Mental health awareness begins by educating yourself. The more you know about mental health and its issues, the more equipped you are in helping others.
On that note, a lot of confusion still surround mental disorders. Fact is, mental health issues can affect anyone. The CDC estimates that 50% of people will struggle with mental disorders in their lifetime. Being prepared and aware of mental health can save lives.
There’s a wide range of conditions that are recognized as mental disorders. Be informed and learn how to recognize the most common types and their symptoms.
Psychotic Disorders
Psychotic disorders involve distorted thinking and awareness. One of the most common symptoms are hallucinations. Hallucination is when you experience sounds and images that are not real.
Another is delusions. This occurs when the ill person accepts false fixed beliefs as true, even though there’s evidence to the contrary. One example of psychotic disorder is schizophrenia.
Mood Disorders
Also known as affective disorders, mood disorders involve emotional fluctuations. It can go from extreme sadness to extreme happiness. The most common ones are:
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Cyclothymic disorder
Anxiety Disorders
Individuals with this condition feel dread and fear in response to certain situations. They exhibit physical symptoms of panic or anxiety such as a sweating and rapid heartbeat.
An anxiety diagnosis is reached when an individual cannot control their response. It could also be when the response is vastly disproportionate to the scenario. In some cases, the anxiety prevents them from functioning normally. The most common anxiety disorders include:
- Social anxiety disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Specific phobias
- Panic disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
An individual can develop PTSD following a traumatic or terrifying event. It can be a natural disaster, unexpected death of a loved one, or physical and sexual assault. PTSD causes frightening and lasting memories and thoughts of the event.
The condition can render a person emotionally numb, yet prone to rage issues and social anxiety. Some also have difficulty cultivating healthy relationships. Most have the tendency to relive the event when triggered.
Personality Disorders
This condition involves inflexible and extreme personal traits that distress the sufferer and cause severe issues in their social relationships, school, and work. Some common examples are:
- Antisocial personality disorder
- Paranoid personality disorder
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders involve extreme behaviours, attitudes, and emotions involving food and weight. Some common manifestations are:
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia
- Binge eating disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
People afflicted with OCD struggle with constant fears or thoughts that force them to perform very specific routines or rituals. The term for these behaviours is compulsions.
Some examples include constant washing hands due to excessive fear of germs, or counting steps. Switching lights on and off at a certain order is another example. Failing to perform these compulsions causes severe distress to the ill person.
Cultivate Mental Health Awareness with Talking for Therapy
Aside from offering compassionate listening support, Talking for Therapy advisors can also help you gain better mental health awareness.
Want to understand the signs of depression or how to help a loved one through post-partum disorder? Perhaps lend support to a friend with anxiety? Whatever the reason, we are here for you. Book an appointment now and let’s talk about YOU.
