The Concept of Mental Health
Mental health is a condition of mental well-being that allows people to cope with life’s stressors, realize their strengths, study and work effectively, and contribute to their community. Mental health encompasses more than just the absence of mental diseases. It occurs on a complicated continuum, with varying degrees of difficulty and discomfort and potentially very diverse social and clinical results from one individual to the next.
Mental illnesses and psychosocial abnormalities, as well as other mental states linked with considerable suffering, disability in functioning, or risk of self-harm, are examples of mental health issues. People suffering from mental illnesses are more likely to have poorer levels of mental well-being, however, this is not always or definitely the case.
Mental health problems are illnesses that cause anomalies in your thinking, feeling, or behavior. These irregularities have an impact on work and personal relationships, and can even lead to harmful living conditions. A psychiatric diagnosis requires that functional impairment leading to the condition has lasted for one year. However, many people have these abnormalities for more than a year without knowing it.
TYPES OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS
1. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health problem that affects individuals of all ages and areas of life. It develops when a person becomes trapped in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive, unwelcome thoughts, ideas, or desires that cause profoundly painful sensations. Compulsions are activities that an individual participates in to try to eliminate obsessions and/or reduce suffering.
Although most people have obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive actions at some time in their life, this does not imply that we all have “some OCD.” To be diagnosed with an obsessive-compulsive disorder, this cycle of obsessions and compulsions must become so severe that it consumes a lot of time and interferes with vital activities that the individual values.
Types and Symptoms of OCD
OCD manifests itself in a variety of ways, although the majority of cases fall into one of four broad categories:
- Checking locks, alarm systems, stoves, or light switches, or suspecting a medical issue such as pregnancy or schizophrenia
- Contamination, a dread of unclean objects, or a strong desire to clean. Mental contamination is the sensation of being treated as if you were dirt.
- Symmetry and order, the requirement for objects to be in a specific way or pattern.
- Ruminations and intrusive ideas, a fixation on a certain train of thinking Some of these ideas may be aggressive or frightening.
2. Depression
Depression affects millions of teenagers and adults in the United States and throughout the world. Each person’s symptoms will differ. Some people may experience sadness and cry for no apparent reason. Some people find themselves sleeping more than normal, dreading the thought of starting their day.
Severe depression can leave people feeling hopeless and considering suicide. Ketamine therapy is a novel treatment we give at our office that has been proven in studies to decrease many unpleasant symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation.
3. Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders can cause a variety of symptoms, ranging from generalized anxiety to panic episodes. This is also characterized by fear, dread, insomnia, post-traumatic stress, nightmares, racing thoughts, and phobias.
A mental health professional can analyze your symptoms to establish the precise type you are experiencing.
4. ADHD
ADHD is an abbreviation for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It was previously known as ADD, but because hyperactivity (what the “H” stands for) was shown to occur in some persons without inattention, the disease was renamed in recent years.
Impulsive actions are frequently associated with other ADHD symptoms. You may have heard that ADHD is typically present in children, yet 50% of children do not outgrow it and instead become adults with mostly inattentive symptoms.
5. Insomnia
Insomnia is defined as the inability to fall or remain asleep. Even if you can fall asleep, falling back asleep might be tough if you wake up throughout the night. Insomnia is a sleep condition that can be linked to other mental health issues such as sadness and anxiety.
Working with a mental health practitioner to develop healthier sleeping patterns or to take specific drugs might help to greatly improve symptoms. Furthermore, if you identify the source of your insomnia, it becomes a lot easier to control.
See common sleeping difficulties…
6. Impulse control and addiction disorders
This includes Substance Abuse and Addiction, Pyromania, Kleptomania, and compulsive gambling.
Addictions to prescription or illicit medications and alcohol are a part of mental health disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM 5). Depending on the medicine, you may encounter severe, even life-threatening effects.
The majority of addicts and drug abusers also have a co-occurring condition. That is, in addition to addiction, they have depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or another untreated ailment.
The more addiction therapy you can undergo, the better. Seeking help might range from medical detox to outpatient therapy.
7. Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder refers to the illness’s two emotions, which are at opposite extremes of the spectrum from the other. With depression on one side, bipolar depression can range from being unable to get out of bed to having the blues.
most common mental illnesses that go unnoticed…
Depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder cycle to the opposite extreme of the spectrum, mania. Mania can be positive since you have a lot of energy and do a lot. You may, nevertheless, engage in potentially deadly hazardous activities. When you return to a depressed state, the collapse can be disastrous to you, your family, and even your job.
8. Schizophrenia
It is unknown how a person develops schizophrenia, however, it is commonly thought to begin with a “genetic predisposition with environmental triggers.”
If you have schizophrenia, you may have moments when you are disconnected from reality. You may experience hallucinations and delusions, and you may be unable to converse effectively.
9. PTSD
If you have been through severe circumstances, you may get PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder. Traumas that can lead to PTSD include combat in a war, sexual abuse, and natural catastrophes.
Severe anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, and the inability to regulate your thoughts about the experience are all symptoms of PTSD. The thoughts and recollections of the tragedy you experienced overwhelm you.
A novel therapy technique for PTSD is making substantial progress. EMDR stands for eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing. However, a qualified EMDR professional performs this.
10. Disorders of Eating(Eating disorder)
The most prevalent eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Many people who suffer from eating disorders feel out of control in other aspects of their lives. They have complete control over the food that enters and exits their bodies.
Calorie reduction is the primary goal of anorexia. A person suffering from bulimia will binge eat and consume massive quantities of calories. When they have finished bingeing, they will feel guilty and have an intense want to expel the food they have ingested.
Binge-eating disorder is characterized by excessive food consumption without purging. However, the guilt is intense.
11. Borderline Personality Disorder(Personality disorder)
A person with borderline personality disorder is unable to sustain positive social interactions. You become emotionally unstable and impulsive, and your self-image suffers as a result.
Your emotions might vary from dread of abandonment to explosive rage outbursts. Often times you can’t control these kinds of moods. Borderline personality disorder might make you feel paranoid. Other disorders in this category include narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders.
12. Factitious disorders
Factitious disorder is a psychological ailment in which a person pretends or exaggerates symptoms of a medical or mental illness when they do not. They may even tamper with medical testing in order to persuade others that they require therapy.
The following are the most often faked symptoms and diseases:
- Pain in the abdomen
- Arthralgia (joint pain)
- Chest pain
- Diarrhea
- Infections
- Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level)
- Hematuria (blood in the urine)
- Hyperthyroidism
- Non-healing skin wounds
- Vomiting
- Weakness
Potential symptoms of factitious disorders;
- Symptoms that are unclear or contradictory
- Frequent hospitalizations
- Conditions that do not respond to conventional therapy
- Conditions that may deteriorate after they have improved
- The presence of many scars
- Refusal of a psych evaluation
- Refusing doctors to meet or talk with family members, friends, and previous doctors
- Appearance of new symptoms following negative test results
- Eagerness to undergo medical tests, procedures, or operations
- Predicting negative medical outcomes despite no evidence
- Arguing with hospital and medical staff
- Presence of symptoms when alone or when not being observed
- Remarkable but inconsistent medical history
Causes of factitious disorders:
- History of child abuse or neglect
- History of illnesses that requires the individual to visit hospitals
- Trauma
- Family dysfunction
- Social isolation
- Early chronic medical illness
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Work in the healthcare field
- Loss of a loved one through death
Here’s the Positive Part
You can treat all these mental health issues. Doctors and mental health specialists can provide a range of therapies, from pharmaceuticals to outpatient talk therapy.
You can even start improving your mental health condition right now by seeking treatment. Many treatment institutes provide telemedicine services, so you don’t even have to leave your house.
So, go online and begin your road to healing and well-being with a local mental health clinic.
See Free Online therapy you can access at your convenience
Key Notes on Mental Health;
- There are ways that are affordable, effective, and realistic for protecting, and restoring mental health.
- The need for mental health intervention in the current world revolution is undeniable and urgent.
- Mental health is essential to our well-being and a foundation for other forms of wellness and achievement.
- A network interaction of individual, societal, and vulnerabilities determines mental health.
