When it comes to mental health there are 7 common types of disorders.
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These include:
Depression
Anxiety (general, social, panic and phobias)
OCD (Obssessive Compulsive Disorder)
Bipolar
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Schizophrenia
Personality (borderline, narcissistic and anti social)
Potential causes:
Genetics or a family history of the disorder
Environment
Chemical imbalance in the brain
Trauma during childhood
Stressful circumstances during childhood
Poverty and low levels of social support
Symptoms of these conditions
Depression:
Not caring about things one used to
Feeling sad, down, or hopeless most of the day, nearly every day
Weight gain or loss
Sleeping too much or too little
Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
Forgetfulness
Confusion
Moving and speaking more slowly than usual
Restlessness or have trouble staying still
Thoughts of death or suicide
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Anxiety:
Worry
Fear
Feeling on edge
Tiredness
Muscle tension
Stomach aches
Chest tightness or pain (see a doctor if this occurs – chest pain may be a sign of a medical emergency)
Fear of embarrassment
Blushing
Trembling
Rapid heartbeat
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OCD:
Obsessions
Repetitive and persistent thoughts (of contamination), images (violent or horrific scenes), or urges ( to hurt someone)
These are not voluntary or pleasurable
Patients with OCD attempt to ignore, avoid, or suppress obsessions or to neutralise them with another thought or action (performing a compulsion)
Compulsions
Repetitive behaviours (e.g washing, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that a person feels compelled to perform in relation to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly or to achieve a sense of completeness
Compulsions are not connected in a realistic way to the feared event or are clearly excessive
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Bipolar:
See depression symptoms above
Mania
Feeling abnormally and persistently happy, angry, hyperactive, impulsive, and irrational at different times
Feelings of special powers and superiority
Decreased need for sleep
Restlessness
Excessive talking
Increased activity
Racing thoughts
Short attention span
Inappropriate laughing or joking
Getting into arguments
Inappropriate spending sprees or sexual activity
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PTSD:
Reliving the trauma, memories, nightmares, or flashbacks
Feeling “numb”
Avoiding certain people or places
Intense feelings, such as anger, fear, or worry
Trouble sleeping
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Schizophrenia:
Hallucinations
Delusions
Disorganised thoughts or speech
Lack of emotion and or changes in facial expression
Minimal movement or talking
Poor hygiene
Lack of interest in spending time with people or having fun
Problems learning and remembering
Difficulty understanding speech or other forms of communication
Difficulty making sense of new information
Difficulty solving problems
Anxiety
Depression
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Personality Disorders:
Mood swings
Angry outbursts
Social anxiety which causes difficulty making friends
Need to be the center of attention
Feeling of being cheated or taken advantage of
Lack of impulse control/difficulty delaying gratification
Not feeling there is anything wrong with one’s behaviour
Externalizing and blaming the world for one’s behaviours and feelings
Please reach out for help if you are concerned about any aspect of your mental health.
For UK residents you can click the button above to go to a list of contacts.
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It is ok not to be ok. We all need support at one time or another, do not be afraid to ask for help.
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Remember you are not alone and you can get through this.
