Mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions – disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. Many people have mental health concerns from time to time.
But a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function.
A mental illness can make you miserable and can cause problems in your daily life, such as at school or work or in relationships. In most cases, symptoms can be managed with a combination of medications and talk therapy (psychotherapy).
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mental illness can vary, depending on the disorder, circumstances and other factors. Mental illness symptoms can affect emotions, thoughts and behaviors.
Examples of signs and symptoms include:
- Feeling sad or down
- Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate
- Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt
- Extreme mood changes of highs and lows
- Withdrawal from friends and activities
- Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping
- Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations
- Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
- Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people
- Problems with alcohol or drug use
- Major changes in eating habits
- Sex drive changes
- Excessive anger, hostility or violence
- Suicidal thinking
Sometimes symptoms of a mental health disorder appear as physical problems, such as stomach pain, back pain, headaches, or other unexplained aches and pains.
If your loved one shows signs of mental illness, have an open and honest discussion with him or her about your concerns. You may not be able to force someone to get professional care, but you can offer encouragement and support. You can also help your loved one find a qualified mental health professional and make an appointment. You may even be able to go along to the appointment. If your loved one has done self-harm or is considering doing so, take the person to the hospital.
Causes
Mental illnesses, in general, are thought to be caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors:
- Inherited traits. Mental illness is more common in people whose blood relatives also have a mental illness. Certain genes may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, and your life situation may trigger it.
- Environmental exposures before birth. Exposure to environmental stressors, inflammatory conditions, toxins, alcohol or drugs while in the womb can sometimes be linked to mental illness.
- Brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that carry signals to other parts of your brain and body. When the neural networks involving these chemicals are impaired, the function of nerve receptors and nerve systems change, leading to depression and other emotional disorders.
Risk factors
Certain factors may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, including:
- A history of mental illness in a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling
- Stressful life situations, such as financial problems, a loved one’s death or a divorce
- An ongoing (chronic) medical condition, such as diabetes
- Brain damage as a result of a serious injury (traumatic brain injury), such as a violent blow to the head
- Traumatic experiences, such as military combat or assault
- Use of alcohol or recreational drugs
- A childhood history of abuse or neglect
- Few friends or few healthy relationships
- A previous mental illness
Complications
Mental illness is a leading cause of disability. Untreated mental illness can cause severe emotional, behavioral and physical health problems. Complications sometimes linked to mental illness include:
- Unhappiness and decreased enjoyment of life
- Family conflicts
- Relationship difficulties
- Social isolation
- Problems with tobacco, alcohol and other drugs
- Missed work or school, or other problems related to work or school
- Legal and financial problems
- Poverty and homelessness
- Self-harm and harm to others, including suicide or homicide
- Weakened immune system, so your body has a hard time resisting infections
- Heart disease and other medical conditions
Prevention
There’s no sure way to prevent mental illness. However, if you have a mental illness, taking steps to control stress, to increase your resilience and to boost low self-esteem may help keep your symptoms under control. Follow these steps:
- Pay attention to warning signs. Work with your doctor or therapist to learn what might trigger your symptoms. Make a plan so that you know what to do if symptoms return. Contact your doctor or therapist if you notice any changes in symptoms or how you feel. Consider involving family members or friends to watch for warning signs.
- Get routine medical care. Don’t neglect checkups or skip visits to your primary care provider, especially if you aren’t feeling well. You may have a new health problem that needs to be treated, or you may be experiencing side effects of medication.
- Get help when you need it. Mental health conditions can be harder to treat if you wait until symptoms get bad. Long-term maintenance treatment also may help prevent a relapse of symptoms.
- Take good care of yourself. Sufficient sleep, healthy eating and regular physical activity are important. Try to maintain a regular schedule. Talk to your primary care provider if you have trouble sleeping or if you have questions about diet and physical activity.
Homoeopathic Treatment
- Aconite: Homeopathy practitioners recommend aconite for intense, sudden anxiety, panic, or fear. Panic could be connected to past trauma. Symptoms of this type of panic include dry skin, dry mouth, and fast heartbeat.
- Argentum nitricum: This is sometimes recommended for people with anxiety that is due to uncertainty. This includes claustrophobia, hypochondria, fear of heights, or fear of everyday things. Uncertainty-based anxiety could be accompanied with digestive disturbance, like diarrhea, and sweets cravings.Arsenicum album This is purported to be for anxiety due to fear of loneliness, darkness, or being imperfect. People with this type of anxiety fear being alone and may relieve anxiety through control or criticism of others. They may also feel cold often.
- Calcarea carbonica: Those who need calcarea may be similar to those who could benefit from arsenicum. They develop fear of breaking out of any safe routine. Anxiety worsens when plans are changed, and they show difficulty in “going with the flow.”
- Gelsemium: This is for people facing anxiety due to feelings of inadequacy. People with this type of anxiety are often timid and shaky. They may experience agoraphobia, avoid crowds or public speaking, and be vulnerable to fainting. They often also desire solitude and avoid insistent pressure from other people. Ignatia Homeopaths recommend ignatia for those experiencing anxiety from grief or loss. People who fit this description are often very sensitive and prone to mood swings, moving from laughter to tears. Ignatia is also recommended for depression.
- Kali arsenicosum: This is for anxiety that is health-based. Conditions include hypochondria, excessive grooming, and even fear of heart attacks. People with health-based anxiety may have racing thoughts and difficulty sleeping. They may also fear death or dying. They can be prone to feeling cold and vulnerable to panic attacks.
- Kali phophoricum: This is touted for those who are vulnerable to stress or becoming overwhelmed. Their anxiety stems from having too much to do or ambitions that are daunting. Their anxiety tends to take a physical toll on them as well.
- Lycopodium: Similar to gelsemium, lycopodium is suggested for people who lack self-confidence. Though they fear speaking in public and have stage fright, they hide it well. They might cover it up with talking loudly or too frequently.
- Phosphorus: Homeopathic phosphorus is thought to be good for social people with anxiety. When anxious or vexed, their thoughts get scattered and they have a difficult time focusing or getting things done. Their anxiety may be tied to a need for approval in social circles or from romantic partners.
- Pulsatilla: This is for people with childlike anxiety. They may need lots of reassurance and support from others to feel better.
- Silica: Silica is much like gelsemium and lycopodium. It’s for people who fear experiencing new things, talking in front of people, and getting a lot of attention. They tend to become workaholics to soothe their fears.
- Stramonium: This is for anxiety that also includes night terrors, nightmares, or dark thoughts while awake. People with this type of anxiety are often scared of the dark or being alone and are especially scared by thoughts of monsters or mysterious figures. Their imaginations tend to worsen their anxiety.
