy one minute and sad the next – it could be a sign of bipolar disorder or another mental health problem. These mood swings can sometimes happen without any obvious trigger.
Irritability: Feeling more easily annoyed or angered than usual can be a symptom of several different mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorders, and schizophrenia. If this irritability is accompanied by other symptoms like social withdrawal or loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, it’s even more likely that something is wrong.
Changes in eating habits: Changes in appetite are common among people with depression and other mental illnesses. You may find yourself overeating or under eating – both of which can have serious consequences on your health over time. If you’re losing weight without trying to diet or if your eating habits are making you feel uncomfortable (like bingeing followed by purging), talk to your doctor about what might be going on.”
Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits are often one of the first signs that something is wrong. If you or someone you know begins sleeping significantly more or less, eats much more or much less, and their weight begins to change quickly, it could be a sign of a mental illness. Other changes in eating habits may include an obsession with food or certain types of food, compulsive overeating, and purging.